SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAVA) — Even though the song is sung during the Christmas season, the 12 Days of Christmas do not lead up to December 25th. They begin on Christmas Day and end on January 6th, the Ephipany.
It’s believed the 12 days of Christmas mark the time it took for the Three Wise Men to travel to Bethlehem after the birth of Jesus. “Epiphany’ refers to the moment the recognized him as the Son of God.
Contrary to popular belief, each day in 12 Days of Christmas does not correlate to something religious. The song was originally used to help small children learn to count, hence the repetition of the verses. And in early days, the song was not about a “true love” giving the gifts. Versions of the song found in old songbooks have the narrator’s mother as the gift-giver.
While the actual days may not correlate to something religious, each gift does:
- Partridge in a Pear Tree : The partridge represents Jesus Christ, who is seen as a symbol of salvation and peace.
- Two Turtle Doves : The two turtle doves are the Old and New Testament in the Bible.
- Three French Hens : The French hens are interpreted as being the virtues of faith, hope and love.
- Four Calling Birds : The birds represent the four Gospels in the Bible: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
- Five Golden Rings : The five golden rings are thought to represent the first five books of the Old Testament, also known as the Torah or Pentateuch.
- Six Geese a-Laying: The six geese refer to the six days of creation, as described in the Book of Genesis in the Bible.
- Seven Swans a-Swimmin g: The swans represent the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit also known as the seven sacraments in Christianity. These gifts are understanding, wisdom, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord.
- Eight Maids a-Milking : The maids are meant to represent the eight Beatitudes—the blessings listed by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount.
- Nine Ladies Dancing : The ladies dancing are the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit, including love, joy and peace.
- Ten Lords a-Leaping : The 10 lords represent the Ten Commandments.
- Eleven Pipers Piping : The pipers represent the 11 apostles (excluding Judas Iscariot).
- Twelve Drummers Drumming : The 12 drummers are meant to represent the 12 points of belief in the Apostles’ Creed.