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The 12-Days of Christmas Song

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One repeating Christmas story which is more legendary yet interesting in it's development as 'fact' as often printed throughout the World-Wide Web, is about the origin of this popular Christmas song. This story is reportedly that it originated from the middle ages in that Christmas was extended from a one-day celebration to a 12-day celebration. It begins with Christmas day and ends with the Epiphany - twelve days later.

The story of the song develops that during this time period (mid-1500's to the early 1800's) people of the Catholic faith were being repressed by many anti-Christian laws in England. To hide their Christianity but teach their faith, believers came up with a song that was actually a Catechism for children to learn the Catholic faith, and each of the gifts were a clue to the teaching.