Dec. 28, is the Feast of the Holy Innocents. It's in honor of the children killed by King Herod during the search for the Messiah. The Victorians called it "Little Christmas" and it was the day when the children had their parties.
Little Christmas!
A friend sent me this and I felt, as a good Victorian, I must share it with you. I am a Christian and I did not know of this.
Dec. 28, is the Feast of the Holy Innocents. It's in honor of the children killed by King Herod during the search for the Messiah. The Victorians called it "Little Christmas" and it was the day when the children had their parties.
It's the perfect time for the children in the household to get in the Victorian holiday spirit by inviting friends for such old fashioned fun as hot chocolate, games of charades, card games, "dress up", hide and seek, board games, etc.
Dec. 28, is the Feast of the Holy Innocents. It's in honor of the children killed by King Herod during the search for the Messiah. The Victorians called it "Little Christmas" and it was the day when the children had their parties.
The Meaning of the 12 Days of Christmas!
It is one of my favorite Christmas songs and I never knew what it meant. But after doing some rescearch, I found this:
While there is some dispute over this translation of the song, tradition has it that in England, between 1558 and 1829, Catholics were prohibited by law to practice their faith in public or in private. Until Parliament emancipated Catholics in England in 1829, it was illegal to be Catholic.
"The Twelve Days of Christmas" was a coded message written in England as a memory aid to help young Catholics learn the basics of their faith. Since the song sounded like rhyming nonsense, authorities would not know that is was a religious song and young Catholics could sing it without fear of imprisonment. The song is, in a sense, an allegory with each of the gifts in the song representing something significant to the Bible.
The song begins, "On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me..." The "true love" repeated in the song doesn't refer to an earthly suitor, but to God himself. The "me" who receives the presents refers to the believing Christian.
The "partridge in a pear tree" is Jesus Christ upon the Cross. In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge because she would feign injury to decoy s predator away from her nestlings. She was even willing to die for them. The tree is the symbol of the fall of the human race through the sin of Adam and Eve. It is also the symbol of its redemption by Jesus Christ on the tree of the cross.
The "two turtle doves" refers to the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.
The "three French hens" stand for faith, hope and love -- the three gifts of the Spirit that abide, mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13.
The "four calling birds" refer to the four evangelists who wrote the Gospels -- Matthew, Mark, Luke and John -- which sing the song of salvation through Jesus Christ.
The "five golden rings" represents the first five books of the Bible, also called the Jewish Torah: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.
The "six geese a-laying" is the six days of creation.
The "seven swans a-swimming" refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit; wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.
The "eight maids a-milking" reminded children of the eight beatitudes listed in the Sermon on the Mount.
The "nine ladies dancing" were the nine fruits of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23: love joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
The "ten lords a-leaping" represents the Ten Commandments.
The "eleven pipers piping" refers to the eleven faithful apostles.
The "twelve drummers drumming" were the twelve points of belief expressed in the Apostle's Creed: belief in God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, made man, crucified, died and arose on the third day, that he sits at the right hand of the father and will come again, the resurrection of the dead and life everlasting.
While there is some dispute over this translation of the song, tradition has it that in England, between 1558 and 1829, Catholics were prohibited by law to practice their faith in public or in private. Until Parliament emancipated Catholics in England in 1829, it was illegal to be Catholic.
"The Twelve Days of Christmas" was a coded message written in England as a memory aid to help young Catholics learn the basics of their faith. Since the song sounded like rhyming nonsense, authorities would not know that is was a religious song and young Catholics could sing it without fear of imprisonment. The song is, in a sense, an allegory with each of the gifts in the song representing something significant to the Bible.
The song begins, "On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me..." The "true love" repeated in the song doesn't refer to an earthly suitor, but to God himself. The "me" who receives the presents refers to the believing Christian.
The "partridge in a pear tree" is Jesus Christ upon the Cross. In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge because she would feign injury to decoy s predator away from her nestlings. She was even willing to die for them. The tree is the symbol of the fall of the human race through the sin of Adam and Eve. It is also the symbol of its redemption by Jesus Christ on the tree of the cross.
The "two turtle doves" refers to the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.
The "three French hens" stand for faith, hope and love -- the three gifts of the Spirit that abide, mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13.
The "four calling birds" refer to the four evangelists who wrote the Gospels -- Matthew, Mark, Luke and John -- which sing the song of salvation through Jesus Christ.
The "five golden rings" represents the first five books of the Bible, also called the Jewish Torah: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.
The "six geese a-laying" is the six days of creation.
The "seven swans a-swimming" refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit; wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.
The "eight maids a-milking" reminded children of the eight beatitudes listed in the Sermon on the Mount.
The "nine ladies dancing" were the nine fruits of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23: love joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
The "ten lords a-leaping" represents the Ten Commandments.
The "eleven pipers piping" refers to the eleven faithful apostles.
The "twelve drummers drumming" were the twelve points of belief expressed in the Apostle's Creed: belief in God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, made man, crucified, died and arose on the third day, that he sits at the right hand of the father and will come again, the resurrection of the dead and life everlasting.
Welcome to my Home!
I surround myself with the inviting things of the past.
When you enter my home, it is truly a step back in times.
From the pictures on the walls to the doilies and lace curtains,
you get the feel of Victorian hospitality.
Let it Snow!
Twelfth Day of Christmas!
All done. On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...twelve drummers drumming.
I am very impressed....eleven piper piping.
Very gracefully done. ..ten lords a leaping.
OMG, .....nine ladies dancing.
My, oh my...eight maids a milking.
I knew it was coming...Seven Swans a swimming
I am overwhelmed by the ...six geese a laying.
Now, I have ...Five Golden Rings,
I got a bird cage for the ...fore Colly birds,
I built a Hen House for the ...three French Hens.
I just adore the ...two Turtle Doves,
Do not know what to think about ...a Partridge
In the Pear Tree.
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Very gracefully done. ..ten lords a leaping.
OMG, .....nine ladies dancing.
My, oh my...eight maids a milking.
I knew it was coming...Seven Swans a swimming
I am overwhelmed by the ...six geese a laying.
Now, I have ...Five Golden Rings,
I got a bird cage for the ...fore Colly birds,
I built a Hen House for the ...three French Hens.
I just adore the ...two Turtle Doves,
Do not know what to think about ...a Partridge
In the Pear Tree.
You might also like:
Eleveth Day of Christmas
Now I an impressed, on the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me....eleven piper piping.
Very gracefully done. ..ten lords a leaping.
OMG, .....nine ladies dancing.
My, oh my...eight maids a milking.
I knew it was coming...Seven Swans a swimming
I am overwhelmed by the ...six geese a laying.
Now, I have ...Five Golden Rings,
I got a bird cage for the ...fore Colly birds,
I built a Hen House for the ...three French Hens.
I just adore the ...two Turtle Doves,
Do not know what to think about ...a Partridge
In the Pear Tree.
My, oh my...eight maids a milking.
I got a bird cage for the ...fore Colly birds,
Decorating for Christmas!
Victorians had a passion for decorating for Christmas.
I am enjoying the snow out side and the smell of my spice rum tea brewing in the tea pot.
It is only two days before Christ here in the United States. I wonder what day it will fall on in other countries and how they will celibate it.
I wish everyone from all over the world a merry and peaceful Holiday!
From Lady Estelle and Family!
I am enjoying the snow out side and the smell of my spice rum tea brewing in the tea pot.
It is only two days before Christ here in the United States. I wonder what day it will fall on in other countries and how they will celibate it.
I wish everyone from all over the world a merry and peaceful Holiday!
From Lady Estelle and Family!
The Tenth Day of Christmas!
Very gracefully done. On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..ten lords a leaping.
OMG, .....nine ladies dancing.
My, oh my...eight maids a milking.
I knew it was coming...Seven Swans a swimming
I am overwhelmed by the ...six geese a laying.
Now, I have ...Five Golden Rings,
I got a bird cage for the ...fore Colly birds,
I built a Hen House for the ...three French Hens.
I just adore the ...two Turtle Doves,
Do not know what to think about ...a Partridge
In the Pear Tree.
My, oh my...eight maids a milking.
I got a bird cage for the ...fore Colly birds,
The Ninth Day of Christmas
OMG, on the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me.....nine ladies dancing.
My, oh my...eight maids a milking.
I knew it was coming...Seven Swans a swimming
I am overwhelmed by the ...six geese a laying.
Now, I have ...Five Golden Rings,
I got a bird cage for the ...fore Colly birds,
I built a Hen House for the ...three French Hens.
I just adore the ...two Turtle Doves,
Do not know what to think about ...a Partridge
In the Pear Tree.
My, oh my...eight maids a milking.
I got a bird cage for the ...fore Colly birds,
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