On The Twelfth Day of December; My True Love Gave to Me....

A Partridge in a Pear Tree

I am playing very loosely on the English Christmas carol, The Twelve Days of Christmas, because it's December 12. I I I wouldn't give Cindy a bird or a tree for a gift, given my history with fowl and fruit tree. 

Our days of "farming" are long over. And as far as gifts go, we are keeping it to a bare minimum given how little room we have and how much stuff we have donated, gifted, thrown away, etc. etc. 


12 is a Magic Number

The word "twelve" is the largest number with a single-syllable name in English.

It is also the standard by which our day-to-day lives are governed. For instance, there are 12 numbers on a clock, with 24 hours (12 X 2) composing the day​.

12 inches in a foot

12 months in a year

12 astrological signs

The number 12 is very important in many religions, mainly Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and also found in some older religions and belief systems. 

There are twelve "Jyotirlingas" in Hindu Shaivism. The Shaivites (orthodox devotees of God Shiva) treat them with great respect and they are visited by almost every pious Hindu at least once in a lifetime.

The Western zodiac has twelve signs, as does the Chinese zodiac.

Ancient Greek religion, the Twelve Olympians were the principal gods of the pantheon and Hercules enacted out twelve labours.

The chief Norse god, Odin, had 12 sons.
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The importance of 12 in Judaism and Christianity can be found in the Bible. The biblical Jacob had 12 sons, who were the progenitors of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, while the New Testament describes twelve apostles of Jesus. 
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And a clean house with dishes done

It doesn't roll off the tongue quite the same, but I have a feeling I'll be much better off.

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