It might seem strange, but the true Christmas season really starts on Christmas Day (not in July or early October).
What are the 12 days of Christmas?
The 12 days of Christmas is the span of time between the birth of Christ and the coming of the Magi, the three wise men. It technically begins on December 25 (Christmas) and runs through January 6 (the Epiphany, sometimes also called Three Kings’ Day). The four weeks before Christmas are known as Advent (something more meaningful than all that candy we eat each day).
“The 12 Days of Christmas” is also a Christmas carol in which the singer brags about all the cool gifts they received from their “true love” during the 12 days of Christmas. I personally like “The 12 Pains of Christmas” by Bob Rivers. Very relatable and funny.
The history of the carol is uncertain, but a popular theory references Christianity and what the various gifts mean. The breakdown is as follows:
- 2 Turtle Doves = The Old and New Testaments
- 3 French Hens = Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues
- 4 Calling Birds = the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists
- 5 Golden Rings = The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the “Pentateuch,” which gives the history of man’s fall from grace
- 6 Geese A-laying = the six days of creation
- 7 Swans A-swimming = the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments
- 8 Maids A-milking = the eight beatitudes
- 9 Ladies Dancing = the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
- 10 Lords A-leaping = the ten commandments
- 11 Pipers Piping = the eleven faithful apostles
- 12 Drummers Drumming = the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle’s Creed
- The partridge in the pear tree represents Jesus Christ.
Giving someone all 12 of the gifts…would be pricey.
The cost of all the gifts comes to a hefty $41,205.58, or $179,454.19 (as of 2021) if you count each mention of an item separately, and goes up each year as the cost of each item/inflation rises.
No matter the price, giving someone all that stuff is probably not a great idea; think of all the bird poop.