The Twelve Days of Christmas/12 Dias de Navidad

The words from this song first appeared in a book titled Mirth Without Mischief (1780) in England. It describes "The Twelve Days of Christmas" as a "memory and forfeits game" played by children at that time. Another source claims that it was actually more than a repetitious melody, but a catechism song to help young Catholics learn the tenets of their faith. This source has since been questioned, but I still find the singing of it helpful and lovely.

Las letras de esta cancion aparecieron por primera vez en un libro titulado, Mirth Without Mischief (1780) en Inglaterra. En el, describe "Los 12 Dias de Navidad" como un "juego de memoria y de prendas" al que jugaban los ninos catolicos en aquel tiempo. Aunque en actualidad se ha cuestinado el origen de este catechismo, me parece didactico y bello.

December 25: On the First Day of Christmas my true love gave to me *a partridge in a pear tree (The partridge in a pear tree is to represent Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, whose birthday we celebrate on December 25. In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge that feigns injury to decoy predators from her helpless nestlings, recalling the expression of Christ's sadness over the fate of Jerusalem:
"Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered you under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but you would not have it so . . . ." (Luke 13:34)

25 de diciembre: El primer día de Navidad, mi amor me mandó *una perdiz picando peras del peral (Jesus Cristo - Lucas 13:34)

December 26: On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me *two turtle doves (the Old and New Testament, which together bear witness to God's self-revelation in history and the creation of a people to tell the Story of God to the world.) and a partridge in a pear tree.

26 de diciembre: El segundo día de Navidad, mi amor me mandó *dos tortolitas (el Viejo and el Nuevo Testamento, que juntos sirven como testigos a la autorevelacion de Dios en la historia y la creacion de una gente que contara su cuento verdadero al mundo.)

December 27: On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me *three French hens (Faith, Hope and Love-the Theological Virtues -1 Corinthians 13:13) ) two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.

27 de diciembre: El tercer día de Navidad, mi amor me mandó *tres gallinitas (Fe, Esperanza & Amor-las Virtudes Teologicas, 1 Corintios 13:13) dos tortolitas y una perdiz picando peras del peral.