For many, including me, the "12 Days of Christmas" is both a popular and a perplexing Christmas carol out there. Popular, especially for schoolchildren celebrating Christmas parties in their school where often it would be a song sung in the many contests during the celebrations. Perplexing because as a young kid back in the days, I really don't know what I was singing about - just some chanting of rhymes talking about various fowls and folks. But since it was Christmas time, a time filled with joy and friends sharing gifts, the young mind in me always associated happy memories with the "12 Days of Christmas" carol.
To these days, now that we are not young, I still am clueless. Good thing, there is google and here are some interesting tidbits about this classic favorite.
Firstly, there is really a 12 days of Christmas. The period starts and ends with two pretty significant holidays: Christmas on December 25 and the Epiphany on January 6. Christians believe that the 12 days of Christmas mark the amount of time it took after the birth of Jesus for the magi, or wise men, to travel to Bethlehem for the Epiphany when they recognized him as the son of God.
Secondly, the history of the carol is somewhat murky. The earliest known version first appeared in a 1780 children's book called Mirth With-out Mischief. Some historians think the song could be French in origin, but most agree it was designed as a "memory and forfeits" game, in which singers tested their recall of the lyrics and had to award their opponents a "forfeit" - a kiss or a favor of some kind - if they made a mistake. The song most of us are familiar with today comes from an English composer named Frederic Austin; in 1909, he set the melody and lyrics and added as his own flourish the drawn-out cadence of "five go-old rings."
Thirdly, what does the french hens, turtle doves, maids a-milking, and pipers piping really mean? Nobody really knows for sure. Lots of theories have been put forward to explain the enigma of the "12 Days of Christmas" carol. There is even a theory that puts forward the belief that this Christmas carol was a way for British Catholics to subversively teach Catholic children the catechism because their religion was controversial in 1700s England. However, many academics dont buy this theory pointing out that it only appeared in the 1990s (start of the internet craze) and it isn't supported by any documentary evidence. I am more inclined to believe the idea the "12 Days of Christmas" poem is actually a love song. This idea was initiated by Edward Phinney, a Classics Professor at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. In his words:
"If you think of all the things being presented, you realize they're all gifts from a lover to a woman. Some of them are rather impossible to give, like eight maids a milking and nine ladies dancing. All those ladies and dancing and pipers and drums imply this is a wedding. The whole song seems to me to point to a festival of joy and love more appropriate to a secular holiday like Valentine's Day than a religious holiday."
That may seem odd, but when you think about it that weddings are a prominent feature in the month of December, the link seems more plausible.
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| One of the many runner's versions of the "12 Days of Christmas" carol |
Apparently, the "12 Days of Christmas" carol is well-loved among runners as can be seen from the many version of it by runners. Typing "12 Days of Christmas Runners version" and google gives out millions in results. Check out a few of the notables like the one from Canadian Running Magazine and Ultra Runner.
With the ever growing running community of Pinoy Runners Global, there is the Virtual Takbo event called "12 Kilometers of Christmas." It is being hosted by Pinoy Runners Barcelona. Kap Wilson Jessette Hernando was generous with his time in answering a few questions from the Bicolano Penguin (BP):
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| Kap Wilson with family. |
BP: Why is Pinoy Runners Barcelona hosting the "12 Kilometers of Christmas" virtual run?
Kap Wilson: Pinoy Runners Barcelona is turning 1 on December 25. That is why we requested to host a virtual takbo. We came up with the theme "The 12 Kilometers of Christmas" in celebration of our 12 months as a team.
BP: How is Pinoy Runners Barcelona celebrating its 1st Anniversary?
Kap Wilson: We have to follow the protocols. We cannot celebrate our first anniversary the way we imagined it. We cannot even run together because of the restrictions. Bawi nalang kami pag puwede na.
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| In Barcelona, as Kap Wilson explains it, no more than 10 persons are allowed to congregate,... |
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| ...that is why Pinoy Runners Barcelona have not had a recent big group photo. |
BP: How is Christmas like in Barcelona?
Kap Wilson: Here in Catalonia region, we celebrate Christmas eve and Christmas day with family and friends. However, it is more common to have big feasts rather than exchanging gifts. Kids get some presents at Christmas from Caga Tio - a log that poo out candies or gifts (Santa is not popular to them) but they will mostly get them on Three Kings' Day (Jan 6). They also go to the midnight mass or la Misa de Gallo.
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| The Caga Tio is a little smiling log covered in a red blanket and there's a strange tradition to beat it on Christmas eve. This log or "crapping uncle" is full of sweets that he is supposed to poo out on the 24th when the children beat him with sticks. |
BP: As Brgy Captain of Pinoy Runners Barcelona, what is your Christmas message to your fellow Pinoy runners in Barcelona and Pinoy runners all over the world?
Kap Wilson: Despite the disappointments and all the unexpected we have experienced, let us turn this experience into something positive. Let us focus on the joy of just being alive, the family and loved ones we hold dear. We can take the time to recharge and renew our resolve to embark on a much better 2021 no matter what comes our way. Have a joyful and peaceful Christmas everyone! Cheers!
Simple and sweet. Simple and sweet words from a leader. Indeed, Pinoy Runners Global is blessed with a multitude of effective leaders and Kap Wilson is one shining example.
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| A Christmas Tree with La Sagrada Familia of Barcelona in the background. |
Merry Christmas to all in Pinoy Runners Global and its federation of running barangays all over the world.
Bon Nadal. Vrolijk Kerstfeest. Buon Natale. Feliz Navidad. Joyeux Noel. Merii Kurisumasu. Selamat Hari Natal. Milad Mubarak. Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan. Sukhsant wan Khristmas. Maligayang Pasko...
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