2019-12-25 Wed

Winter is here and it is already snowing. With the chilly winter setting in, it is once again a time for confetti, fire crackers and a lot of festive fun. There is something about this season that brings out the child in all of us. Many of us would be listening to soothing and melodious Christmas carols!

The festive season of Christmas is celebrated worldwide in many diverse ways. Hundreds and thousands of letters and gifts are passed from one part of the country to the other. Every year, many Postal Services come up with a varied range of beautifully expressive Christmas stamps and First Day Covers.

On 23rd November 1977, stamps and FDCs were issued by the Royal Mail commemorating one of the most loved Christmas carol – Twelve Days of Christmas! This set of 6 stamps depicts the gifts that were given during the twelve days of Christmas. The FDC shown in the image alongside is a rare 'Save the Children Fund' Christmas First Day Covers.

"The Twelve Days of Christmas" is a cumulative song, meaning that each verse is built on top of the previous verses. There are twelve verses, each describing a gift given by "my true love" on one of the twelve days of Christmas. It is an English Christmas carol which was published in England in 1780. The exact origins and the meaning of the song are unknown, but it is highly probable that it originated from children’s memory and forfeit game.

Whatever the possible origins, it’s a Christmas carol that has been played, sung, and heard for ages now. And why not, who wouldn’t want their true love to gift them “partridge in a pear tree, 2 turtle doves, 3 French hens, 4 calling birds, 5 gold rings, 6 geese a-laying, 7 swans a-swimming, 8 maids a-milking, 9 ladies dancing, 10 lords a-leaping, 11 pipers piping and 12 drummers drumming”!

So, what are you gifting your true love? Happy Holidays everyone! Have a Merry Christmas!

Image Courtesy: https://www.bfdc.co.uk/