Origin of "The Twelve Days of Christmas"

Here's a repeat of a blog I wrote a few days back.

All through the Christmas season I've been hearing the popular song The Twelve Days of Christmas. There was a time a few years back when I promoted the idea that the song was really a secret catechism used by persecuted Roman Catholic Christians in England during the period 1558 to 1829 when Roman Catholics were prohibited by law to practice their faith, either in public or in private. Supposedly, The Twelve Days of Christmas," was written as a catechism song during those years to help young Catholics learn the basics of their faith. In short, it was a memory aid. Since the song sounded like rhyming nonsense, young Catholics could sing the song without fear of imprisonment. Parliament finally set Catholics in England free in 1829 to openly practice their faith.

The idea that the Twelve Days is a catechetical song is, in fact, another of those urban myths that constantly float around. The idea first hit the net in 1995 via an article from the same Catholic Information Network that later withdrew its page. However, some Catholic parishes still promote the myth.

According to the myth, here is the secret catechetical meaning of the song:

1 Partridge in a pear tree = The One true God, revealed in the person of Jesus Christ

2 Turtle Doves = The Old and New Testaments

3 French Hens = Faith, Hope and Charity

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 contains the law condemning us of our sins.

6 Geese A-laying = the six days of creation

7 Swans A-swimming = the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit and the seven sacraments of the Catholic faith

8 Maids A-milking = the eight beatitudes

9 Ladies Dancing = the nine Fruits of the 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.

Leigh Grant, in his childrens book A Celebration and History , says the written lyrics to "The Twelve Days of Christmas" first appeared in Mirth without Mischief in the early 1780s in England. Grant states that the tune to which these words are sung apparently dates back much further and came from France. Mirth without Mischief describes "The Twelve Days of Christmas" as a type of memory game played by children at that time. A leader recited the first verse, the next child recited the second verse, and so on until someone missed a verse and had to pay some kind of penalty in the game. There was no religious significance.

Many other theories have been put forward to explain the strange collection of gifts catalogued in this carol, and various attempts have been made to explain them as symbolic of something or other. For instance, it has been suggested that 'pear tree' is a corruption of perdrix (pronounced 'pair-dree'), the French for partridge, but which came first, the perdrix or the pair tree?

By the way, check out the site Ive quoted above for the background of many other Christmas songs and carols: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A832420.

One final note. None of the doctrines represented in the Twelve Days of Christmas myth, differ from the beliefs of Anglicans, Presbyterians or most other Protestant groups. Also, if the song was that important for teaching or remembering doctrine, why was it associated only with Christmas?

Do enjoy the remaining days of the twelve leading up to the festival of Epiphany, January 6, when Christians either celebrate the birth of Christ or the coming of the Magi. More on that another time. And keep on singing. "