PinkBubbles

12 days of blogging for the Frontliners Dec. 21st Prompt

"WDC Frontliners Group"  has asked us to blog about the following today: (actually yesterday but I am a day late)

DEC 21: PROMPT # 1: Familiarize yourself with the folk song, THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS and blog about it for us.

I am troubled by this song on many different levels. First the time-line of exactly when the twelve days of Christmas start is heatedly debated. Some say it is the actual twelve days before Christmas, some say it is the twelve days starting on Christmas and ending twelve days later on the beginning of Epiphany. I just do not know when to start celebrating!

The gift giver controversy also makes me pause. Some believe it is God who send these very odd gifts (Why would he do that?) and some believe it is a suitor (quite a freak, if you ask me).

When looking up the song, I saw so much controversy about when the song was actually composed, who composed it and for what reason, what hidden meaning was behind it, etc. Too much debate for a little silly song for children in my humble opinion.

Now lets talk about those gifts. Whether it be God or a suitor, if some of those gifts showed up on my doorstep, I would freak!

Imagine....

You are sitting at home watching a great rerun of your favorite sitcom and the doorbell rings. It is UPS and he has this huge pear tree and in it, nesting, is this strange little bird. Where ever do you put the thing? Out back in the yard, I would assume, if you do not live in the city. Who will help you plant the tree? It seems like your lover or God is not there to help with that task.

Day two, you are in the kitchen microwaving some Lean Cuisine and the doorbell rings. The UPS man hands you a cage with two turtle doves. They would make such a racket in the house, plus what a mess it would be to clean their cages! Do you put the doves with the partridge out back? I guess I would and hope they all can get along.

Day three, you are out back trying to get the doves to stop bullying the lone partridge when a man calls to you over the fence. He has a cage full of three squawking french hens. You open the cage and let them run free around your tiny backyard, upset that you have no idea what these french birds eat.

You get the point, right?

Think....

What would YOU do if you received the following gifts:

4 more birds, only these are calling birds. They will keep you awake all night!

5 golden rings. This might not be so bad as you can always send them to 'Cash for Gold' and make a pretty penny

6 geese. Not only are they going to crowd your already filled and stinky yard, but they are going to lay tons of eggs. I am not sure if people eat geese eggs or if they let them hatch. Can we say "confusion?"

7 swans. These huge birds come with a kiddie pool so they can swim. How convenient!

8 maids a milking. (Okay, I would think my lover would rather have these maids than I and what the heck are they milking? What would you feed these ladies? Do you invite them to dinner, put them up in the guestroom or purchase tents to set up in the backyard?)

9 ladies dancing. ( I think I would break of with any man who kept sending me women...sounds a little kinky to me)

10 Lords a' leaping. (Okay, so at least you would get some attention if these men were not so busy leaping with each other....but makes me wonder if they did stop prancing and leaping, would they pay attention to a woman...ever?)

11 pipers piping (maybe it is just me, but all that piping would give me a migraine)

12 drummers drumming. (okay, this is where I would make some phone calls. First to my boyfriend to break up with the freak and then to the Goodwill telling them I have a huge donation).


I would hope to never receive such gifts. I am a simple girl who likes flowers, candy, perhaps the rings would be fine. But NO livestock, women or birds will make my Christmas bright!

Side note: For anyone who thinks I did not research this song, here is the religious meaning behind these very odd gifts according to a website I fell upon. There was no disrespect intended on my take of the song.

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