Here’s a fun way to teach children using the Christmas Carol “The 12 Days of Christmas”.
The True Love who gives us gifts is Jesus Christ who gave us eternal life.
On the 1st day of Christmas my true love gave to me…
A Partridge in a Pear Tree: The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, whose birthday we celebrate on December 25, the first day of Christmas. 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)
On the 2nd day of Christmas my true love gave to me…
Two Turtle Doves: The Old and New Testaments
On the 3rd day of Christmas my true love gave to me…
Three French Hens: The Three Virtues – Faith, Hope, and Love (1 Corinthians 13:13)
On the 4th day of Christmas my true love gave to me…
Four Calling Birds: The Four Gospels
On the 5th day of Christmas my true love gave to me…
Five Gold Rings:The first Five Books of the Old Testament, known as the Torah or the Pentateuch
On the 6th day of Christmas my true love gave to me…
Six Geese A-laying: The six days of creation (Genesis 1)
On the 7th day of Christmas my true love gave to me…
Seven Swans A-swimming: The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:8-11)
On the 8th day of Christmas my true love gave to me…
Eight Maids A-milking: The eight Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-10)
On the 9th day of Christmas my true love gave to me…
Nine Ladies Dancing: The nine Fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22)
On the 10th day of Christmas my true love gave to me…
Ten Lords A-leaping: The ten commandments (Exodus 20:1-17)
On the 11th day of Christmas my true love gave to me…
Eleven Pipers Piping: Eleven Faithful Apostles (Luke 6:14-16)
On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me…
Twelve Drummers Drumming: Twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell [the grave].
On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit.
The holy church,
The communion of saints,
And the forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body,
And life everlasting.