My Grandchildren ask me about the song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" so I told them I would find out when that is.
Sometimes we are so caught up in traditions and rituals that we don't really know what we are celebrating or why. Pastor Arthur and I discovered this when we began teaching the Advent. You see the first time we were involved in the lighting of the Advent Candle at church we did not know what it was. After I completed the research on the history and symbolism we began teaching and lighting it in our church services in the nursing and assisted living facilities, there we discovered many folks had lit the candle in their churches all their lives did not know the history or symbolism and were grateful that we explained it.
The following is a result of my research of The Twelve Days of Christmas:
Religious Symbolism of the Twelve Days of Christmas
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 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 points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed
Epiphany is the climax of Advent/Christmas Season. The first day of Christmas is Christmas Day and the Twelfth day is January 5, the Eve of Epiphany. Or in some beliefs the eve of Christmas Day December 25, to the morning of Epiphany, January 6. The term epiphany means "to show" or "to make known" or even "to reveal." In Western churches, it remembers the coming of the wise men bringing gifts to visit the Christ child, who by so doing "reveal" Jesus to the world as Lord and King.
Epiphany or Three Kings Day is the celebration of the arrival of the Magi to the baby Jesus. The festivities include the baking of a special King’s Cake which is also celebrated during Mardi Graus. The one or two Sundays during Epiphany are known as Christmas Tide. There are also longer versions of the tradition, some celebrate Epiphany from January 6 until Ash Wednesday the first day f Lent and still others until the Transfiguration Sunday.
However some Christians believe that there were more than three magi, not kings, who presented three gifts that were named in scripture. Matthew 2:11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh. This verse indicates they arrived to a young child at Mary’s side, not an infant. King Herrod ordered all boys two years old and under killed, Matthew 2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, , 18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. Therefore, it appears that at the time they fled to Egypt Jesus was standing and perhaps walking.
Resources
http://www.cresourcei.org/cyepiph.html
www.biblegateway.com
As always make sure to read and study on your own, open to what God has for your knowledge in order to draw closer to Him through faith.
Happy New Year everyone, make this a year of singing a new song and starting new family traditions. Advent 2010 was the first time my grandchildren learned what advent is, nightly bible readings, and experiencing the true meaning. We read about the birthday of Jesus before opening gifts that we receive because of the greatest gift ever given to us by our Heavenly Father.
