Birds and Rings on the Fifth Day of Christmas

I could not find a picture of five of these ring-necked pheasant, but these birds were birds of royalty, typically served during a nice 12 Days of Christmas dinner. (Apologies to those who do not eat birds.) This bird is probably the gift of choice from one true love on the Fifth Day of Christmas. This should be good news for those who try to buy all the gifts from the twelve days of Christmas -- I am assuming five pheasants might cost less than five gold rings (also assuming the rings were truly gold).

A change from birds to jewelry is not the only change this song has made over the years. Some want to make it a song full of symbolism.  Snopes.com makes an excellent case that this was a French song (partridges not being introduced into Britain until after the origin of the song) that was probably part of a "memory and forfeits" game (we've played such games with the letters or with learning people's names). The first person says the first line, the second says the first and second line, the third person says the first, second, and third, and on down the line.

This makes a good deal of sense to me. I particularly like how the couple who run Snopes close their article:

Nonetheless, plenty of writers continue to expound upon "the beauty and truly biblical and spiritual meanings locked away in this wonderful song that puts Christ into Christmas where he doesn't appear to be." Perhaps those who consider this tale to be "beautiful" and "inspirational" (despite its obviously dubious truthfulness) should consider its underlying message: That one group of Jesus' followers had to hide their beliefs in order to avoid being tortured and killed by another group of Jesus' followers. Of all the aspects of Christianity to celebrate at Christmastime, that doesn't sound like a particularly good one to emphasize. 
Read more at http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/music/12days.asp#4zhwlZlp1pgiOpYx.99

I really would rather think of this song as a game. I also like the idea that the five golden rings are birds. Although the Bible does sometimes mention jewels and gold is a positive light (think of Revelations 21), mankind tends to fight over it, use it as a way to entice, or to rank people.

Birds, on the other hand, do not fall to the ground without God seeing. He cares for them, and He says He cares for each of us even more than He cares for the birds (and He cares for them a lot).

Short post today. I think I'm going to go birdwatch where I feel the presence of God in a way that I don't when I sit staring at gold.