12 Days of Christmas

I was thinking of the carol 12 Days of Christmas and how yucky most of the gifts are.  Who really wants a Turtle Dove or French Hens or Calling Birds or Geese or Swans, especially with all the mess of multiple birds?

In general, maids a milking is not that useful in most households!

Ladies dancing or pipers piping or drummers drumming would not lead to peace and quiet!

And who wants a bunch of lords a leaping?

Now 5 Golden rings might be OK, but I don't like wearing rings!

Not to mention the cost:

Want to give your true love some traditional Christmas gifts? Why not buy him or her the items from the famed "The 12 Days of Christmas" carol?

Maybe because it will set you back $107,000. That's about 6 percent more than the items from the song cost last year, according to PNC Wealth Management's "Christmas Price Index." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/26/12-days-of-christmas-cost_n_2193494.html

I being an ignorant sort did not know this:

Religious symbolism of The Twelve Days of Christmas

(The 12 Days of Christmas)

1 True Love refers to God

2 Turtle Doves refers to the Old and New Testaments

3 French Hens refers to Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues

4 Calling Birds refers to the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists

5 Golden Rings refers to the first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which gives the history of man's fall from grace.
6 Geese A-laying refers to the six days of creation

7 Swans A-swimming refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments

8 Maids A-milking refers to the eight beatitudes

9 Ladies Dancing refers to the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit

10 Lords A-leaping refers to the ten commandments

11 Pipers Piping refers to the eleven faithful apostles

12 Drummers Drumming refers to the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed

http://www.carols.org.uk/the_twelve_days_of_christmas.htm