Welcome to our Netroots for the Troops, Inc. Holiday Fundraiser: Twelve Days of Christmas Blog! Today is the sixth day of Christmas, wherein we receive VERY SPECIAL birds and ANOTHER pear tree and some GOLDEN stuff ...
In this edition...we contemplate just how the song came about and what our gift on Day 6 actually means...along with some other speculations about the origins of the song... And while we're at it, how much do all those gifts cost? The answers to these mysteries will be revealed over the jump, but first a bit of intro on NFTT.
Netroots for the Troops is a DK tradition. We raise funds each year to create and send care packages to our troops. There's something magical about receiving a care package. Your donation will help us create and ship packages full of useful and fun things to our soldiers overseas. Boxes will be packaged next summer at Netroots Nation. More on how to donate below.
This month's fundraiser theme is 12 Days of Christmas. Taken literally, the 12 Days of Christmas are the season in a traditional church calendar between Christmas and Epiphany. For our purposes, however, they're a time of giving in a month that includes holidays celebrated by those of many faiths, and a huge secular holiday celebrated by many more. So we've moved them right on up into December with nary a lick of remorse.
There's the cost of the gifts so far, if you buy into calling birds instead of black birds and jewelery instead of ring-necked pheasants.
Carryover from yesterday: $3,509.82
Today's costs:
Six Geese A-Laying: $150.00
Five Gold Rings: $649.95
Four Calling Birds: $599.96
Three French Hens: $150
Two Turtle Doves: $100
Partridge in a Pear Tree: $161.99
Today's total: $1,811.90
Running total: $5,321.72
Good things dowries are not the norm anymore. Talk about something really adding up. Have I ever mentioned we have six daughters?
The song has French origins, and was published in English children's books around 1780. Most people believe it began as a memory game sung at Twelfth Night parties. The 12 days of Christmas in Western Christianity refer to the time between Christ's birth on Dec. 25 and the arrival of the Magi to honor the newborn, known as Epiphany, on Jan. 6.
We would pile into the three seat station wagon to share a day close to Ephiphany with the DC relatives. This was the traditional day for gift exchange with that side of the family. Have I mentioned we have six daughters?
The gifts are popular parts of medieval feasts, often held during Twelfth Night celebrations. The birds were eaten while the pipers, drummers, and lords entertained the guests. The five golden rings in the song refer not to jewelry, but to ring-necked pheasants. See, told ya!
One kid is great at pies. One kid makes wonderful breads. Another one really knows how to use the French press coffee pot. Another has mastered cakes. We have boxes of traditional cookies from the hand-written recipe cards. And we always get something like this from the youngest:
Which came first, the goose or the egg? The creation stories across the world have some features in common. Some theorize six in this song is for the days used in one to explain how we all got here. I think the goose was here first. Maybe this verse is all about Mother Goose. All these birds lay some kind of egg and we use a lot of eggs with all this baking. Have I mentioned we have six daughters?
Partridges and pears were considered emblems of fertility during the Renaissance. Likewise, geese and swans were seen as intermediaries between the earth and the sky, and thus humans and heaven. Then there was that goose laying golden eggs...
There are a lot of theories about this song and I sure all of them are true. But what often happens to songs is that people change them, and so does the meaning people find in them. We want you to find your gold egg. One of those daughters married a troop.
Did you enjoy the diary? Now it's your turn to have some fun! Be sure to recommend the diary and make lots and lots of comments! The team with the highest number of comments and recommends at the end of the fundraiser will learn special recognition! Then, make a pledge and donation!
Here's how:
- Visit our website
- At the top left corner of your screen, select "Find A Team/Participant"
- Under the blank box, click "Show All Teams"
- Click on the Team Name for Today's Team
- At the top left corner of your screen, select "Make A Donation"
It's that simple! Now, on with the games!