The Twelve Days of Christmas Trivia Quiz

Answer: it is a memory aid to help young children learn the important tenets of the Christian faith

It is widely (if only recently) claimed on the internet that "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was written to help pass on the faith within Christian communities in times of persecution. Details of the communities and times vary. One version of the story states that it was more specifically English Catholics who were concerned with covertly training children during the period between 1588 and 1829, when the practice of Catholicism was illegal. Each verse of the song has a special message for those who know how to read the hidden meaning.

Answer: God

When "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is interpreted as a summary of the main points of Christian faith, then 'my true love' is explained as God, whose love for each and every human is true, and freely available to all who have been baptized (and are learning their faith through this song).

Answer: Jesus Christ

In translating the hidden meanings of the gifts in "The Twelve Days of Christmas", it is generally easier to allocate significance to the earliest days. The first, and most important, gift commemorated in the song is the gift of Jesus Christ to save the world.

Answer: the two Testaments in the Bible

Again, the second gift can be allocated a symbolism that relates to a major point of Christian faith - that there are two prime sources of the revelation of God's word to the world, which Christians refer to as the Old Testament (corresponding to the Jewish Tanakh) and the New Testament (containing writings about Jesus, letters of instruction to the early churches and an apocalyptic prophecy).

Answer: all of these have been suggested

When attempting to interpret the possible symbolism of the gifts in "The Twelve Days of Christmas", it becomes increasingly difficult to be confident that any given interpretation is the one that would have been originally intended. The Trinity is fundamental to the faith of most Christians, and the three Theological Virtues make a good statement of the attributes of a Christian lifestyle.

The Magi may not be as central to faith, but could be used to represent the need for all humans to acknowledge the presence of Jesus in their lives.

Answer: the four stages of Christ's ministry

The four gospels are those written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. There are a number of other non-canonical gospels, as well. The four horsemen of the Apocalypse, described in the Book of Revelation, are usually referred to as Conquest, War, Famine and Death, although there is some dispute among scholars as to exactly what they represent (as is true of many of the images in this complex text).

Many Christians refer to Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel as the major prophets of the Old Testament; there are also 12 minor prophets. One problem with this suggested symbolism is that a fifth book, Lamentations, is also usually included as a major book of prophecy.

Answer: 'twelve drummers drumming' represent the twelve apostles

It has been suggested that 'eleven pipers piping' is a reference to the eleven faithful apostles; 'twelve drummers drumming' is usually considered to represent the twelve main points of faith outlined in the Apostles' Creed.

Answer: eight

There are indeed eight maids a-milking in the song. The Gospel of Matthew lists eight Beatitudes at the start of the Sermon on the Mount (Chapter 5, verses 3-10). Luke's Gospel (Chapter 6, verses 20-26) has four blessings similar to four of those listed in Matthew's Gospel, along with four curses.

Answer: A New Dial

"A New Dial", also known as "In Those Twelve Days", is recorded from 1625, but appears to be significantly older than that. It presents a religious association with each of the days in a question-and-answer format. The first verse reads 'What are they that are but one? We have one God alone, In Heaven above sits on his throne'. Textual evidence suggests that "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was also French in origin - there are three French versions known, and some of the gifts, such as the partridge, were not known in England until the late 18th century.

Answer: the song is too hard for children to remember accurately

Additional arguments against the suggestion include the fact that, when the song is presented as stemming from the period of Catholic persecution in England, it is difficult to explain why none of the gifts symbolizes the theological differences between the Catholic and Anglican churches - they all refer to articles of faith that are shared between the two groups. Again, if the song was used during times of general persecution of Christians, it is hard to see how using a Christmas carol, associated with a Christian feast, is a discrete way of transmitting knowledge; nor does this interpretation of the song have an explanation for the promulgation of the faith during other seasons.