The Twelve Days of Christmas

The Twelve Days of Christmas

I have fond memories learning “The Twelve Days of Christmas” in grade school, when it was politically ok to say the word, “Christmas.” It was challenging trying not to get the words mixed up, especially when I was only six, or eight. Now that I know the words, it’s one of my favorites during the Christmas season.

Courtesy of Carol Wiley, home inspector, of Temecula, California, sent me this history of the carol, "The Twelve Days of Christmas." Whether it's true, or not, if the words have a double meaning, all these years I thought it was a Christmas song about receiving unusual gifts. 

The Christmas Price Index for 2011 for the total costs of goods and services is $24,263.18. 

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.

• The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
  
• Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.
• Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
• The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.
• The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
• The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
• Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.
• The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.
• Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.
• The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.
• The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
• The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.

Pamela Seley, REALTOR®
Short Sale Resource | CA DRE lic # 01824145
www.temeculavalleyhome.com | Dir 951.491.4063 | Email pamelaseley@gmail.com

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Pamela Seley, REALTOR® has helped homeowners in SW Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, California, by negotiating short payoffs with the following lenders and servicers:

Bank of America * Chase * CitiMortgage * EMC Mortgage * GMAC * HSBC * Indymac (now known as, One West Bank) * Midland Mortgage * SLS Specialized Lending Servicing, LLC * Wachovia Mortgage * Wells Fargo * World Savings Bank  

All information deemed reliable, but not guaranteed. Copyright © 2009-2011 by Pamela Seley, REALTOR® | CA DRE Lic # 01824145