Category: 12 Days

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas...

1/5/2017

my true love gave to me:

Day 12
Date: January 5th
Celebration: Epiphany Eve & St. John Neumann
First bishop in America
Gift: Twelve Drummers Drumming
Meaning: The twelve points of the Apostles' Creed

Now, to celebrate Twelfth Night, the eve of Epiphany, correctly you'll need a cake, a bean and a king (very similar to the King Cake of Marti Gras). This morning I am getting an epidural steroid injection so I won't be celebrating this year but now that I know so much, maybe next year!

Thanks for playing!!!!

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas...

1/4/2017

my true love gave to me:

Day 11
Date: January 4th
Celebration: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
The first American saint & patron saint of in-law problems
Gift: Eleven Pipers Piping
Meaning: Eleven Faithful Disciples

Simon, called Peter (rock)
Andrew, Peter’s brother
James, son of Zebedee, brother of John
John, son of Zebedee, brother of James
Philip
Bartholomew, called Nathaniel
Thomas (referred to as the doubter)
Matthew, the tax collector, called Levi, Matthew, the Evangelist
James, the son of Alphaeus
Thaddeus, the son of James, called Judas/Jude (NOT the betrayer)
Simon, the Zealot

On the Tenth Day of Christmas...

1/3/2017

my true love gave to me:

Day 10
Date: January 3rd
Celebration: Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus
This remembers when Jesus was officially 'named' in
the Jewish Temple.
Gift: Ten Lords a Leaping
Meaning: The Ten Commandments

On the Ninth Day of Christmas...

1/2/2017

my true love gave to me:

Day 9
Date: January 2
Celebration: St. Basil the Great & St. Gregory Nazianzen, exemplifying their friendship
Gift: Nine Ladies Dancing
Meaning: The nine fruits of the Holy Spirit
(Galatians 5:22 & 23)

On the Eight Day of Christmas...

1/1/2017

my true love gave to me:

Day 8
Date: January 1
Celebration: May, Mother of Jesus
Gift: Eight Maids a Milking
Meaning: The Eight Beatitudes

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

On the Seventh Day of Christmas...

12/31/2016

my true love gave to me:

Day 7
Date: December 31st
Celebration: New Years Eve
Gift: Seven Swans a Swimming
Meaning: The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
(I Corinthians 12:8-11; Romans 12, Ephesians 4; I Peter 4:10-11).

MY true love gave to ME tickets to the Peach Bowl where my alma mater (Washington Huskies) will be playing his alma mater (Alabama Crimson Tide) in the College Football Semifinals!

On the Sixth Day of Christmas...

12/30/2016

my true love gave to me:

Day 6
Date: December 30th
Celebration: St Egwin of Worcester
Founder of Evesham Abbey. Died December 30, 717
Gift: Six Geese a Laying
Meaning: The six days of creation.

On the Fifth Day of Christmas...

12/29/2016

my true love gave to me:

Day 5
Date: December 29th
Celebration: St Thomas Becket
He was Archbishop of Canterbury, murdered on
   December 29th, 1170 for challenging the King’s
   authority over Church.
Gift: Five Golden Rings
Meaning:  The Books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

On the Fourth Day of Christmas...

12/28/2016

my true love gave to me:

Day 4
Date: December 28th
Celebration: The Feast of the Holy Innocents
When people remember the baby boys which King Herod
killed when he was trying to find and kill the Baby Jesus.
Gift: Four Calling Birds
Meaning: The Four Gospels

On the Third Day of Christmas...

12/27/2016

my true love gave to me:

Day 3
Date: December 27th
Celebration: St John the Apostle
One of Jesus's Disciples and friends
Gift: Three French Hens
Meaning: faith, hope and love (I Corinthians 13)

On the Second Day of Christmas...

12/26/2016

my true love gave to me:

Day 2
Date: December 26th
Celebration: St Stephen’s Day (ie Boxing Day)
He was the first Christian martyr.
Gift: Two Turtle Doves
Meaning: The Old and New Testiment

On the First Day of Christmas....

12/25/2016

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

For the next 12 days, I will be going through the 12 Day of Christmas, a tradition celebrated in Europe since the middle ages. We all know the song, but I bet most of us have no idea what those 12 days actually are. No, it's not just a song about someone frivilously purchasing their true love gifts for 12 days, it's a series of Christian celebrations leading up to the Twelfth Night (a party making the end of medieval "winter" (All Hallow's Eve to Twelfth Night), not the comedy by William Shakespeare - although the play was likely written as entertainment for said celebration).

So, without further adieu...

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Day 1
Date: December 25th
Celebration: The birth of Jesus
Gift: A partridge in a pear tree