Seven Swans a Swimming

The twelve days of Christmas are the twelve days between Christmas Day, Dec. 25th, the birth of Jesus, and the Epiphany, Jan. 6th, the day Christians celebrate the arrival of the Magi (Wise Men) and the revelation of Christ as the light of the world.

The Christmas song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" may sound silly and contrived to many of us. But it actually had its origins in religious symbolism - and with a serious purpose.

It dates from a time of religious persecution. The song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas," was written as a kind of secret catechism that could be sung in public without fear of arrest - a learning or memory aid to Christians in fact.

The song can be taken at two levels of interpretation - the surface meaning, or the hidden meaning known only to the Christians involved. Each element is a code word for a religious truth.

A Partridge in a Pear Tree (is Jesus)

Two Turtle Doves (are the Old and New Testaments)

Three French Hens (stand for faith, hope and love)

Four Calling Birds (are the four Gospels)

Fiiiiive Golden Rings (recall the Hebrew Torah (Law), or the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament)

Six Geese a Laying (the six days of creation)

Seven Swans a Swimming (represent the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost) Someone ate one of the swans before it was decorated and Elizabeth had to use some floury leftover dough and bake another, which resulted in the minority swan in the back center;)

Eights Maids a Milking (are the eight Beatitudes)

Nine Ladies Dancing (are the nine fruits of the Holy Ghost)

Ten Lords a Leaping (are the Ten Commandments)

Eleven Pipers Piping (the eleven faithful Apostles)

Twelve Drummers Drumming (symbolize the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles Creed)


If you think Jesus being symbolized as a partridge in a pear tree sounds blasphemous, remember:
"Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered thee under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but thou wouldst not have it so." (Luke 13:34 and Matthew 23:34)
The "true love" in the song refers to God Himself.
The "me" receiving the gifts is every Christian.
So that "silly" song we sing at Christmas time has more meaning than we thought.

My mom had given these to us after our Christmas gathering. If anyone is interested in obtaining these cookie cutters, you can google search Chilton Housewares Cookie Cutters Twelve Days of Christmas. Francesca and Elizabeth worked in stages over a three day period to get the results shown above. They really worked hard!