EP. 2: The Perfect Pair for Christmas

On the second day of Christmas, what did God give to us?

It's Christmas time! The very birthday of the Savior is celebrated through wonderful lights, snow, and Christmas carols. In the well-known carol “The 12 Days of Christmas,” the one and only true love gave two turtle doves to the significant other on the second day of those 12 days. But little did you know, it also signifies much more than birds. In the world of Christianity, the two turtle doves may represent the Old and New Testaments. Before we grab some cookies and hot chocolate…how and why do they think so?

In Christian beliefs, there is an advent celebrated from the 25th of December to the day before the Epiphany. All the way back to the 16th century, Catholics had a hard time teaching their children their beliefs and practices due to religious wars. They improvised by creating a Christmas carol about the advent celebration hidden within symbolisms. 

It is neither outdated nor useless, but rather a relevant scripture of life within the hands of God. The Old Testament is the foundation of law and creation. It is the beginning of everything and everyone that explores the relationship of God with humanity. The testament documents Israel's ancient history and serves as a basis for faith and moral teaching. Consisting of compelling narratives and stories, it shows us the commitment and love of God for his people. The testament keeps reminding us that God had an intended plan and promised to send us a Savior. With all of the wonderful promises kept by God, it still remained unfulfilled…yet.

The awaited day has come! The so-called Savior has finally arrived to the surface and all of God’s promises were fulfilled as we enter another testament. The New Testament unveils the life of Jesus Christ, from his death to his resurrection, and the birth of the Church. It focuses more on Jesus himself– how he helps and heals his people through the guidance of God.  The scripture tells us the whole development of God’s people, from being lost and disoriented despite God's help to looking up to their current Savior.

The connection between the doves and the testaments is just like how love is — it is more powerful when all of us are in it together. The turtle doves represent immense peace and love that sticks together until the end. By that, it shows how the Old and New Testaments should not be separated, especially by time. Because when together, it is powerful and God's impact lingers within the two scriptures. Just like how marriage works, it is stronger when it is a pair. It shows how it makes such a significant figure to its people and the religion itself.

Despite our differences regarding the celebration of Christmas, let us not forget to respect how it started with some religions and people. Let us share the love that Jesus gave to us to the people around us. New or old, Christmas is just the way it is, pure smiles and joy. Now, bring out the classical pair: some cookies and hot chocolate! By the way…can you add more cocoa to mine?