The Twelve Days of Christmas
a homily for the season

The twelve days of Christmas are the twelve days that follow Christmas between Christmas and Epiphany (January 6th), which is when the three wise men supposedly arrived on the scene bearing gifts. It is NOT the twelve days before Christmas as many erroneously believe.

The old tradition of giving a gift on each of the twelve days has for all intents and purposes disappeared. However, in some families, the tradition of giving Christmas gifts on each of those twelve days still persists.

Most people know of the twelve days of Christmas from the yuletide carol.

But, are you familiar with the origin of the song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas?"  If you listen carefully the words seem to be nonsense set to rhyme and music. However, it was written with a serious purpose.

It is more than just a list of twelve silly gifts. Catholics in England during the period 1558 to 1829 were prohibited by law to practice their faith either in public or private. It was illegal to be Catholic. [Note: Parliament finally emancipated Catholics in England in 1829.]

"The Twelve Days of Christmas" was written in England as one of the "catechism songs" to help young Catholics learn the basics of their faith. In short, it was a memory aid. Since the song sounded like rhyming nonsense, young Catholics could sing the song without fear of imprisonment. The authorities would not know that it was a religious song. Actually, the catechism to which it referred was rather ecumenical, it could even be claimed to be protestant if cornered.

The song's gifts had hidden meanings to the teachings of the Catholic faith.

THERE IS A MORAL IN WHAT I HAVE JUST TOLD YOU!

. . . Hardly a word of it is true! The above is an urban myth that first hit the internet when the internet was very new in 1995.  It appeared on the Fishnet web site from the Catholic Information Network (by Fr. Hal Stockert).  Fishnet later withdrew the page.

        However, this urban myth has spread through the net like wildfire and there are those who now defend its authenticity.  The original source has long withdrawn its claim to the story.  It's our generations contribution to the ever widening Christmas legends. 

        According to A Celebration and History, by Leigh Grant, the written lyrics to "The Twelve Days of Christmas" first appeared in Mirth without Mischief in the early 1780s in England. Grant states that the tune to which these words are sung apparently dates back much further and came from France. Mirth without Mischief describes "The Twelve Days of Christmas" as a type of memory game played by children in those days. A leader recited the first verse, the next child recited the second verse, and so on until someone missed a verse. There was no religious significance. At any rate this contemporary urban myth makes for a good story... perhaps as good as the song itself.  You can bet it will become gospel with the passing of time.

        I submit this Christmas homily to you simply to illustrate how "truth" accumulates over time, especially when there is no reference point upon which it can be based.  That is why Unitarian Universalism is so vital in our world today, UU's are dedicated to sorting the wheat from the chaff.  At the end of the day Polonius in Shakespeare's Hamlet defines Unitarian Universalism's mission about right on the money, "This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man."

        The Twelve Days of Christmas? 

        Here is another contribution that our generation has added to the ongoing saga of Christmas.  Enjoy!