On The Sixth Day of Christmas...
Roundup 008, The Final Roundup of 2023
"On the Sixth Day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…
Six Geese a Laying, Five Golden Rings, Four Callings Birds, Three French Hens, Two Turtle Doves and a Partridge in a Pear Tree"
I bet you're thinking one of two things right now.
David, what are you talking about?
Is this a reference to The Office?
Allow me to explain…
The 12 days of Christmas are the time between Christmas (the birth of Christ) and Epiphany (the coming of the Magi or three wise men) on January 6th. Epiphany is a feast day in many traditions, some calling it Little Christmas or Three King's Day.
"The 12 Days of Christmas" is also a Christmas Carol written in England during the late 1700s, and some even believe it was written to help teach the Christian faith to their children in a memorable sing-song tune.
Here is the 'hidden meaning' behind each of the gifts…
2 Turtle Doves = The Old and New Testaments
3 French Hens = Faith, Hope, and Charity, the Theological Virtues
4 Calling Birds = the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists
5 Golden Rings = The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch," which gives the history of man's fall from grace
6 Geese A-laying = the six days of creation
7 Swans A-swimming = the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments
8 Maids A-milking = the eight beatitudes
9 Ladies Dancing = the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
10 Lords A-leaping = the Ten Commandments
11 Pipers Piping = the 11 faithful apostles
12 Drummers Drumming = the 12 points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed
The partridge in the pear tree, naturally, represents Jesus Christ.
While there is some speculation about whether this is true, I found it interesting and worth sharing.
I also found a couple of resources from some of the Anglican tradition regarding the 12 Days that I thought I'd share.
Restoring The 12 Days of Christmas - A few practical resources for the Advent and Christmas
The 12 Tide - A very thoughtful resource for the 12 days. Meditations, prayers, activities, gift giving, carols, etc. This is well done, and I'm excited to dig in more.
5 Ways To Celebrate The 12 Days Of Christmas - More practical application. I particularly look forward to the galette des rois (Recipe here).
Megan and I are new to this 'side of the family,' but I'll say this. Our decorations are still up; we're still watching Christmas movies, listening to Christmas carols, and looking forward to feasting with friends on Epiphany.
I apologize for the lack of a roundup last week. Most of you know that I am in the final year (I mean it this time) of my undergraduate degree, and this past semester ended on December 24th. So, on top of the chaos of Christmas, work, and having family in town, I had final projects and exams to finish last week.
Here are a few articles that caught my attention in the past two weeks…
When Grief like Sea Billows Roll Through Your Holidays - Dan Darling for Christianity Today - "Yet I've come to believe that grief is a gift, a human response given by God to help fill the space where our loved one once stood—a cushion against the deathly blows of a cursed world and a sign of hope that fuels our longing for the world to come."
The Gospel Coalition Book Awards 2023 - For anyone wondering what they should read in 2024, this is an excellent place to start.
What to Read Between Christmas and New Year's - John Wilson for First Things - "…during the week between Christmas and New Year's Day, I felt a sense of awe at the thought that one "year" was about to end and a new one was about to begin. I would guess I was about five years old at the time, but that's unimportant. Over the decades since then (I turned 75 in June), I've often felt that emotion during the last week of this or that year."
Books
I shared this on Instagram, but I am enjoying this short book on Christmas from the Fullness of Time series. In particular, McGowin goes into the history of our modern traditions and helps us understand the theological reasons behind the season with some brief practical applications. This is a must-read for anyone looking to go deeper into the liturgical calendar.
I'm also listening to The Myth of Normal by Gabor Mate on Audible. I've only begun, but I believe it will be excellent.
Watching
While there are still a few Christmas movies to be watched, we're also watching Mad Men. It's Megan's first time. I can't recommend it to everyone, but I'm enjoying it again.
Recommending
Here are a couple more Epiphany Feast desserts we are considering making. I hope you'll make one as well.
Almond Galette from King Arthur Baking
Epiphany Cake from The Pioneer Woman
Organization
Maybe it's the end of the semester, the end of the year, or the beginning of a new one, but it's time to do a purge and cleanse to get organized before my next batch of classes begins. I found this video to be rich with good ideas.
New Years Reflections
Finally, as the year ends, Megan and I are taking time to reflect on 2023 and plan for 2024. Like most, we're thinking about health, finances, and goals. But I don't want it to end there.
This little resource from Tsh Oxenreider is helping us to think more deeply about how we'd like to grow in Christian virtues, relationships, and vocations.
Friends, if you've read this far, please know it means a lot to me. As you begin the new year, I am praying that God will bless you and yours and that you will grow to know him more deeply in 2024.
If you found this post helpful or interesting, please share it with a friend or two. Your support means the world.
Blessings,
David Meye
Below is a photo dump of the past two weeks. Christmas dinners, Grandma’s 95th Birthday, time with family, and lots of good food.
Enjoy!
And with that, the 2023 season comes to an end.
Stumbled upon your space here and love what you've shared...the traditions you are cultivating with your wife and family are beautiful! My oldest children, 21 and 19, are away at college and some of their fondest memories of home are tied to the advent traditions we started many years ago ... creating clay ornaments to hang on a wooden tree my husband built, reading poems every day of advent, admiring fine art, opening St. Nicolas Day stockings, waiting in the dark watching the candles grow brighter and brighter...moving the wise men to the manger on epiphany... So many rich, sacred moments have formed their souls in ways I never would have thought possible all those years ago. So often we were going against the tide and it took all our strength and resolve to keep this sacred time despite the noise of the world crowding in. And now, when they come home in the winters, they are still rooted to these traditions and can (Lord willing) return to their spaces with a sense of renewal and hope.
If you haven't already read it, I highly recommend Malcom Guite's Waiting of the Word poetry collection. https://www.amazon.com/Waiting-Word-Advent-Christmas-Epiphany/dp/1848258003
Happy New Year to you and yours!