It's December 27th, we're heading for the New Year and Christmas is behind us. 

Right?

Wrong!

Actually, today is the THIRD day of Christmas!

Confused? Well that's understandable because most people think the Christmas 'season' is the run-up to Christmas Day, December 25th, when actually that period is called 'Advent', the preparation for the birthday of Jesus Christ.

Christmas actually BEGINS on Christmas Day and runs for 12 days. I wrote a bit about this way back almost a year ago, on January 6th when my One Day at a Time blog, then in its infancy, was all about the day after the last day of Christmas and the Christian festival of Epiphany. This is traditionally the celebration of the arrival of the Kings or Wise Men or Magi who came to see the Baby Jesus soon after his birth.

In some church traditions, The Twelve Days of Christmas are also known as 'Twelvetide' which dates back to the year 567AD, when a gathering of Christian church leaders called the "Council of Tours" proclaimed that the twelve days from Christmas from Christmas Day to Epiphany (traditionally 6 January) would be a sacred and festive season. It also established that Advent would be a period of fasting in preparation for the Christmas season, which is marked by feast days for saints, and lots of eating and partying.

And if you're interested today we officially mark the feast day for St John the Apostle, thought to be the youngest of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and some believe the author of several books of the New Testament. 

But I know what you're thinking ... when is she going to get to the song?

Because yes the Christmas 'carol' or song entitled 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' is linked inextricably to this season.

You know the one ... 'On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me... a partridge in a pear tree'... and so on and so forth, including lots of birds.

Many people think this is just a fun, nonsense rhyme but actually some believe that 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' song has got deep religious meaning.

If we go back to the year 1558 we find that Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. This situation actually lasted until 1829 but at some point during those years, someone wrote this carol as a catechism song to help young Catholics understand the meaning of their faith, Catholicism.

While the song might seem frivolous, the second level of meaning was known only to members of the Church. Every 'gift' on each day mentioned in the carol is thought to be code for a religious reality which the children could remember.

There are a few variations but the verses are thought to have a religious significance along these lines:

• A Partridge in a Pear Tree - Jesus Christ
• Two Turtle Doves - The Old and New Testament
• Three French Hens - The virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity
• Four Calling Birds - The four gospels of the New Testament - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
• Five Golden Rings - The first five books of the Old Testament (The Tanach) which among other things describe mankind's fall into sin which would require the sending of a Saviour ... those prophecies which were made reality in the person of Jesus Christ.
• Six Geese-a-Laying - The six days of creation before God’s rest on the seventh day
• Seven Swans-a-Swimming - The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord
• Eight Maids-a-Milking - The eight Beatitudes
• Nine Ladies Dancing - The nine fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and temperance. 
• Ten Lords-a-Leaping - The Ten Commandments
• Eleven Pipers Piping - The Eleven Faithful Disciples (minus Judas, who betrayed Jesus)
• Twelve Drummers Drumming - The Twelve points of belief in the Apostles Creed

So this means that today, on the third day of Christmas, we're thinking about Faith, Hope and Charity ... sometimes that's interpreted as Faith, Hope and Love ... 

The book of Corinthians and Chapter 13 in the New Testament is sometimes called 'The Love Chapter' and it's often read at weddings. And it ends with these words ...

'And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.'

Can't say better than that really.

So ... have a great day ... and let's listen to that carol with the deep meaning.

Here's a quick zip through The Twelve Days of Christmas performed by the most excellent Pentatonix.

Enjoy!