This is our tree. I put it in a different spot this year...so the furniture is hugging it a little. Ignore the strange arrangement, please. And the floating sconces. : )
So it’s five days until Christmas Eve, which is when all the fun starts in our family. One of my favorite Christmas songs is The 12 Days of Christmas…which if you’ve ever been in my car, you have had the pleasure of hearing it…usually several times in a row. It’s just one of those songs. You know which ones I’m talking about. The ones you have to sing in a certain order. Backwards. As loud and fast as you can. Then you have to try again because if you only had one more chance you could get it right.
Plus, it has funny gifts. I mean, who gives their true love eight maids-a-milking? Where do you put the eight maids? And what about whatever they’re a-milking? This song is an organizational nightmare! But I love it—because it’s so fun. And (you knew there was an and…) because it is so meaningful.
From around 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.
-The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ
-Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testament
-Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
-Four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.
-Five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
-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)
-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)
-Ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.
-Eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
-Twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.
Oh, and I decided to throw in several pictures of some of my favorite Christmas ornaments.
Enjoy. Or not. Either way. : )
Angels played a big part in the Christmas Story. They first told Mary and Joseph about the birth of Jesus. Then they proclaimed good news of great joy to the shepards. Then they did lots of rejoicing.
This is the Cross. It's the whole reason Jesus was here on Earth.
I love this butterfly. It represents growth, renewal of the Spirit, and the change in one's life from who they once were to who they become in Christ. An ugly worm to a beautiful butterfly.
Cool, huh?
More with the fall colors, I know. But this leaf also represents the changes we see in our lives through Christ: what He has done for us, where He has taken us. To me, it also represents the seasons of one's life; to remind us that after the fall and winter comes a refreshing spring with the Lord!
I have some glittery pears and apples. They remind me of the Fruits of the Spirit and the sweetness of a life in Christ. I only have eight of them though, so I'm always wondering which fruit I am lacking. : )
These are clearly stars like the one that led the Magi to Jesus. Stars also represent the light of the world, which is Jesus. You know, God is the best literary writer ever. The Bible is just packed full of stuff!
Another swirly twirly star. It's rays are super bright.
I like the really long point on this one. If I were a Magi, the star would have to be like this, otherwise, I'd be totally lost. This reminds us of the incredible journey that the Magi took just to see the baby King, as well as the incredible life that Jesus lived, the incredible sacrifice God made to send His Son, and the incredible journey that Christ leads you on. Also, this year, there's an incredible journey of faith through adoption! Lots of incredible stuff here.
And finally, and most important, is our partridge in a pear tree.
Merry (12 Days of) Christmas, Everyone!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment