Story behind the song: The Twelve Days of Christmas

Since Christmas is just two weeks away I decided to create a series of entries that deal with some of the songs that we hear throughout the Christmas season and to share the stories behind why the songs were written. You might be aware of some of the stories or like me you may have stumbled across the story and found it fascinating. That is the case with this first song, The Twelve Days of Christmas. 


To be honest, I was never a big fan of this song. It seemed a little redundant.  What does a Partridge in a Pear Tree have to do with Christmas anyway?  Well two years ago I received an email from a friend that included a story about how this song came to be.  I was amazed  and found it extremely interesting and eye opening. 

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. This carol was written for young Catholics. It had two meanings, the surface meaning and the hidden meaning known only the members of their church. Each element in the song from the Partridge to the Drummers was a code word to allow children and I imagine adults too an easy way to remember the meaning. 

-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.

So there is your history for today. You never know how God will use a song to get His message to his people. Maybe the next time you hear the song you will hear it through different ears as I have begun to do.