This is credited to the author Michael Opeka and is a Christmas message original from a 2010 post.
There are many stories and traditions around Christmas. One special one revolves around the "The Twelve Days of Christmas". The song was written in England as one of the catechism songs to help young Catholics learn their faith. It was a tool to help people learn the basics of their faith. Each of the gifts mentioned in the song have hidden meanings to the teachings of the faith.
The "true love" doesn't refer to an earthly suitor, but to God Himself. The gifts mentioned in the song are gifts from God. The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ. Many of the other items are symbols as well.
As a self-governing leader you can take one of the Values listed below and starting on each new day, make it a priority in your life and the lives of your family. Meditate on the daily value and remind yourself and your loved ones what that value means to you.
THE 12 VALUES OF CHRISTMAS
Honesty – The foundation for all of our communication with God and each other must start and end with honesty. If we cannot be honest with God and ourselves, then nothing else matters.
Reverence – Reverence is rooted in deep respect. We cannot be respected by others if we do not show respect in our daily lives. Respect yourself first and then show respect and reverence to others around you who deserve it.
Hope – Following Honesty and Reverence, Hope is a powerful Value that gives us energy to face difficult challenges. Hope is an engine, fired by faith, which drives us through the most troubling times.
Thrift – Who among us could not benefit from the value of Thrift? The “mom-ism” Waste not, want not, comes to mind. Being thrifty may not be cool, but I have never met a person who said, “Gee, I wish I had spent more.”
Humility – Perhaps the most rare of personal qualities in our ego-filled, celebrity-driven world is Humility. Putting the needs of others ahead of our own may seem difficult at first, but once made a habit, it is the most rewarding thing one can do. And being humble requires very little effort, just the occasional, “Thank you.”
Charity – Charity is a Value and also one the great Virtues – Charity is something that can and should be taught at all stages of life. So often in good times we forget to be charitable. Oh sure, when someone is hoping to win the lottery they always make a hollow promise that a chunk of the jackpot will be given to needy people and causes. Teaching charity to children is vital to continuing charitable behavior in later years.
Moderation – Is there a better, more perfectly suited Value for New Years Eve than Moderation? It would seem to most people that success in our world often focuses around the extremes… the fastest, the biggest, the loudest, etc. When in fact, it is still the lesson of Tortoise and the Hare that shows us the benefit of “slow and steady.”
Sincerity – Not too far removed from the first value of Honesty, Sincerity is a foundation of all lasting relationships. From the Latin word sincerus, we often think of those who are sincere as genuine, honest, open, and pure. For hundreds of years we were taught to sign our personal letters with the simple phrase “Sincerely yours.” The next time you close a letter with Sincerely yours, you might reflect on whether you really are.
Hard Work – The dignity afforded all people from an honest day’s work is incalculable. Hard work is just that, hard, but it is through difficult tasks and the completion of such that we learn the real value of such work.
Courage – Courage is a value that is often confused with false values like Pride and Bravado. Courage is something very different. Courage is a force within driven by knowledge and an understanding of what is right and should be protected and defended. Courage often swims against the stream of what is popular.
Personal Responsibility – Perhaps the most comforting of all Values is this one. To be truly personally responsible for yourself and to freely accept that responsibility allows for you to grow in so many ways, but also allows others to grow as well. When you accept responsibility, that makes you less of a burden on others.
Gratitude – The ability to be thankful is a Value unto itself, and yet it is also a combination of so many of the values that came before it. Without a full understanding of the previous eleven Values, can one truly be grateful for all of the blessings and lessons this life offers? A simple exercise might be to start and end every day by thanking God for all of the gifts you have been given. Say thank you when you rise and before you close your eyes.
