12 days of Christmas: Feature Article
The Twelve Days of Christmas is an aspect of Christmas that many people have heard of, but really do not understand the real reason for it. In fact, it is probably the most misunderstood part of the church year for Christians who do not take part in liturgical church traditions. Let's look at what the 12 days of Christmas are, and what they mean.
When are the Twelve Days of Christmas celebrated?
The 12 days of Christmas typically go from Christmas, December 25th to January 5th, but some celebrate from the 26th to January 6th, and some even from January 7th to January 19th. In these traditions the 12 days of Christmas include Epiphany.
What is Epiphany? Epiphany is the day when the Wise Men visited the Christ child, and brought gifts. According to the Western church there were three Magi or wise men because there were three gifts presented. Epiphany is celebrated as this time, and gifts are exchanged, hence the gift giving during the twelve days.
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In some cultures it is a tradition to give a gift for each of the Twelve Days of Christmas, and in others it is tradition to just give gifts on the last day, or Epiphany. Of course when those twelve days actually occur depends on the culture. For example, in some cultures, especially Hispanic and Latin American culture, January 6th is observed as Three Kings Day, or simply the Day of the Kings. They still celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December, but they do not give gifts until Epiphany, which is January 6th.
Helpful Resources: Epiphany This is an article that explains the 12 days of Christmas as part of the Christian church calendar, and the Epiphany. It also offers links to related pages and other Christmas related information. Christmas Wikipedia: 12 Days of Christmas Religious Look at the 12 Days of Christmas Popular Christmas Songs Lyrics to 12 Days of Christmas Wikipedia: 12 Days of Christmas Cost of the 12 Days of Christmas |
In some places it is traditional to give Christmas gifts for each of the Twelve Days of Christmas. This means that gifts are spread out over the period from Christmas to January 6th. Of course, again it depends on the culture for the dates. For example, since Eastern Orthodox traditions use a different religious calendar, they celebrate Christmas on January 7th and observe Epiphany or Theophany on January 19th. The Twelve Days of Christmas are the twelve days that fall in between the two.
As you can see, there is some speculation about the actual dates for the Twelve Days of Christmas, as well as whether you give gifts each day, or at the end.
Why is there confusion about the Twelve Days of Christmas?
The reason there is some confusion about the Twelve Days of Christmas is that the various cultures celebrate it in different ways, and based on various calendars, but the idea is still the same. Let's look at some of the changes that took place.
By the 16th century, some European and Scandinavian cultures took the traditional customs of the Twelve Days of Christmas and combined them with pagan festivals celebrating the changing of the year. These were usually associated with driving away evil spirits. Thus, various gifts were given that were used for driving away spirits, and various customs or rituals to welcome the start of the New Year.
In many cultures, the Twelfth Night of Christmas is a night that you feast, give gifts, and take down the Christmas decorations that you have had up. Typically this is January 5th, the last day of the Christmas Season before Epiphany on January 6th. Of course, in some church traditions, January 5th is considered the eleventh Day of Christmas, while the evening of January 5th is still counted as the Twelfth Night, the beginning of the Twelfth day of Christmas the following day.
The origin and counting of the Twelve Days is complicated, and is related to differences in calendars, church traditions, and ways to observe this holy day in various cultures. No matter what the date, the Twelfth Night is celebrated as a time to remember the visit of the Three Magi. This involves gift giving, food, King's Cake, and more. No matter when it is celebrated, it is supposed to be a fun way to end the Christmas season and remember the Christ child.
Of course, many of the traditions of the Twelve Days of Christmas have disappeared or have been replaced with modern versions. In part this is because of the popular song "The Twelve Days of Christmas". Today, it is considered a fun Christmas song for children, however, when it was first created, some felt it a song of Christian instruction using basic teachings of faith, they felt it was a mnemonic device used to teach catechism to kids. The references to faith were supposed to be hidden, and subtle. For example, the "true love" spoken of is not a suitor or beau, but rather refers to God, and the "me: is any person who is baptized a part of the Christian faith. This caused much debate and problems as people thought the twelve days mentioned and their various symbols refer to various aspects of the Christian faith, and things you are supposed to learn. While some feel it is a secret means of preserving the Catholic faith, there is really no hard evidence to prove this, and without looking for deeper meaning, it is just a fun song about Christmas giving over the twelve days to Epiphany.
Because the song is one of the only ways many people even know about the Twelve Days of Christmas, it would be relevant and important to look at the song, the words, and the meaning, as well as the origin.
The song:
"The Twelve Days of Christmas" was first a children's rhyme, not put to music. It was originally published in a book called Mirth without Mischief in London around 1780.
When it started, it was a memory and forfeit game played by gathering a circle of players and each person took it in turns to say the first line of the rhyme. Then after it goes around, you all say the second line, and so on, people get out when they forget a line or mess up the wording. After several years, an English collector of folktales and rhymes adapted the game and rhyme to become a song about the twelve nights of Christmas that the family could sing each night before they celebrated by eating pies and cakes.
Today the song, although having a few versions, goes like so:
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me a Partridge in a pear tree.
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree.
On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me six geese of laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me seven swans a swimming, six geese of laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.
On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me eight maids of milking, seven swans a swimming, six geese of laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.
On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me nine ladies dancing, eight maids of milking, seven swans a swimming, six geese of laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.
On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ten lords of leaping, nine ladies dancing, eight maids of milking, seven swans a swimming, six geese of laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.
On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me eleven pipers piping, ten lords of leaping, nine ladies dancing, eight maids of milking, seven swans a swimming, six geese of laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me twelve drummers drumming, eleven pipers piping, ten lords of leaping, nine ladies dancing, eight maids of milking, seven swans a swimming, six geese of laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.
Some of the versions of the song have variations to the numbers, for example, there might be ten drummers drumming, nine lords leaping, and twelve ladies dancing, etc. Either way, this is the fun little song that represents gift giving and holiday spirit during the twelve days from Christmas to Epiphany, when the Magi gifted items to the Christ child.
