The Twelve Days of Christmas

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It's still Christmas at our house!

In our tradition, the liturgical calendar marks the twelve days of Christmas beginning on December 25th and ending on January 5th.  Christmas is a season for us -- beginning the day we celebrate our Lord's birth and ending when the three kings arrive at His birthplace when we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany. 

The "deeper meaning" of the song The Twelve Days of Christmas is a myth which has been propagated since the mid 1980s.  There is no evidence that its origins were from the  16th century split by the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church.  For a time, it was a crime to be Roman Catholic in England.  During that interval, it was thought that this song was used as a way to teach young Roman Catholic children the catechism.  Truth be told, there is no scholarly evidence to support this myth as fact.

Anyway, here are what the 12 gifts were thought to symbolize:

The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.

Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments

Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
 
The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.

The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.

The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.

Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit - Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.

The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.

Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit-Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.

The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.

The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.

The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.

A meaningful story perhaps but nothing factual to back it up but I still like it!

I'm linking to The Nativity Carnival hosted by Kerry, A Ten O'Clock Scholar

Christmas - Emmanuel - God With Us

Almighty God,

You have made this night holy but the gift of your son,

born of the Holy Spirit and of Mary.

Upon him rested all your grace,

through him has come all your mercy.

Let His light shine within our hearts tonight

and even more brightly than is shines 

from the candles in this place.

Help us to hear your word

and to celebrate your everlasting love through him.

Amen

(Author Unknown)

The 12 Days of Christmas...

Tell me, what is with this society that celebrates the Twelve Days of Christmas before Christmas? I just don't understand...



I guess I do understand. It is all a part of the secularization of Christmas.

My house remains fully decorated and we enjoy the fullness of Christmas until Epiphany on January 6th. The Magi wait in their hiding places to arrive in my multiple nativity scenes spread about the house. Have I mentioned here that I collect nativity scenes? Here is my newest acquisition - a gift from my in-laws and another lovely memory from hubby's childhood:



The girls each get a rather large gift on Christmas and then the next eleven days get a small gift. As Christmas lingers, I revel in the peace and hope I know as we celebrate the birth of our Savior. A blessed Christmastide to you and yours....

O Holy Night

By 7 y.o. Rhema Marvanne Voraritskul



Amazingly gifted child!

Christmas Treasure

I've been busily decorating my house for the holidays - slowly unpacking the storage containers filled with the things we've collected over the years. While bringing boxes out of storage my hubby said "did you see the boxes my parents brought this summer?" Amid my Christmas stash were two boxes lovingly packed by my in-laws to give to us - filled with Christmas treasure. Hubby's parents are downsizing and moving into a retirement community. I don't think they have put up a tree in years - they usually spend the holidays with us.

As I retrieved the new treasures from the basement, I pondered what I might find and how I could incorporate what I found with what I have. As I opened the boxes, I knew they had to have their own place.

Look at these beautiful old boxes!



The vintage treasure inside - some of it quite worn but these ornaments hold many wonderful memories for hubby...and now he is telling the stories!




Different sizes of ornament hangers - who knew! My father-in-law is an engineer :-)



The tree does not do these ornaments justice.



But I get to enjoy this tree every day - it is in my office. The sight of it while I do my wrapping will bring me great joy!

Movies for Advent and Christmas

I don’t know if I’ve shared here that I don’t watch TV – other than an occasional show on Food Network and the nightly local news. Most people find me odd but I just can’t get into what the popular culture find amusing or interesting. I know there is still some quality programming out there but I find it much more interesting to lose myself in a good book or read your blogs!

My husband and I do share a passion for movies – especially the old stuff and BBC productions. We find it relaxing to pop in a movie and let go of our day before we begin more intimate conversation beyond the daily necessary communications.

Much of our collection of DVDs revolves around the church year. I thought I would share with you a tradition in our house – our collection of Advent and Christmas movies.

On the more serious side:

The Bells of St. Mary's (1945) with Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman


It’s a Wonderful Life (1947) with James Stewart and Donna Reed

Miracle on 34th Street (1947) with Maureen O’Hara and Edmund Gwenn

The Bishop’s Wife (1948) with Cary Grant, Loretta Young, David Niven

A Christmas Carol (1951) with Alastair Sim

The Twilight Zone TV Episode – The Night of the Meek (1960) with Art Carney

Mary, Mother of Jesus (1999) with Christine Bale and Pernilla August

The Nativity Story (2006) with Keisha Castle-Hughes and Oscar Issac

The Nativity in Movies, a compilation of nine films portraying the birth of Christ

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) with Chris Doran and Ann Altieri

For fun

Holiday Inn (1942) with Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire

White Christmas (1954) with Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Danny Kaye

The Santa Clause (all three) with Tim Allen

Frosty the Snowman (1969) with Jimmy Durante and Billy DeWolfe

Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) with Burl Ives

Dr. Suess’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) with Boris Karloff

Elf (2003) with Will Ferrel and James Caan

Christmas Vacation (1989) with Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo


New for this year

Polar Express with Tom Hanks (2004)

Any suggestions to add to our collection?

Before Christmas Ends....

I just had to share this picture!

In the fall of 2006, our entire family made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. This is my 13 y.o. daughter with Down syndrome reverencing the birthplace of Christ. It quite a moving moment for me just to be there but this brought tears to my eyes. She sees and understands more than most of the people I know...

Merry Christmas

This 1515 Flemish painting by an unknown artist, called The Adoration of the Christ Child, has two (or more) figures with Down syndrome. Look closely at the angel next to Mary and the shepherd above Mary and you will see the characteristic features of individuals with Down syndrome worshiping the newborn Christ child.

I have been blessed with a child with Down syndrome and she worships Jesus with a faith that I can only hope to attain. Last night at our Christmas Pageant, she stood over the baby Jesus dressed as an angel smiling down with a love so pure it radiated light.

Praying the Lord fills your heart with peace, holds you in His love and blesses you with His grace.

Christmas Angel

Lay hold upon the hope set before us: which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast. Hebrews 6:18-19
My oldest daughter, Michelle, was born on Christmas Eve. The following day I found out that she had severe, complex congenital heart defects. The pediatric cardiologist told me to take her home and love her and I never looked back. My world had changed. This long awaited and deeply loved child might not be mine for long. I learned to live for today, for every day was precious with her. I was blessed with five and a half wonderful years.

For many years, Christmas was a bittersweet time for me but the Lord brought me through the excruciating pain and devastation of her loss. The entire fabric of my life was in shreds. I knew despair. I did not grieve well - if anybody does. I was very angry with God but I knew He understood. He watched His own son suffer and die on the cross. I watched my firstborn suffer horribly and die in my arms. With the anger, my healing began.

Time and healing have softened the pain. I tell people today that grief is holy ground. Friends and family just can't be available every anguished moment but the Lord is always available to wrap His loving arms around us and surround us with comfort and give us His strength.

Is there any place you can go from my spirit? If you climb the sky, I am there! If you go underground, I am there! Psalm 139: 7-8

It was not my own strength that got me through my grief - it was His alone. Grief is a journey with God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. My journey in grief taught me that He is the only source of true hope - to look for it elsewhere was to base my life on a foundation that would not carry me through the trials of this life. God makes many promises in Holy Scripture. I experienced the realities of those promises. He never left me. He is the Great Physician - He is a God of healing. I was made new (again!) in Him.

Jesus died on the cross for our salvation. My daughter lives because He gave up His life for us.

From her funeral service:

We seem to give Michelle back to you, dear God,
who gave her to us.

Yet, as you did not lose her in giving, so we have not lost by her return.

Not as the world gives, do you give, O Lover of Michelle. O Lover of us all.

For what is yours
Is ours always...
If we are yours.

And life is eternal,
and love is immortal,
and death is only a horizon,
and a horizon is nothing but
the limit of our sight.

Lift us up, strong Son of God,
that we may see further, cleanse our eyes
that we may see more clearly; draw us
closer to you that we may know
ourselves, nearer to Michelle, who is
with you.

And while you prepare a place for us,
prepare us!

Prepare us for a happy place,
where Michelle is
and where you are
and where we too want to be.

Amen

Author Unknown

May Michelle rest in peace and rise in glory.