Most people know the carol Twelve days of Christmas but do you know the religious symbolism behind the song? “On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me a partridge in a pear tree”, here true love refers to God, The two turtle doves refer to the Old and New Testaments and three French hens refers to the theological virtues faith, hope and charity. The four calling birds refer to the four gospels and the five gold rings refer to the first five books of the Old Testament, the Pentateuch, which gives the history of man’s fall from grace. Six geese a-laying refers to the six days of creation, seven swans a-swimming to the seven sacraments, eight maids a-milking to the eight beatitudes, nine ladies dancing to the fruits of the Holy Spirit and ten lords a leaping is in reference to the ten commandments. Eleven pipers piping refers to the eleven apostles and finally, the twelve drummers drumming refers to the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle’s Creed.