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Deb Pepple <dpepplejes@netscape.net> on 12/15/2000 02:30:45 PM
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Subject: Fwd: [The Meaning Behind The Twelve Days Of Christmas]




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Subject: The Meaning Behind The Twelve Days Of Christmas
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 19:24:53 -0500
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Subject: Christmas Carol



There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me.

What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming

swans, and especially the partridge who won't come our of

the pear tree have to do with Christmas?



Here is one explanation:



From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not

permitted to practice their faith openly.  Someone during

that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young

Catholics.  It has two levels of meaning: the surface

meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of

their church. Each element in the carol has a code word

for a religious reality which the children could remember.



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, although I can't vouch

for its accuracy, but I found it an interesting possibility