Seven swans-a-swimming would cost you $13,125 according to PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. And twelve drummers drumming? That’ll be $3,183. All total, if you were serious enough about the carol, “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” to purchase every item for that special someone, you would have spent $41,206.
That’s a 5.7% increase from 2019 – an increase many say they couldn’t afford. So they might have opted for cheaper gifts like two Dove chocolate bars instead of real doves, and a CD of Scottish bagpipe music instead of 11 real pipers piping.
Seems like the value of Christmas keeps a-changing.
Some suggest that the age-old carol, “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” was written to symbolically represent a list of dearly loved treasures among Christians:
1 True Love refers to God
2 Turtle Doves refers to the Old and New Testaments
3 French Hens refers to faith, hope, and love
4 Calling Birds refers to the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John)
5 Golden Rings refers to the first five books of the Old Testament
6 Geese A-laying refers to the six days of creation
7 Swans A-swimming refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
8 Maids A-milking refers to the eight beatitudes spoken by Jesus
9 Ladies Dancing refers to the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit
10 Lords A-leaping refers to the Ten Commandments
11 Pipers Piping refers to the eleven faithful apostles
12 Drummers Drumming refers to the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle’s Creed
If that’s the case, then we need not worry about the value of Christmas changing because the real value of Christmas isn’t what we give or purchase, or whom we see, or how we eat or celebrate. The real value of Christmas is “the grace of God that brings salvation” (Titus 2:11).
And God’s grace can neither depreciate nor can it cost us anything more than it did last year (that is, nothing). God’s grace is as priceless as it is free.
PRAYER: I rejoice, dear God, that you have made my salvation worth more than gold or silver. May the precious gift of your dear Son add value to my life more and more as I believe in him, worship him, and share him. Amen.
EVANGELISM ACTION: Ask a friend who needs Jesus how much they think the 12 Days of Christmas gifts would cost. Then share this message.
