The Meaning Behind the 12 Days of Christmas
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
What are the 12 Days of Christmas?
The Meaning of the Song "The Twelve Days of Christmas"
The First Day of Christmas: A Partridge in a Pear Tree
The Second Day of Christmas: Two Turtle Doves
The Third Day of Christmas: Three French Hens
The Fourth Day of Christmas: Four Calling Birds
The Fifth Day of Christmas: Five Golden Rings
The Sixth Day of Christmas: Six Geese A-Laying
The Seventh Day of Christmas: Seven Swans A-Swimming
The Eighth Day of Christmas: Eight Maids A-Milking
The Ninth Day of Christmas: Nine Ladies Dancing
The Tenth Day of Christmas: Ten Lords A-Leaping
The Eleventh Day of Christmas: Eleven Pipers Piping
The Twelfth Day of Christmas: Twelve Drummers Drumming
What’s your favorite celebration of the year?
As Catholics, the one thing we do more than anything else is celebrate. We celebrate life, death, new life, and eternal life. We celebrate education, innovation, discovery, love, truth, beauty, goodness, forgiveness, reconciliation, unity, family, and new life. We are a people of celebration.
Christmas is one of the most loved celebrations of the year—for Catholics and non-Catholics alike! But the great thing about Christmas is that it doesn’t just last one day.
You’ve probably heard the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” It’s one of the most popular Christmas songs in America, but many people don’t realize that it has Catholic roots!
What are the 12 Days of Christmas?
The world starts celebrating Christmas after Thanksgiving (and sometimes even earlier!), but for Catholics the Christmas season doesn't begin until Christmas Eve. The time of preparation before Christmas is called Advent. Catholics celebrate the Christmas season from Jesus' birth, December 25, until the day before the Epiphany. The Epiphany is the celebration of when the three wise men visited Joseph, Mary, and Jesus in Bethlehem. Since the Church is still celebrating, it's a great opportunity to leave your Christmas decorations up a little longer!
What is the Meaning of the Song "The Twelve Days of Christmas"?
The religious wars in sixteenth century England made it dangerous to be a Catholic. Many people practiced their faith in secret. As the legend goes, Catholic families courageously developed unique ways to secretly pass the faith onto their children, like “The 12 Days of Christmas.” The well-known song was used to teach children about the Catholic Church. Although the lyrics may sound like nonsense, the song actually contains hidden references.
The First Day of Christmas: A Partridge in a Pear Tree
A partridge is a bird that is known to sacrifice its life for its babies. This bird represents Jesus, who is willing to give his life for us. The pear tree symbolizes the Cross.
How to celebrate the First Day of Christmas:
Spend 10 minutes in the classroom of silence, reflecting on the love Jesus has for you. If you have children, invite them to draw pictures of a partridge bird in a pear tree, and have a conversation with them about the meaning of the image.The Second Day of Christmas: Two Turtle Doves
Did you know that turtle doves often mate for life? Because of this, they are seen as symbols of love, fidelity, and connection. In “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” the two turtle doves represent the Old and New Testament, which are deeply connected and meaningful.
How to celebrate the Second Day of Christmas:
Spend some time reading from both the Old and New Testament today.
The Third Day of Christmas: Three French Hens
The three French hens signify the three theological virtues: faith, hope, and love (or charity).
How to celebrate the Third Day of Christmas:
Try to create three Holy Moments: one for faith, one for hope, and one for charity.
Here are a few examples to get you started:
Faith Holy Moments: pray a decade of the Rosary, spend 10 minutes reading the Gospel, reflect on the Gospel of the day, read about the saint of the day.
Hope Holy Moments: write an encouraging text to a friend, pray to Jesus about something you’ve given up hope for, make a list of 10 things you're grateful for.
Charity / Love Holy Moments: write a love letter, pray for your family and their intentions, invite a friend over for dinner.
The Fourth Day of Christmas: Four Calling Birds
The four calling birds symbolize the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, which spread the good news of Jesus’ life and teachings.
How to celebrate the Fourth Day of Christmas:
Spend 10 minutes reading from your favorite Gospel. If you aren’t sure where to start, many people recommend starting with the Gospel of John! You could also meditate on a powerful quote from one of the four Gospels.
Powerful quotes from the Gospel of Matthew:
Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 5:16: “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 6:33: “But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Powerful quotes from the Gospel of Mark:
Mark 6:31: “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.”
Mark 8:34: “Jesus called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.’”
Mark 2:17: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.
Powerful quotes from the Gospel of Luke:
Luke 1:30-3: “The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.’”
Luke 11:9: “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.”
Luke 22:42: “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.”
Powerful quotes from the Gospel of John:
John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”
John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”
John 6:51: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
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The Fifth Day of Christmas: Five Golden Rings
The five golden rings represent the first five books of the Old Testament, also known as the Pentateuch or the Torah. These books include: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
How to celebrate the Fifth Day of Christmas:
Spend 10 minutes reading from your favorite book of the Pentateuch. You could also meditate on a powerful quote from one of the five books:
Powerful quotes from Genesis:
Genesis 1:27: “So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
Genesis 1:31: “God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.”
Genesis 2:17: “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.”
Powerful quotes from Exodus:
Exodus 15:2: “The Lord is my strength and my might, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”
Exodus 15:26: “I am the Lord who heals you.”
Exodus 20:3: “You shall have no other gods before me.”
Powerful quotes from Leviticus:
Leviticus 19:18: “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”
Leviticus 26:12: “And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and you shall be my people.”
Leviticus 11:44: “For I am the Lord your God; sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy.”
Powerful quotes from Numbers:
Numbers 6:24-26: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.”
Numbers 23:19: “God is not a human being, that he should lie, or a mortal, that he should change his mind. Has he promised, and will he not do it? Has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?”
Numbers 32:23: “Be sure your sin will find you out.”
Powerful quotes from Deuteronomy:
Deuteronomy 31:6: “Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the Lord your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 7:9: “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who maintains covenant loyalty with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.”
Deuteronomy 6:4-5 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”
The Sixth Day of Christmas: Six Geese A-Laying
The six geese a-laying symbolize the six days of creation, emphasizing God's power as the creator of the world.
How to celebrate the Sixth Day of Christmas:
Read the creation story in the Book of Genesis: Genesis 1-4. Invite your children to draw pictures of the beginning of creation. You could also celebrate creation by going for a nature walk or spending time with your family outside.The Seventh Day of Christmas: Seven Swans A-Swimming
The seven swans a-swimming represent the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.
How to celebrate the Seventh Day of Christmas:
Spend 10 minutes in prayer, asking God to bless you with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. You could also pray this traditional prayer to the Holy Spirit:Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth.
O God, who have taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that in the same Spirit we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in his consolation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Eighth Day of Christmas: Eight Maids A-Milking
The eight maids a-milking symbolizes the eight Beatitudes preached by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
How to celebrate the Eighth Day of Christmas:
Spend some time reflecting on the Beatitudes. Challenge yourself to create at least one Holy Moment based on your favorite Beatitude. Here are a few examples:Blessed are the poor in spirit: Donate to a charity, clean out your closet and give away items you no longer need, spend time with someone who is feeling lonely.
Blessed are those who mourn: Send a heartfelt card to someone who is grieving, prepare a meal for someone who is going through a hard time, have a Mass offered for someone who passed away.
Blessed are the meek: Offer to help someone without expecting anything in return, listen more than you speak, show your appreciation for the people you love.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: Pray for a cause you care about, volunteer for a Catholic non-profit organization, research Catholic teachings on justice.
Blessed are the merciful: Forgive someone, apologize for something you did wrong, visit a nursing home.
Blessed are the pure in heart: Go to Confession, pray the Rosary for someone you love, read a book like Theology of the Body for Beginners by Christopher West.
Blessed are the peacemakers: Invite a friend to pray the Rosary with you, host a prayer group, schedule some carefree time with your family.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness: Donate to help persecuted Christians throughout the world and read about the martyrs of the Church (check out this book about martyrs!)
The Ninth Day of Christmas: Nine Ladies Dancing
The nine ladies dancing represents the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
How to celebrate the Ninth Day of Christmas:
Read a powerful book about the Holy Spirit or pray to the Holy Spirit, asking him to bring these fruits into your life.The Tenth Day of Christmas: Ten Lords A-Leaping
The ten lords a-leaping signifies the Ten Commandments, which provide guidance for how to be the-best-version-of-yourself:
The Ten Commandments:
- I am the Lord your God: You shall not have strange gods before me.
- You shall not take the name of the Lord God in vain.
- Remember to keep holy the Lord’s day.
- Honor your father and your mother.
- You shall not kill.
- You shall not commit adultery.
- You shall not steal.
- You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
- You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.
- You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.
How to celebrate the Tenth Day of Christmas
Reflect on the Ten Commandments and how well your life aligns with them. Consider going to Confession. Or watch a movie like The Ten Commandments to dive deeper into the Bible story!
The Eleventh Day of Christmas: Eleven Pipers Piping
The eleven pipers piping represent the eleven faithful disciples of Jesus: Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the Younger, Simon, and Jude.
How to celebrate the Eleventh Day of Christmas:
Spend time reading the Gospels or the Book of Acts. Talk to your family about the lives of the disciples.
The Twelfth Day of Christmas: Twelve Drummers Drumming
The twelve drummers drumming represent the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles' Creed, which summarizes the core beliefs of Christianity.
The Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting. Amen.
How to celebrate the Twelfth Day of Christmas:
Say the Apostle’s Creed on your own or with your family. Have a party to celebrate the close of the twelve days.
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