On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me......
Yeah, yeah! I know you know it right down to its last line but what does it mean? And I don't mean Christmas! We'll get to that, I meant the song. I have always sung it around Christmas but did not know what it actually meant or what each of the gifts I 'claimed' my true love gave to me represents. I did not even know there were 12 days of Christmas, I always assumed there were 10 days of Christmas, from the 15th of December till Christmas day.
Now I know better......
I have no recollection of what made me Google the carol but I did and found that there are actually 12 days of Christmas and that they were from Christmas day, December the 25th till January 6th which is the Epiphany (or the day Christ's glory was revealed) if the origin which claims the song was a coded hymn between 1558 and 1829 when Catholicism was outlawed in England is to be believed.
A second less sinister origin for this carol is as a memory-and-forfeit game played in the 18th century by British children. I do not know which to believe and I am not even sure I wish to believe either origins. I have just always felt a day to celebrate Christ was inadequate and for me, insufficient as I always need a running start to build up any Christmas cheer. My ten day preparation for Christmas helped me to grow some excitement about Christmas.
This also because Christmas was always a difficult time growing up. I don't know how, but as a child, I managed to work myself into a frenzy every time any celebration was afoot and so by the time it arrived, I would be physically ill and would miss out on all the fun. The only way to thus enjoy any celebration was to pretend it didn't exist and happen upon it accidentally.
Anyway, I aim to tell you the things my true love sends to me during the 12 days of Christmas and what it is claimed they represent. BTW, the true love? That would be God, if you didn't know!
- A Partridge in a Pear Tree - Jesus Christ
- Two Turtle Doves - The Old and New Testaments
- Three French Hens - The three virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity
- Four Calling/Collie Birds - Four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
- Five Golden Rings - First five books of the Old Testament
- Six Geese-a-Laying - Six days of creation before God's rest on the seventh day
- Seven Swans-a-Swimming - Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
- Eight Maids-a-Milking - Eight Beatitudes
- Nine Ladies Dancing - Nine fruits of the Holy Spirit
- Ten Lords-a-Leaping - Ten Commandments
- Eleven Pipers Piping - Eleven faithful disciples
- Twelve Drummers Drumming -Twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed [Source BBC.com]
I am going to try and decipher what I would rather have in these modern (Nigerian) times than these ancient and probably relevant (then) gifts from my true love so that my appreciation can be genuine or what am i to do with Ten Lords-a-leaping in Nigeria of today?
So, dear true love, In the spirit of giving this Christmas, so that your gifts can get front row space below the tree, please revise the gifts as follows
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a transformer for my street.....
On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, two Jimmy Choos.......
On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, three French men......
On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, four patrol cars......
On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, five gold teeth......
On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, six jeeps for ladies....
On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, seven lands at New City....
On the eight day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, eight planes-a-flying....
On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me nine friends in senate.....
On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, ten loots returning.....
On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, eleven pipelines running.....
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, twelve bloggers blogging.....
Do not even attempt to ask me what each of these represent as I do not have the time to go into all that! Its too long a story, but right there's a girl's survival list for Christmas! I aim to try harder this Christmas to grow me some Christmas cheer before my nephew and niece become convinced that I truly am the female version of the Grinch which I most definitely, I am not.....or am I? I forget!
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