There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me. " Catholics"

[pennyjangle]

  There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me. What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge who won't come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas?

This week, I found out.

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly.  Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics.  It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church.  Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.

-The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.

-Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.

-Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love..

-The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.

-The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Tanach.

-The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.

-Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching,  Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.

-The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.

-Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness,  Faithfulness,  Gentleness, and Self Control.

-The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.

-The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.

-The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.

So there is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol...so pass it on if you wish.'

[~Hanna~]

I just heard about this a year or two ago...amazing.

[muman613]

Did they just make up the # for each thing? I don't quite get "Ten commandments a jumping"... Of course I dont want you to explain it to me...

On a lighter note, has anyone seen Bob & Doug McKenzies 12 Days of Christmas, it is the same song with the same #s but with different objects...

http://www.themadmusicarchive.com/song_details.aspx?SongID=131


On the first day of Christmas
My true love gave to me, a beer
On the second day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Two turtlenecks and a beer

On the third day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Three French toast
Two turtlenecks and a beer

There should be more there
(Where) on the...go

Fourth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Four pounds of back bacon
Three French toast
Two turtlenecks and a beer
In a tree, see, you need more

On the fifth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Five golden toques
Four pounds of back bacon
Three French toast
Two turtlenecks and a beer
In a tree

Okay, on the sixth, you go
Christmas, my true love gave to me
Six packs of two-four
Five golden toques
Four pounds of back bacon
Three French toast
Two turtlenecks and a beer
In a tree, okay

On the seventh day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Seven packs of smokes (nice gift)
Oh, six packs of two-four
Five golden toques
Four pounds of back bacon
Three French toast
Two turtlenecks
And a beer in a tree

Right, I keep forgetting

Phew, this should just be
The two days of Christmas
It's too hard for us
(Um) go, hoser (oh)

On the eighth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Eight comic books
Seven packs of smokes
Six packs of two-four
Five golden toques
Four pounds of back bacon
Three French toast
Two turtlenecks
And a beer on my tree

Yeah, that beer's empty
Okay, day (twelve) twelve

Good day
And welcome to day twelve

Five golden toques
Four pounds of back bacon
Three French toast
Two turtlenecks
And a beer in a tree

[pennyjangle]

Did they just make up the # for each thing? I don't quite get "Ten commandments a jumping"... Of course I dont want you to explain it to me...

Why not?  Here I found this on line, other then that I don't know the answer.

The ten lords a-leaping most likely refers to leaping dancers (called morris dancers) who performed between courses at feasts.