The Twelve Days of Christmas
We have all heard, most of us sang, the famous song The Twelve Days of Christmas. I grew up really thinking that this True Love offered a gift for the twelve days following Christmas, starting on December 25th. What a sweet, romantic thing to do.
The lyrics go like this: On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me a Partridge in a Pear Tree. On the second, 2 Turtle Doves. On the third, 3 French Hens. On the fourth, 4 Calling Birds. On the fifth, 5 Golden Rings. On the sixth, 6 Geese a Laying. On the seventh, 7 Swans a Swimming. On the eighth, 8 Maids a Milking. On the ninth, 9 Ladies Dancing. On the tenth, 10 Lords a Leaping. On the eleventh, 11 Pipers Piping. On the twelfth, 12 Drummers Drumming.
My question was always: did the beloved end up with 12 Partridges in 12 Pear Trees? Now I learn that it is a song written in code and sung between the 16th and 18th centuries while Catholicism was outlawed. It was a way to remember religious truth without persecution.
The hidden meaning
The True Love in the song represents the True Love born on Christmas Day. The partridge in a pear tree represents Jesus Christ. The two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments. The three French hens stood for faith, hope, and love. The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The five golden rings represented 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 gifts of the Holy Spirit. The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes. Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit. The ten lords a-leaping were the Ten Commandments. The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful Apostles. The twelve drummers drumming are the twelve points of belief in The Apostles' Creed.
The twelve days of Christmas are the twelve days between the celebrated birth of Jesus and the Epiphany, when the Wise Men arrived and revealed the child as the light of the world.
Twelfth Night and the King Cake
The Twelfth Night became a time of great celebration. Large parties were held, during which the roles in society were often reversed, with the servants being served by the rich. This dated back to medieval and Tudor times when Twelfth Night marked the end of winter, which had started on October 31st with All Hallows Eve.
In many countries, at the start of Twelfth Night the Twelfth Night cake or King Cake was eaten. This was a rich cake made with eggs and butter, fruit, nuts, and spices. The modern Italian Panettone is most like the old Twelfth Night or Epiphany cake. A dried pea or bean was cooked in the cake to represent the New Born King. Whoever found it in their slice was the Lord or Lady for the night and was expected to bring next year's King Cake to the celebration.
Most King Cakes are decorated with colorful dried fruits or colored sugars. In New Orleans the colors represent: purple for justice, green for faith, and gold for power.
Wishing all a very Merry Twelve Days of Christmas, Peace on Earth, and Goodwill to All.
