On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
six geese a-laying, five golden rings, four colly birds, three french hens,
two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree

One of the oldest domesticated birds, geese have been a part of folklore for centuries.  Because geese follow well-defined migratory paths between their breeding grounds and wintering grounds, they are considered a symbol of the solar year and fertlity.  Egyptians believed that a mummy's soul would rise up in the form of a goose, with the head of a human.  Romans considered the goose sacred because the geese that resided in the temple of Juno (goddess of heaven and marriage) began making a huge racket when the Barbarians were close, saving many Romans from certain death.  By the 1700s, goose replaced boar as the traditional Christmas dinner.

In Christianity, the six geese a-laying represents the six days in which God created the world.

Make sure you stop by tomorrow to learn about the seven swans a-swimming.

Heather Chavez, Real Estate Virtual Assistant - Second Self Virtual Assistance: When There Isn't Enough of You to Go Around!

Read more about the other days of Christmas here:

On the first day of Christmas - a partridge in a pear tree
On the second day of Christmas - two turtle doves
On the third day of Christmas - three French hens
On the fourth day of Christmas - four colly birds
On the fifth day of Christmas - five golden rings