The 12 days of Christmas conjures visions of turtle doves, golden rings, and ladies dancing. Consider what the 12 days of Christmas are for Jesus Christ himself.

While preparing a Christmas lesson for the Sunday prior to Christmas Day, the thought of the 12 days of Christmas kept going through my mind. But rather than doves, rings, and partridges in fruit trees, I thought of “Courts on High,” “Humble Mangers” and “Sacred Groves.” The “Twelve Days of Christmas” lesson took on new meaning. Instead of 12 days of worldly materialism leading up to a major commercial holiday, I felt the real 12 days of Christmas should be the 12 biggest days for the Redeemer. The true 12 days of Christ. The lesson practically prepared itself. The only challenge was, of the multitude of magnificent days that we have record of in our Savior’s life, which are the 12 most important?

Since it was me giving the lesson, I got to choose. I decided to feature the 12 days in our Savior’s life that had the most impact on me and my personal salvation.

You might choose 12 totally different days and I am sure that we would perhaps agree on a few of the same, including His Birth, His Crucifixion, and the Resurrection. However, The Twelve Days of Christmas presents my 12 choices in such a way that if you happen to disagree, you will at least fully understand my feelings.

One thing that helped in my selection was asking the Savior which days were some of His big days.

Here are a few of His comments.

When the Savior identified himself to the Prophet Joseph Smith, he said: “I am the same which spake, and the world was made, and all things came by me. I am the same which have taken the Zion of Enoch into mine own bosom; and verily, I say, even as many as have believed in my name, for I am Christ, and in mine own name, by the virtue of the blood which I have spilt, have I pleaded before the Father for them.” (D&C 38:3-4.)

When Jesus was on earth and foretold the time of His second coming, He did not hesitate to verify the account of Noah and the flood. He actually described conditions at the time of His coming in terms of Noah’s day. He said: “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark.” (Matt. 24:37-38.)

Luke’s version is certainly to the point: “And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.” (Luke 17:26-27.)

When he visited the American Continent following his resurrection, He says He created the heavens and the earth and that He was with the Father before the world was. “Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name.” (3 Ne. 9: 15)

A brief mention of His birth “Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world.” (3 Ne. 11: 10) He makes another mention of the timing of His call to be our Savior in the book of Ether. “Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people.” (Ether 3: 14)

The Lord talks about Adam in the garden and the consequences of his and Eve’s decision to partake of the fruit. “But, behold, I say unto you that I, the Lord God, gave unto Adam and unto his seed, that they should not die as to the temporal death, until I, the Lord God, should send forth angels to declare unto them repentance and redemption, through faith on the name of mine Only Begotten Son.” (D&C 20:42)

He then confirms His decision to drive man out. “And it came to pass that after I, the Lord God, had driven them out, that Adam began to till the earth, and to have dominion over all the beasts of the field, and to eat his bread by the sweat of his brow, as I the Lord had commanded him. And Eve, also, his wife, did labor with him.” (Moses 5: 1)

Did you notice He personally mentioned His calling in the pre-mortal life, the creation, driving Adam and Eve from the garden, the flood, the City of Enoch, His coming, His Atonement and His Second Coming. In other scriptures He clearly mentions the other days.

The Savior told His disciples He had another visit to make referring to who we believe are His people in the Americas. “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice;” (John 10: 16)

In the vision the Lord gave to Nephi in 1 Nephi 11, 12 & 13, Nephi saw and learned of the 12 Apostles. “And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records, which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the truth of the first, which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.”

Suffice it to say, none of these days are inconsequential days in the Lord’s life.

As I presented this lesson in our class it became very evident that one 40-minute class period was woefully insufficient.  We only got through two days, and they felt rushed. On the first Sunday of each month during the following year, we explored one of these days.

During this process, class members and others who learned of the lessons, asked me to record some references and write the basic content of the “12 Days of Christmas.” Thus, this book is a copy of my notes and references for the “The 12 most important days in the life of my Savior, Jesus Christ.” A third edition is expected to release in the fall of 2023.