This Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year 2017 Greetings was developed by Dr.Tripthi M. Mathew (AKA Dr.Toby Kuhl) on December 22, 2016.

1. Merry Christmas, Happy
Hanukkah and
Healthy and Prosperous
New Year 2017!
Designed and Developed by Tripthi M. Mathew, MD, MPH, MBA, PhD
Alpha & Omega Healthcare Management Consulting. © 2016
www.alphanomega.info

2. Oh Hanukah, Oh Hanukah
The Society for Jewish Folk Music in St. Petersburg published two classical compositions
Composers: Hirsch Kopyt (published in 1912 but performed as early as 1909)
Joseph Achron (published in 1914, composed December 1914 in Kharkov)
• (Oh), Hanukah, Oh Hanukah
Come light the menorah
Let's have a party
We'll all dance the horah
Gather 'round the table, we'll give you a treat
Dreidels (or "sevivon") to play with, and latkes (or "levivot") to eat
• And while we are playing
The candles are burning bright (or low)
One for each night, they shed a sweet light
To remind us of years (or days) long ago
One for each night, they shed a sweet light
To remind us of years (or days) long ago.
Jerusalem’s Golden Menorah

3. Twelve days of Christmas
 It was sung at King Pepin's Ball", as per a 1780 children's book, Mirth without
Mischief.
 The gifts given in the twelve days of Christmas was perhaps an engagement
/proposal/wedding gifts from King Pepin the Short (714-768), the King of
Franks of the Carolingian Dynasty, who was short in stature to his future
beautiful tall wife Bertarda of Laon (nickname Bertha Broad foot as she was
born with a clubfoot).
 “On the 5th day of Christmas my true love sent to me “5 Gold Rings…….” for all
5 fingers or of different sizes so that one size might fit Bertarda’s ring finger,
indicating an engagement proposal in progress.
 And/or he was following a Jewish custom during the time of Hanukkah which
probably coincided that year with Christmas to present gifts on all days of
Hanukkah. In 2016, Hanukkah coincides with Christmas (Chrismukkah) which
starts on Dec 24 to Jan 1, 2017.
 They were closely related (2nd Cousins) and had seven children, out of which 3
survived to adulthood ( 2 sons and a daughter). Their marriage became legal
only after the birth of Charlemagne (who was one of their first son) as they
were closely related as it was not possible to marry close relatives at that time.
 The story behind the “The Twelve Days of Christmas” Carol. This is an English Christmas carol that
enumerates in a cumulative song a series of increasingly grand gifts given on each of the twelve
days of Christmas (the twelve days after Christmas). This carol, was first published in England in
1780. However, it is thought to be French in origin.
Designed and Developed by Tripthi M. Mathew, MD, MPH, MBA, PhD
Alpha & Omega Healthcare Management Consulting. © 2016

4. Twelve days of Christmas
“Business (Christmas/Wedding) Expenses”
Perhaps, King Pepin calculated to give 1 gift each day that would last an entire
year to remind Bertada of his Love for her (and like a dowry to his fair
maiden/future wife) or she requested that she be gifted 1 gift every day for an
entire year
As per wikipedia, if the gifts are repeated in full in each round of the song, then a
total of 364 items are delivered by the twelfth day (that is almost 1 gift per day
in a year-365 days).
In 1984, a custom begun by PNC Bank is to create two pricing charts:
1) The Christmas Price Index: The current costs of one set of each of the gifts
given by the True Love (King Pepin) to the singer (Bertada)
of the song, “Twelve Days of Christmas”. In 2015, it was
$34,130.99 . This is almost the cost of a new luxury sedan vehicle.
2) The True Costs of Christmas: This is the cumulative costs of all the
gifts in the song with repetitions and the people mentioned in the
song are hired, not purchased. In 2015, this was $155,407.18 . This is like the
cost of a new home.
*Note: “The original 1984 cost was $12,623.10. The index has been criticized for not
accurately reflecting the true cost of the gifts featured in the Christmas carol”
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twelve_Days_of_Christmas_(song)

5. Twelve days of Christmas
On the first day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
A Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the second day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the third day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the fourth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
4 Calling Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the fifth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
5 Golden Rings
4 Calling Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the ninth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
9 Ladies Dancing
8 Maids a Milking
7 Swans a Swimming
6 Geese a Laying
5 Golden Rings
4 Calling Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the tenth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
10 Lords a Leaping
9 Ladies Dancing
8 Maids a Milking
7 Swans a Swimming
6 Geese a Laying
5 Golden Rings
4 Calling Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the sixth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
6 Geese a Laying
5 Golden Rings
4 Calling Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the seventh day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
7 Swans a Swimming
6 Geese a Laying
5 Golden Rings
4 Calling Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the eighth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
8 Maids a Milking
7 Swans a Swimming
6 Geese a Laying
5 Golden Rings
4 Calling Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the twelfth day of
Christmas
my true love sent to me:
12 Drummers Drumming
11 Pipers Piping
10 Lords a Leaping
9 Ladies Dancing
8 Maids a Milking
7 Swans a Swimming
6 Geese a Laying
5 Golden Rings
4 Calling Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the eleventh day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
11 Pipers Piping
10 Lords a Leaping
9 Ladies Dancing
8 Maids a Milking
7 Swans a Swimming
6 Geese a Laying
5 Golden Rings
4 Calling Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

6. Greatest Gift of Christmas from God to Mankind-----The birth of Christ
“For God so Loved the World, he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”
- John 3:16 (KJV)
Designed and Developed by Tripthi M. Mathew, MD, MPH, MBA, PhD
Alpha & Omega Healthcare Management Consulting. © 2016
www.alphanomega.info

7. 2017- Year of the Red Hen/Rooster
In the Bible, the Rooster symbolizes not only an alarm, but a symbol of
denial/betrayal. Christ replies to Peter, “ Truly I tell you, “ Jesus
answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me
three times”.
- Matthew 23:64 (NIV)
The Rooster serves as a natural alarm clock awakening us at dawn.
It informs us that it is morning and time to get ready to go to work,
school, our daily activities.
Happy New Year
What does 2017 hold for us?
Wake up Everybody! Stay Alert! Be Cautious! Be Ready! Work Hard!
May God Bless you in the New Year. Mazel Tov !
Have a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous and Safe 2017!
Designed and Developed by Tripthi M. Mathew, MD, MPH, MBA, PhD
Alpha & Omega Healthcare Management Consulting. © 2016
www.alphanomega.info

8. Quiz
• 2) Which birds were gifts in the
Twelve Days of Christmas Carol?
a) Eagle
b) Turkey
c) Turtle Doves
d) Peacock
e) French Hens
f) Geese
g) Swans
h) Calling Birds
Designed and Developed by Tripthi M. Mathew, MD, MPH, MBA, PhD
Alpha & Omega Healthcare Management Consulting. © 2016
www.alphanomega.info
• 1) Which symbol is shown on the
Dreidel in this presentation?
a) Nun
b) Gimel
c) He
d) Shin/Sin

9. References
• 1) Oh Chanukah. Internet. 2016.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oh_Chanukah.
• 2) Biblehub.com. Internet. 2016.
http://biblehub.com/matthew/26-34.htm
• 3) The Twelve Days of Christmas. 2016. Internet.
http://www.41051.com/xmaslyrics/twelvedays.html
• 4) Biblegateway.com. 2016. Internet.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+26:63-64
• 5) A Child is Born, Greeting card. Sacred Heart League. Walls, MS. 2016
Designed and Developed by Tripthi M. Mathew, MD, MPH, MBA, PhD
Alpha & Omega Healthcare Management Consulting. © 2016
www.alphanomega.info