The Twelve Days of Christmas provided by our former Rector, Michael White, who atrributes it to Abi, a college friend of our former Assistant Rector, Joshua Varner; clearly it's the kind of  keeper that gets passed around.

• A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE: The mother partridge will lure enemies away from her nest of defenseless chicks in order to protect them.  She will literally risk her life for her children.  The partridge in this song is a hidden reference to Christ, who declared, "Greater love has no iman than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).  Jesus Himself uses a bird analogy in Matthew 23:37:  "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing."  The pear tree symbolizes the cross, a reminder that Jesus was crucified on "the tree".  (Gal. 3:13)
  
  
• TWO TURTLE DOVES:  The turtle doves stand both for the two testaments in the Bible (Old & New), and also, according to some traditions, the two turtle doves offered at Jesus' dedication in the Temple when he was twelve (Lev. 12:8; Luke 2:24).  All of the temple sacrifices are symbolic of the one sacrifice Christ made by giving His life as a just payment for the sins of all (Heb. 10:1-10).
  
  
• THREE FRENCH HENS:  French hens were very expensive during the 16th century, and thus are symbolic of the three costly gifts of Gold, Frankincese, and Myrrh given by the wise men (Matt. 2:10-11).  An alternate significance is symbolism depicting the value of the three Christ virtues, Faith, Hope, and Love (1 Cor. 3-13).  Other interpretations of the song use the French Hens to symbolize the three persons of the Trinity.
  
  
• FOUR CALLING BIRDS: The Calling Birds stand for the four Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
  
  
• FIVE GOLDEN RINGS:  The Rings stand for the first five books of the Old Testament, the "Law of Moses" or the Pentateuch.
  
  
• SIX GEESE A-LAYING:  Eggs are an almost universal symbol of new life.  The "laying" geese, therefore, stand for the six days of creation (Gen. 1:31-2::2).
  
  
• SEVEN SWANS A-SWIMMING:  The swans symbolize the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit listed in Romans 12:6-8 - Prophesy, Service, Teaching, Encouraging, Giving, Leading, Showing Mercy.
  
  
• EIGHT MAIDS A-MILKING:  The maids who milked the cows were the least of the servants in a home.  Their job symbolized Christ's faithfulness to us, who "came not to be served, but to serve" (Mark 10:45).  The eight maids can also symbolize the eight "beatitudes" or blessings listed in Matthew 5:3-10.
  
  
• NINE LADIES DANCING:  The nine ladies remind us of the nine "fruits of the Spirit" described in Galatians 5:22-23 - Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-control.
  
  
• TEN LORDS A-LEAPING:  The Lords (symbols of authority) represent the Ten Commandments (Ex.20:3-17), which are holy and good, by which we should live, and which expose and reveal our sin before a holy God (Gal.3:10-28).
  
  
• ELEVEN PIPERS PIPING:  The Pipers remind us of the eleven original apostles who did not forsake the faith (Acts 1:13),and through whom the good news of the Gospel was preached.
  
  
• TWELVE DRUMMERS DRUMMING:  The Apostles' Creed is one of the earliest confessions of faith that summarize the basic teachings of Apostolic faith.  The Drummers "set the pace," and remind us of twelve essential doctrines, summarized in the Apostles' Creed:

1. I believe in God the Father, maker of heaven and earth.
2. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
3. Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary.
4. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
5. He descended into Hell; the third day he rose from the dead.
6. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty.
7. He shall return to judge the living and the dead.
8. I believe in the Holy Spirit,
9. The holy catholic (universal) Church, the communiion of saints,
10. The forgiveness of sins,
11. The resurrection of the body,
12. And life everlasting.

Note:  The first day of the Christmas season is traditionally counted from December 25, through January 5 -- 12 days.  January 6 is the day of Epiphany, the celebration of the coming of  the Wise Men to worship Jesus.

Note2:  It has been brought to my attention (Christmas 2004) that there is sme question as to whether this account is correct, as to just what the origin of this interpretation actually was and whether it is actually that old.  Whatever one's position on this question, it still makes a good mnemonic for remembering the 12 days.  Anyone interested in an extensive discussion of the subject should click here. - jan