9 Ladies Dancing!

What is the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols? It's a format, invented in 1880 in the United Kingdom, for a type of Christian worship service commemorating Jesus' birth. It is typically used at Christmas. There are 9 Bible lessons, or readings (in which the story of humanity's fall, the promise of the Messiah, and Jesus' birth is proclaimed), and after each lesson are carols and hymns.

The most famous Nine Lessons and Carols occurs at King's College, Cambridge, on Christmas Eve, featuring the Choir of King's College. Broadcast annually, the service always includes the same lessons but varies the carols.

In the song, the "9 ladies dancing" could represent the nine Fruit of the Holy Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) -- see Galatians 5:22.