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To many the lyrics of the song \u201cThe Twelve Days of Christmas\u201d seem like a novelty in the vein of \u201cGrandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.\u201d We are going to take a deeper dive into the hidden meaning of the lyrics of \u201cThe Twelve Days of Christmas.\u201d
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\nOn the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... a partridge in a pear tree.
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\nThe partridge in a pear tree represents Jesus, the Son of God, whose birthday we celebrate on the first day of Christmas. Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge, the only bird that will die to protect its young.
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\nOn the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... two turtledoves.
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\nThese twin birds represent the Old and New Testaments where we find the complete story of our faith and God\u2019s plan for the world.
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\nOn the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... three French hens.
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\nThese birds represent faith, hope, and love. This gift hearkens back to 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter written by the apostle Paul.
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\nOn the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... five gold rings.
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\nThe gift of the rings represents the first five books of the Old Testament, known as the Torah.
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\nOn the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... six geese a-laying.
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\nThese lyrics come from the first story found in the Bible. Each egg is a day in creation, a time when the world was \u201chatched\u201d or formed by God.
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\nOn the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me... seven swans a-swimming.
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\nThis one is a bit trickier with the seven gifts represent the gifts of the Holy Spirit: prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, and compassion. As swans are one of the most beautiful and graceful creatures on earth, they would seem to be a perfect symbol for spiritual gifts.
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\nOn the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... eight maids a-milking.
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\nAs Christ came to save even the lowest of the low, this gift represents the ones who would receive his word and accept his grace. Being a milkmaid was one of the worst jobs one could have at the time. Jesus cared as much about servants as he did those of royal blood. The eight who were blessed included the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who are persecuted for righteousness\u2019 sake.
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\nOn the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... nine ladies dancing.
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\nThese nine dancers represent the fruit of the Spirit. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
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\nOn the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me... ten lords a-leaping.
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\nThis is probably the easiest gift to understand. As lords were judges and in charge of the law, represents the Ten Commandments.
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\nOn the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... eleven pipers piping.
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\nThis is almost a trick question, as most think of the disciples in terms of a dozen. But when Judas betrayed Jesus and committed suicide, there were only eleven men who carried out the gospel message.
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\nOn the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... twelve drummers drumming.
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\nThe drummers are the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles\u2019 Creed. \u201cI 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...