12 Days of Christmas

Last week we learned the true meaning (or so the legend goes) of the 12 days of Christmas...which just so happens to be my kids favorite Christmas song...the Chipmunk version :)

Anyway...this is what we learned last week, apparently for several hundred years it was against the law in England to be a member of the Catholic church...so some concerned parents got together and created the "Christmas code", so the code was to teach the children about the things of God...so here is what the phrases mean:
"My true love" represents God, who gives all the gifts listed in the song.
"A partridge in a pear tree" is Jesus, who gave His life on a tree (the cross).
"Two turtle doves" symbolize the Old and New Testaments.
"Three French hens" are faith, hope, and love.
"Four calling birds" speak of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
"Five golden rings" correspond to the first five books of the bible, also-known as the Pentateuch.
"Six geese a-laying" stand for the six days of creation.
"Seven swans a swimming" are the seven gifts of the Spirit (Romans 12:6-8).
"Eight maids a-milking" point to the eight beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-10).
"Nine ladies dancing" signify the nine fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).
"Ten lords a-leaping" represent the Ten Commandments.
"Eleven pipers piping" are the eleven faithful disciples.
"Twelve drummers drumming" call to mind the twelve points of the Apostle's Creed."
Taken from the book The Adventure of Christmas by Lisa Whelchel.

Today in Geography, with our Christmas Around the World unit we were studying Australia...did you know they have their own version of the 12 Days of Christmas...let me share it with you!! Hopefully it will tickle you as much as it did Kayla and Elijah!

On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me
A kookaburra in a gum tree.
On the second day of Christmas, my true love sent to me
Two snakes on skis, and a kookaburra in a gum tree
Three wet galahs....
Four lyrebirds...
Five kangaroos...
Six sharks a-surfing...
Seven emus laying...
Eight dingos dancing...
Nine crocs a-snoozing...
Ten wombats washing...
Eleven lizards leaping...
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me
Twelve possums playing, Eleven lizards leaping,
Ten wombats washing, nine crocs a-snoozing,
Eight dingos dancing, seven emus laying,
six sharks a-surfing, five kangaroos,
four lyrebirds, three wet galahs,
two snakes on skis and a kookaburra in a gum tree!