Merry 12th Day of Christmas

Merry 12th Day of Christmas 

As we close out these Merry 12 Days of Christmas, my thoughts turn to some of the Christmas celebrations of years gone by.  

I recall the gatherings of my young childhood when we would attend Christmas Eve Mass at Sacred Heart Mission followed by dinner at our Italian Nana’s house, in Hometown. Nana’s house was decorated so beautifully, with her nativity scene set up in the front bay window. The table would be set with so much food; we would raise a toast with small glasses of anisette. Dessert always included Nana’s wonderful pizzelle cookies. Gifts would be exchanged. Some of the family would go to midnight Mass at Our Lady of Loretto.  

At the end of the evening, Mom and Dad would load all six of us kids into the Volkswagen van. On the way home Dad would drive by homes in Hometown and Oak Lawn with all of their pretty festive lights and decorations. Of course, it was always freezing! 

On Christmas Day, my parents would host a celebration at their home in the Morgan Park neighborhood. My Grandma Lucille and other extended family would come. The preceding weeks were full of all the pre-holiday cleaning and baking. Mom would ask us 100 times if we cleaned this or that while we kids would grumble about having to clean this and that! The baking was always fun with fudge along with green and red oatmeal cookies being my favorite. The living room and dining rooms were beautifully decorated. We kids got to decorate the basement with an older tree and cast-off decor from years gone by. We did not light the tree lights until Christmas Eve. 

As the years passed, my siblings and I grew up and had our own families. New traditions were started with the families of our spouses. With each year that passes more changes have occured: loved ones left us for heaven; other family members moved away; and relationships changed. The memories of my childhood are still there but the new ones created with each new year get spun into a blanket of sorts that is never quite finished. 

Through it all a constant remains, and that constant is love.  

The love of family and friends.  

The love of traditions old and new.  

And, of course, the love of Jesus for all of us.  

I think all of these memories and ponderings fit well with the theme for today… 

Why 12 Drummers Drumming on the Twelfth Day of Christmas? 

The 12 drummers represent the twelve articles of the Apostles’ Creed. 

Apostles’ Creed 

1. I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth,
2. and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
3. who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,
4. suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried;
5. he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead;
6. he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
7. from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
8. I believe in the Holy Spirit,
9. the Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints,
10. the forgiveness of sins,
11. the resurrection of the body,
12. and life everlasting. Amen.

Praying the Apostle’s Creed is a reminder that God created us, He sent his son for us, and we will have everlasting life with him. It is amazing to remember this during this beautiful Christmas season! 

Merry Christmas,
Karen 

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