the Twelve days of CHristmas

the 12 days of Christmas are the day from Christmas to the Epiphany, the day that celebrates the three Kings (or Magi) visited the Christ Child

our main city church is the Three Kings church, so we will be having a fiesta this weekend.

old photos here.

The song the 12 days of Christmas does have a secret Catholic meaning, or maybe not: Snopes disccusses, saying that hey, both Catholics and Anglicans believe in the same stuff, so there. Ignoring that little interlude of the Puritans and Cromwell, where Christmas was forbidden. But they do admit that it probably originated from a French song.

(and they also ignore that Catholics see metaphors in everything, and allow multiple interpretations of an event or symbol without getting their knickers in a knot.)

so yes, it's about birds, and it's about beliefs, and it's about loving gifts from one's true love.

(except of course, if my true love gave me a bird to cook, I would throw him out of the party).

Well, anyway: There are some wonderful stamps issued by the Isle of Man to celebrate the season.

and yes, they have calculated how much it would cost.

Here are the 12 items listed in the song, with their latest cost and inflation rate:

1 partridge in a pear tree: $220.13 (+0.1%)

2 turtle doves: $375 (0%)

3 French hens: $181.50 (0%)

4 calling birds: $599.96 (0%)

5 gold rings: $750 (-9.1%)

6 geese-a-laying: $390 (+8.3%)

7 swans-a-swimming: $13,125 (0%)

8 maids-a-milking: $58 (0%)

9 ladies dancing: 7,552.84 (0%)

10 lords-a-leaping: $10,000 (+3%)

11 pipers piping: $2,804.40 (+3.5%)

12 drummers drumming: $3,038.10 (+3.5%)