A Merry Christmas to One and All

The time before Christmas is the season of Advent when we prepare for the advent of our Lord on Christmas day. The season runs for twelve days and the ends on Epiphany, the coming of the Magi

The “Twelve Days of Christmas” comes from France in the 16th century though the tune is much newer. A counting song that can be used to teach about the faith but it was also sung at parties, anyone who missed a line having to take a long drink of eggnog or some such beverage. With that in mind click on video and enjoy.




HT: The Anchoress

Here is the real meaning of the gifts.

The songs gifts are hidden meanings to the teachings of the faith. The "true love" mentioned in the song doesn't refer to an earthly suitor, it refers to God Himself. The "me" who receives the presents refers to every baptized person. The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge which feigns injury to decoy predators from her helpless nestlings, much in memory of the expression of Christ's sadness over the fate of Jerusalem: "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered thee under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but thou wouldst not have it so..."
The other symbols mean the following:
2 Turtle Doves = The Old and New Testaments
3 French Hens = Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues
4 Calling Birds = the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists
5 Golden Rings = The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which gives the history of man's fall from grace.
6 Geese A-laying = the six days of creation
7 Swans A-swimming = the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments
8 Maids A-milking = the eight beatitudes
9 Ladies Dancing = the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
10 Lords A-leaping = the ten commandments
11 Pipers Piping = the eleven faithful apostles
12 Drummers Drumming = the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed
source

Don't settle for one day, have twelve merry days of Christmas!
Merry Christmas to Everyone