Hey all...we arrived back home on Saturday around 5pm! We had a lovely holiday as a family, and glad to be back home!
Christmas has come around really fast...so for my first blog to celebrate the best season, is the beautiful hidden meaning of this classic Christmas song!
An excerpt from http://jmm.aaa.net.au/index.htm
"From 1558 until 1829 people in England were not allowed to practise their faith openly. During this era someone wrote 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' as a kind of secret catechism that could be sung in public without risk of persecution. The song has two levels of interpretation: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of the church."
"
Each element in the carol is a code word for a religious reality.
1. The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ.
2. The two turtledoves are the Old and New Testaments.
3. Three French hens stand for faith, hope and love.
4. The four calling birds are the four Gospels.
5. The five gold rings recall the torah (Law) the first five books of the Old Testament.
6. The six geese a-laying stand for the six days of creation.
7. Seven swans a-swimming represent the sevenfold gifts of the Spirit.
8. The eight maids a-milking are the eight beatitudes.
9. Nine ladies dancing are the nine fruits of the spirit (Gal.5).
10. The ten lords a-leaping are the Ten Commandments.
11. Eleven pipers piping stand for the eleven faithful disciples.
12. Twelve drummers drumming symbolize the 12 points of belief in the Apostles Creed.
"From 1558 until 1829 people in England were not allowed to practise their faith openly. During this era someone wrote 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' as a kind of secret catechism that could be sung in public without risk of persecution. The song has two levels of interpretation: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of the church."
"
Each element in the carol is a code word for a religious reality.
1. The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ.
2. The two turtledoves are the Old and New Testaments.
3. Three French hens stand for faith, hope and love.
4. The four calling birds are the four Gospels.
5. The five gold rings recall the torah (Law) the first five books of the Old Testament.
6. The six geese a-laying stand for the six days of creation.
7. Seven swans a-swimming represent the sevenfold gifts of the Spirit.
8. The eight maids a-milking are the eight beatitudes.
9. Nine ladies dancing are the nine fruits of the spirit (Gal.5).
10. The ten lords a-leaping are the Ten Commandments.
11. Eleven pipers piping stand for the eleven faithful disciples.
12. Twelve drummers drumming symbolize the 12 points of belief in the Apostles Creed.
Hi Sarah,
ReplyDeleteWelcome "home"! :D
Thank you for sharing that about the Twelve Days of Christmas - it's not one that I have seen before, and I hope that you don't mind me sharing it with our children???
Have a great week,
Blessings,
Jillian
Lovely to have you home, Sarah...she says, singing..."and a Partridge la la la la!!"
ReplyDeleteThank you Jillian and Jeanne! xxx
ReplyDeleteWelcome back Sarah! Hope you had a restful and relaxing break. This post was quite enlightening, not having heard of this before! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi Rosemary, thank you! It's very interesting isn't it! xxx
ReplyDeleteAh, the treasures you find, and can share, when you go hunting.
ReplyDelete:)
I first learned about this last year. Fantastic!
ReplyDelete