History and Meaning of the 12 Days of Christmas Song Lyrics

The History and Meaning Behind the 12 Days of Christmas

The 12 days of Christmas is one of the most popular Christmas carols sung around the holiday season. With its catchy repetition and list of increasingly grand gifts, it's become a Christmas classic. But where did this song originate and what is the meaning behind its lyrics? Here's a deep dive into the history and symbolism of the 12 days of Christmas.

The Origins of the 12 Days of Christmas

While the exact origins of the 12 days of Christmas are uncertain, most scholars believe it began as a Twelfth Night "memories-and-forfeits" game in England sometime in the mid-1700s. The song is thought to have French roots, with similar counting songs popular in France since the middle ages. However, the earliest known version was first published in England in 1780 without music.

The 12 days in the song refer to the 12 days between Christmas day on December 25 and Epiphany on January 6. This period was known as Christmastide and was considered a time of great feasting and merriment.

By playing the song game, one person would recite the gifts for each day from memory as their "forfeit" if they missed one. It was likely originally played by adults at Twelfth Night or Epiphany parties as a fun and silly way to pass the time. Its repetitive, cumulative nature makes it easy to remember and fun to play even today.

The Symbolic Meaning of the Gifts

While seemingly odd at first glance, it's believed the gifts given in the 12 days of Christmas song are meant to symbolize important Christian concepts:

• A partridge in a pear tree represents Jesus Christ.
• Two turtle doves stand for the Old and New Testament.
• Three French hens represent the Three Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity.
• Four calling birds signify the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists.
• Five golden rings represent the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible.
• Six geese a-laying stand for the Six Days of Creation.
• Seven swans a-swimming symbolize the Seven Sacraments and/or the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
• Eight maids a-milking represent the Eight Beatitudes.
• Nine ladies dancing signify the Nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit.
• Ten lords a-leaping stand for the Ten Commandments.
• Eleven pipers piping represent the Eleven Faithful Apostles.
• Twelve drummers drumming symbolize the Twelve Points of Doctrine in the Apostles' Creed.

Singing this Christmas carol was a way for Catholics in England to pass on their faith and teach important religious concepts at a time when practicing Catholicism was outlawed.

The Song Becomes Popular

The 12 days of Christmas didn't appear in print with music arranged until the 1800s. It was first published as a sheet music arrangement in England in 1833. However, it was an American version that boosted the carol's popularity in the early 1900s.

In 1909, choirmaster Frederic Austin penned the most common modern arrangement of the song still familiar to us today. Instead of ending with "five gold rings" as was traditional, Austin added another seven verses up to the iconic "twelve drummers drumming" finale.

The song grew famous across America as Austin's full version was performed and repeated on the radio, in movies, and in recordings in the 1920s and 1930s. Pop singers like Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters helped popularize the song further in the mid-20th century.

The Unique Song Structure

One of the most distinctive features of the 12 days of Christmas is its cumulative song structure. As each new day is sung, the previous gifts are repeated in order leading to an increasingly long and memorable series of verses:

1. A partridge in a pear tree
2. Two turtle doves
3. Three French hens
4. Four calling birds
5. Five golden rings
6. Six geese a-laying
7. Seven swans a-swimming
8. Eight maids a-milking
9. Nine ladies dancing
10. Ten lords a-leaping
11. Eleven pipers piping
12. Twelve drummers drumming

By the end, the singer must recall all 12 increasingly elaborate gifts correctly! This makes the 12 days of Christmas one of the catchiest Christmas songs for kids and adults alike to sing and memorize each holiday season.

The Full Lyrics to the 12 Days of Christmas

Here are the full lyrics to sing along with the standard modern version of the 12 days of Christmas:

[Verse 1]
On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree

[Verse 2]
On the second day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree

[Verse 3]
On the third day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree

[Verse 4]
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree

[Verse 5]
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Five golden rings
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree

[Verse 6]
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Six geese a-laying
Five golden rings
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree

[Verse 7]
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Seven swans a-swimming
Six geese a-laying
Five golden rings
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree

[Verse 8]
On the eighth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Eight maids a-milking
Seven swans a-swimming
Six geese a-laying
Five golden rings
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree

[Verse 9]
On the ninth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Nine ladies dancing
Eight maids a-milking
Seven swans a-swimming
Six geese a-laying
Five golden rings
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree

[Verse 10]
On the tenth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Ten lords a-leaping
Nine ladies dancing
Eight maids a-milking
Seven swans a-swimming
Six geese a-laying
Five golden rings
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree

[Verse 11]
On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Eleven pipers piping
Ten lords a-leaping
Nine ladies dancing
Eight maids a-milking
Seven swans a-swimming
Six geese a-laying
Five golden rings
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree

[Verse 12]
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Twelve drummers drumming
Eleven pipers piping
Ten lords a-leaping
Nine ladies dancing
Eight maids a-milking
Seven swans a-swimming
Six geese a-laying
Five golden rings
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree

Fun Facts About the 12 Days of Christmas

Beyond its religious roots and cumulative structure, the 12 days of Christmas has some other fascinating facts and intriguing quirks:

• The song has 364 total gifts sent when you add up all the verses.
• It would cost over $170,000 to buy all the gifts listed for a true love based on current prices.
• The "five gold rings" may originally have referred to pheasants, not jewelry rings.
• The traditional melody may have French origins, despite the carol first appearing in English.
• There are many regional variations and differences in the lyrics between versions.
• The precise gifts sometimes change, with swans, geese, and ships alternating in different editions.
• A parody version called "The Twelve Pains of Christmas" jokingly looks at the downsides of the holiday season.
• The song sets a Guinness World Record for the longest song lyrics ever written.

Pop Culture Appearances

Due to its infectious melody and familiar list of gifts, the 12 days of Christmas has been referenced countless times in popular culture:

• The song appeared in the classic comedy film Home Alone from 1990.
• It has been featured in TV shows like The Simpsons, Saturday Night Live, The Big Bang Theory, and more.
• Retail stores often use the song's structure and imagery in Christmas marketing campaigns.
• Singer Ray Stevens wrote a comedy version titled "The 12 Gifts of Christmas" in 1961.
• The gifts provide fodder for jokes about the impracticality of the true love's giving style.

Through repeated pop culture references, the iconic 12 days of Christmas lives on as both a Christmas carol and a clever joke each holiday season.

How to Sing the Song

Ready to belt out this classic carol at your next Christmas gathering? Here are some tips for singing the 12 days of Christmas:

• Try writing the lyrics out on a piece of paper in order if you have trouble remembering the parts.
• Start slowly, focusing on nailing each verse before picking up the pace.
• Get into character as the enthusiastic true love sending increasingly lavish gifts.
• For an extra challenge, sing it as a round or canon with multiple groups.
• Split larger groups into teams and make it a game seeing who can sing it perfectly.
• Ham it up on the long list of silly gifts in the later lengthy verses!

Mastering and performing the 12 days of Christmas is a great way to show off your carol singing skills. Share the joy of this Christmas classic with friends and family this holiday season.

FAQs

What are the 12 days of Christmas?

The 12 days of Christmas refers to the 12 day period between Christmas on December 25 and Epiphany on January 6. It was considered a time of celebration and feasting in medieval and Tudor England.

When was the 12 Days of Christmas song first published?

The earliest known publication of the lyrics for the 12 Days of Christmas was in England in 1780. The song was published with a melody arranged for the piano in 1833.

What do the gifts represent?

Each of the gifts given in the song is thought to secretly represent an important part of the Christian faith for Catholics who were not allowed to practice their religion openly at the time.

Who wrote the modern version?

The most common version today was arranged by English choirmaster Frederic Austin in 1909. His optional extra seven verses made the song grow famous across America in the 1920s.

What are some fun facts about the song?

Fun facts include that the lyrics list 364 total gifts, it would cost over $170,000 to buy them all, and the song holds a Guinness World Record for longest song lyrics.