In the Christian calendar, the 12 days of Christmas refer to the period between Christmas (December 25) and Epiphany (January 6), celebrated as the day the Wise Men, or Magi, arrived in Bethlehem to give presents to the baby Jesus. In Scandinavia and parts of present-day Germany, these religious celebrations were combined with the secular (and sometimes pagan) New Year's festivities. It is from these cultures that we get the popular holiday carol, The Twelve Days of Christmas.
Symbolism
A widely believed, but generally thought to be erroneous, urban myth holds that the carol is ripe with hidden Christian meanings. Since the 16th century was not known for its religious tolerance, some people considered the song to be an affirmation of the songwriter's and singer's faith. According to this theory, the gifts symbolize the following:
Partridge in a Pear Tree – Jesus, as described in Luke 13:34
Two Turtle Doves – The old and new testaments of the Bible
Three French Hens – The Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost)
Four Calling Birds – The Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
Five Golden Rings – The Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible
Six Geese a-Laying – The six days of the Creation
Seven Swans a-Swimming – The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
Eight Maids a-Milking - The eight beatitudes
Nine Ladies Dancing – The nine fruits of the Holy Spirit
Ten Lord a-Leaping – The Ten Commandments
Eleven Pipers Piping – The eleven faithful apostles
Twelve Drummers Drumming - The doctrines in the Apostles' Creed
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