During these Twelve Days of Christmas, you’ll see a number of
e-mails about the alleged “meaning” behind the traditional carol
“The Twelve Days of Christmas.” While this is my least favorite
Christmas song (shades of 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall), there
is compelling evidence that this was composed as an underground
catechetical ditty. So the Four Calling Birds refer to the four
gospels, the Six Geese a-Laying symbolize the six days of
creation, and so on. Of course there’s equally compelling
evidence that this is complete baloney. See the supposed
meanings and the debunking on Snopes.com. Whatever you believe,
I have actually done some exhaustive research (and by
“exhaustive” I mean that I’m still completely exhausted from all
the Christmas services), and have uncovered the “real” true
meaning behind this carol. The Twelve Days of Christmas (the
“Real” True Meaning) A Partridge in a Pear Tree — the rector
hiding in a tree from coffee hour complaints Two Turtle Doves —
the two parishioners comprising the pa