Twelve Days of Christmas

The Twelve Days of Christmas: Many churches, and Christians think that the Twelve Days of Christmas, are the twelve days leading up to Christmas Day. If that were accurate, then today December 13th would in fact be the 1st day of Christmas, and someone would be obligated to give you a gift of a partridge in a pear tree. Unfortunately, the twelve days leading up to December 25th, are not the "Twelve Days of Christmas". The more accurate accounting is that the First day of Christmas is December 25, the birthday of our Saviour Jesus Christ. The following 12 days leading up the Epiphany are the true twelve days, in some cultures, this includes the day of the Epiphany, January 6th. It really all depends on where you derive your historic facts. The Epiphany is the arrival of the Three Kings to the stable in Bethlehem, bearing the three gifts, gold, frank incense, and Myrrh. There are some Christian cultures that do not exchange Christmas gifts until the Feast of the Three Kings (Epiphany), as that is where the gift giving tradition actually began. In other Christian cultures, a gift is given on each day from Dec. 25th through Jan. 6th. Hence, the Twelve Days of Christmas Song. There is a theory that the song itself was somewhat of a secret code, and was taught to the children of Christian families during the 16th century religious wars in England. It was to preserve Christian Faith, as sort of a mnemonic device to teach catechism to the youngsters. The reference to "My True Love", was not a human lover, instead, it was "God". The "me", is the receiver of the gift, and represents all baptised Christians. Each of the twelve "days", represents some aspect of the Christian Faith that was important for the children to learn. This entire theory has been subject to debunking, but the final answer, may never be known, there is no proof that this theory is accurate and true, and then again there is no proof, that it is not. Interesting, isn't it?
With the world in turmoil, and our freedoms, and liberties hanging in the balance these days, it is important for us to remember that God gave us His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. We celebrate Jesus' birthday and we call it Christmas. Beginning today, I will post each of the twelve days for us to observe, and what the Christian significance of each day is, that way, when December 25th comes, we can begin our twelve days Christmas, as taught in the 16th century. December 25th, the 1st day of Christmas: THE PARTRIDGE IN THE PEAR TREE IS JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD, WHOSE BIRTHDAY WE CELEBRATE. CHRIST IS SYMBOLICALLY PRESENTED AS A MOTHER PARTRIDGE THAT FEIGNS INJURY TO DECOY PREDATORS FROM HER HELPLESS NESTLINGS, RECALLING THE EXPRESSION OF CHRIST'S SADNESS OVER THE FATE OF JERUSALEM: Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered you under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but you would not have it so..." (Luke 13:34)
I hope that you will all stay with me through these next twelve days. Pray for our country, and beginning today, I personally will start praying for the conversion of Islam. I will present this to the pastor of my church, that beginning today we as Christians pray for Islam to be converted to Christianity, as only that conversion will begin the start of Peace On Earth.