By: KC Nañola

“On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me, a partridge in a pear tree."

Sound familiar? Yes, it is the first part of a rather famous and jolly Christmas song “The Twelve days of Christmas”.

What exactly does the 12 days of Christmas mean? How can there be 12 days?   In my hunger for knowledge about this magic number 12, I decided to google it to find out more and thought it was interesting, and that’s why I am sharing this with you.

The 12 days of Christmas are the 12 days that separate Christmas day on December 25 from the Christian Feast, which is celebrated January 6. Depending on the church, January 6 may mark Christ's baptism in the Catholic tradition, or it may mark the day that the wise men visited the baby Jesus with their gifts.
In the past, there was a tradition of giving gifts throughout the 12 days, rather than stacking them all up on the morning of December 25. That tradition, as you might imagine, has never really caught on. We just aren't that patient. But the song, expresses that some people once stretched out their gifts and gave some fairly elaborate gifts over the full 12 days.
Christmas celebrations are a combination of Jesus’ birth with various customs, mostly, influenced by earlier winter festivals.

1. True Love refers to God
   
2. Turtle Doves refers to the Old and New Testaments
   
3. French Hens refers to Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues
   
4. Calling Birds refers to the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists
   
5. Golden Rings refers to the first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which gives the history of man's fall from grace.
   
6. Geese A-laying refers to the six days of creation
   
7. Swans A-swimming refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments
   
8. Maids A-milking refers to the eight beatitudes
   
9. Ladies Dancing refers to the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
   
10. Lords A-leaping refers to the ten commandments
    
11. Pipers Piping refers to the eleven faithful apostles
    
12. Drummers Drumming refers to the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed

So, ‘tis the season to be jolly and get ready for the 12 days of Christmas, keeping  in mind that  this Christian holiday, commemorates the birth of Jesus.  Let us embrace the season by giving and forgiving.

Merry Christmas everyone!

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About the writer: KC Nanola is a  grade 7 student of St. Lawrence School and is also in a gifted class program at St. Catherine School. She was our featured “Young Achiever” for August edition