- published: 15 Jul 2008
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The Twelve Days of Christmas are the festive days beginning Christmas Day (25 December). This period is also known as Christmastide and Twelvetide. The Twelfth Night of Christmas is always on the evening of 5 January, but the Twelfth Day can either precede or follow the Twelfth Night according to which Christian tradition is followed. Twelfth Night is followed by the Feast of the Epiphany on 6 January. In some traditions, the first day of Epiphany (6 January) and the twelfth day of Christmas overlap.
Over the centuries, differing churches and sects of Christianity have changed the actual traditions, time frame and their interpretations. St. Stephen's Day (or Boxing Day), for example, is 26 December in the Western Church and 27 December in the Eastern Church. Boxing Day, the first weekday after Christmas, is observed as a legal holiday in parts of the Commonwealth of Nations. 28 December is Childermas or the Feast of the Innocents. Currently, the twelve days and nights are celebrated in widely varying ways around the world. For example, some give gifts only on Christmas Day, some only on Twelfth Night, and some each of the twelve nights.
On the first day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
A partridge in a pear tree
On the second day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree
On the third day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Three French hens, two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree
On the fourth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Four calling birds
Three French hens, two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree
On the fifth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Five golden rings, four calling birds
Three French hens, two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree
What's a partridge and what's a pear tree?
I don't know so please don't ask me
But I can bet those are terrible gifts to get
On the sixth day of Christmas
My true love gave 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
On the seventh day of Christmas
My true love gave 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
On the eighth day of Christmas
My true love gave 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
On the ninth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Nine ladies dancing, eight maids-a-milking
Seven swans-a-swimming, six geese-a-laying
Oh, aw-e-aw, four calling birds
Three French hens, two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree
What's a partridge and what's a pear tree?
I don't know so please don't ask me
But I can bet those are terrible gifts to get
On the tenth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Ten lords-a-leaping
Nine ladies dancing, eight maids-a-milking
Seven swans-a-swimming, six geese-a-laying
[Incomprehensible], four
Three French, two doves
And a partridge in a pear tree
On the eleventh day of Christmas
My true love gave 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
On the twelfth day of Christmas
My true love gave 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