The Meaning of the 12 Days of Christmas
I summarized this from the book 25 Days, 26 Ways to Make this your Best Christmas Ever by Ace Collins. Historically, the first day of Christmas was December 25. This placed the twelfth and final day on January 6.
Day 1: A partridge in a pear tree – Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge because that was the only English bird that would die to protect its young. – John 15:13, Luke 13:34
Day 2: Two Turtle Doves – These twin birds represent the Old and New Testaments.
Day 3: Three French Hens – Represent the three gifts God gives us on a daily basis: faith, hope and love. – 1 Corinthians 13:13
Day 4: Four Calling Birds – These refer to the four Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
Day 5: Five Golden Rings - Gold was a valuable commodity in ancient times and the first five books of the Old Testament were also considered valuable.
Day 6: Six Geese-a-Laying – Each egg represents a day in creation when the world the world was “hatched” by God. – Genesis 1:1-31
Day 7: Seven Swimming Swans – Represent the seven gifts of the Spirit – prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading and compassion. – Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:8-11
Day 8: Eight Maids-a-Milking – At the time this song was written, a woman who milked cows had the lowest and worst job in England. The maids represent those, who according to Jesus are blessed: the poor in Spirit, those who mourn, the meek, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness. – Matthew 5:3-10
Day 9: Nine Ladies Dancing – Gifts known as the fruit of the Holy Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. – Galatians 5:22
Day 10: Ten Lords-a-Leaping – The lords were judges and the focus is on the Ten Commandments. – Exodus 20:1-17
Day 11: Eleven Pipers Piping – Eleven faithful apostles who lived out the Gospel message and fearlessly shared it with the world. – Luke 6:14-16
Day 12: Twelve Drummers Drumming – Those who believe that the one who came at Christmas is God’s son. Your faith puts you in this band. Members are singing a song of salvation to the world. – Revelation 7:10-12
My True Love - James 1:17
Our Greatest Need
If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. But since our greatest need was forgiveness, God sent us a Savior.
- Max Lucado
It was not a silent night
There was blood on the ground
You could hear a woman cry
In the alleyways that night
On the streets of David’s town
And the stable was not clean
And the cobblestones were cold
And little Mary full of grace
With the tears upon her face
Had no mother’s hand to hold
It was a labor of pain
It was a cold sky above
But for the girl on the ground in the dark
With every beat of her beautiful heart
It was a labor of love – Andrew Peterson
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
- Isaiah 9:6
Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. – Luke 1:68
My soul glorifies the Lord and my Spirit rejoices in God my Savior. – Luke 1:46-47
God Gave Us Christmas by Lisa Tawn Bergren
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. – Romans 1:20
Synopsis (complements of Waterbrook press): As Little Cub and her family prepare to celebrate the most special day of the year, the curious young polar bear begins to wonder… “Who invented Christmas?” Mama’s answer only leads to more questions like “Is God more important than Santa?” So she and Little Cub head off on a polar expedition to find God and to see how he gave them Christmas. Along the way, they find signs that God is at work all around them. Through Mama’s gentle guidance, Little Cub learns about the very first Christmas and discovers that… Jesus is the best present of all. This enchanting tale provides the perfect opportunity to help young children celebrate the true meaning of Christmas and to discover how very much God loves them.
Review (mine): This is a beautiful little book. The artwork is wonderful and draws in the reader. Though not real, the winter landscapes are breathtaking. They are beautiful. And, that is a major theme of this book – God’s invisible qualities are clearly seen by what he has made. While Santa is hard to find, God is everywhere.
This leads to a second theme of this book – Christmas is about God and not Santa. The book treats this matter in a sensitive fashion. It does not come out and say that Santa does not exist, but downplays his importance. Santa is a model of generosity and care, but God and Jesus are to be celebrated most. Mama guides Little Cub with her wisdom in a kind, loving and gentle way.1
One criticism is that the book seemed choppy at points. For example, Little Cub asks, “Can we leave them at home.” At first, it was a little unclear who Little Cub was hoping to leave behind. Also, there was no clarification as to why Little Cub wanted to go alone. Another minor criticism is that some of the pages are harder to read as the dark print blends in with the darker illustrations.
Overall, I found this to be a lovely little book for young children. It can also serve as a launching pad into a meaningful discussion as to the meaning of Christmas.
Rating: 4/5
UPDATE: Here is what my friend (who reads way more children’s book than I do) had to say. Actually, probably everyone reads way more children’s books than I do. I did read Goodnight Moon a few times though. I liked that one! Okay, I’m rambling. I got a kick out of this and it is great to get another viewpoint from an expert. Here is what she had to say:
I wanted to let you know that I disagree with your review of “God Gave Us Christmas.” Matthew got it for Christmas last year from a relative, and I have the chore of reading it to him periodically. While I do enjoy the illustrations and can see the point of the book, I thought it was poorly written and found Little Cub to be hugely irritating. And you’re right, some parts were confusing (like about the siblings staying home). Of all the kids books I’ve read lately – which is probably about 7,800 – this one scores a D-. Thought you should know. : )
Lisa Tawn Bergren is the award-winning author of nearly thirty titles, totaling more than 1.5 million books in print. She writes in a broad range of genres, from adult fiction to devotional. God Gave Us Christmas follows in Lisa’s classic tradition of the best-selling God Gave Us You. She lives in Colorado, with her husband, Tim, and their children, Olivia, Emma, and Jack.
This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. To learn more about or purchase this book at RandomHouse.com, click here.
- For more on the delicate coverage of Santa Claus, check out this excellent post and touching letter: The Santa Claus Dilemma ↩
The Christmas Tree
Mary had a little lamb,
Her face displayed a glow
For there was a great big need,
The naked needed clothes
Mary had a gentle lamb,
Raised to take our blows
And everywhere the Father led,
The lamb was sure to go
Unto the shearer He was led,
Slaughtered on that tree
And on that lamb our sins were laid,
Crushed for you and me
Mary had a spotless lamb,
To show us how to go
And though they were as scarlet,
Our sins are white as snow
Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together. – Genesis 22:8
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© Mark C. Lamberti
A Labor of Love
But the baby in her womb, He was the maker of the moon. He was the author of the faith, that could make the mountains move… It was a labor of love.
The Meaning of Christmas
Don’t ever let anyone tell you that Christmas isn’t about presents.