The Church celebrates the birth of Christ on the 25th of December and Epiphany (the day when the Wise Men finally arrived) on the 6th January. There are 12 days between these two dates. Christians also have several saints' feast days in this period too.
Some people have argued that the song was invented to help Catholics, for whom being Catholic was illegal, remember important things without writing them down. The partridge in the pear tree was supposed to represent Jesus and it was all about the gifts God (the true love) gave to the people. The two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments and three French Hens were the three virtues; faith, hope and love. What the virtues have to do with French Hens is something that even I, with my vivid imagination can't begin to understand. Also, I'm not sure how a song sung only at Christmas could help children learn the important tennants of the Catholic faith.
Today is the third day. The day when the gift was French Hens. It is also the feast of St John, who sounds like a bit of a lush to me. Today is the day when lots of people in England go back to work after a few days and nights of indulgence and if ever there was a day to call upon the spirit of a known alcoholic this would be it. St John is famous for drinking poisoned wine and it not affecting him and whenever he was asked to give a speech he just slurred, "My dear children love one another!"
I suspect I have just earned my place in Hell for my blasphemy but I just can't help thinking these thing. Hell looks warmer anyway.
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