The Twelve Days of Christmas The Twelve Days of Christmas Dennis Bratcher The Twelve Days of Christmas is probably the most misunderstood part of the church year among Christians who are not part of liturgical church traditions. Contrary to much popular belief, these are not the twelve days before Christmas, but in most of the Western Church are the twelve days from Christmas until the beginning of Epiphany (January 6th; the 12 days count from December 25th until January 5th). In some traditions, the first day of Christmas begins on the evening of December 25th with the following day considered the First Day of Christmas (December 26th). In these traditions, the twelve days begin December 26 and include Epiphany on January 6. The origin and counting of the Twelve Days is complicated, and is related to differences in calendars, church traditions, and ways to observe this holy day in various cultures (see Christmas ). In the Western church, Epiphany is usually celebrated as the time the Wise Men or Magi arrived to present gifts to the young Jesus (Matt. 2:1-12).

Traditionally there were three Magi, probably from the fact of three gifts, even though the biblical narrative never says how many Magi came. In some cultures, especially Hispanic and Latin American culture, January 6th is observed as Three Kings Day, or simply the Day of the Kings (Span: la Fiesta de Reyes, el Dia de los Tres Reyes, el Dia de los Reyes Magos; Dutch: Driekoningendag). Even though December 25th is celebrated as Christmas in these cultures, January 6th is often the day for giving gifts. In some places it is traditional to give Christmas gifts for each of the Twelve Days of Christmas. Since Eastern Orthodox traditions use a different religious calendar, they celebrate Christmas on January 7th and observe Epiphany or Theophany on January 19th. By the 16th century, some European and Scandinavian cultures had combined the Twelve Days of Christmas with (sometimes pagan) festivals celebrating the changing of the year. These were usually associated with driving away evil spirits for the start of the new year. The Twelfth Night is January 5th, the last day of the Christmas Season before Epiphany (January 6th).

In some church traditions, January 5th is considered the eleventh Day of Christmas, while the evening of January 5th is still counted as the Twelfth Night, the beginning of the Twelfth day of Christmas the following day. Twelfth Night often included feasting along with the removal of Christmas decorations. Many European celebrations of Twelfth Night included a King's Cake, remembering the visit of the Three Magi, and ale or wine (a King's Cake is part of the observance of Mardi Gras in French Catholic culture of the Southern USA). In some cultures, the King's Cake was part of the celebration of the day of Epiphany . The popular song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is usually seen as simply a nonsense song for children with secular origins. However, some have suggested that it is a song of Christian instruction, perhaps dating to the 16th century religious wars in England, with hidden references to the basic teachings of the Christian Faith. They contend that it was a mnemonic device to teach the catechism to youngsters. The "true love" mentioned in the song is not an earthly suitor, but refers to God Himself.

The "me" who receives the presents refers to every baptized person who is part of the Christian Faith. Each of the "days" represents some aspect of the Christian Faith that was important for children to learn. However, many have questioned the historical accuracy of this origin of the song The Twelve Days of Christmas. While some have tried to debunk this as an "urban myth" out of personal agendas, others have tried to deal with this account of the song's origin in the name of historical accuracy (see Snopes on The 12 Days of Christmas ). There is little "hard" evidence available either way. Some church historians affirm this account as basically accurate, while others point out apparent historical and logical discrepancies. The reality is that the "evidence" for both perspectives is mostly in logical deduction and probabilities. Lack of positive evidence does not automatically provide negative evidence. On the other hand, logical deduction and probability do not provide proof either. One internet site devoted to debunking hoaxes and legends says that, "there is no substantive evidence to demonstrate that the song 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' was created or used as a secret means of preserving tenets of the Catholic faith, or that this claim is anything but a fanciful modern day speculation. .

.." Yet, there is no "substantive evidence" that will disprove it either. The view of the song as a secret catechism is most likely legendary or anecdotal. Without corroboration and in the absence of "substantive evidence," we probably should not take overly rigid positions from either perspective. It is all too easy to turn the song into a crusade for personal opinions. That would do more to violate the spirit of Christmas than the song is worth. So, for the sake of historical accuracy, we need to acknowledge the likelihood that the song had secular origins. However, on another level, this should not prevent us from using the song in celebration of Christmas. Many of the symbols of Christianity were not originally religious, including even the present date of Christmas, but were appropriated from contemporary culture by the Christian Faith as vehicles of worship and proclamation. Perhaps, when all is said and done, historical accuracy, as important as that might be on one level, is not really the point. Perhaps more important is that Christians can celebrate their rich heritage, and God's grace, through one more avenue during the Advent and Christmas seasons.

Now, when they hear what they once thought was only a secular "nonsense song," they will be reminded in one more way of the grace of God working in transforming ways in their lives and in our world. After all, is that not the meaning of Christmas anyway? (Click on a picture below to go to a devotional for that day) On the 1st day of Christmas my true love sent to me... A Partridge in a Pear Tree The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge that feigns injury to decoy predators from her helpless nestlings, much in memory of the expression of Christ's sadness over the fate of Jerusalem: "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered you under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but you would not have it so . . . ." (Luke 13:34) On the 2nd day of Christmas my true love sent to me... Two Turtle Doves The Old and New Testaments, which together bear witness to God's self-revelation in history and the creation of a people to tell the Story of God to the world.

On the 3rd day of Christmas my true love sent to me... Three French Hens The Three Theological Virtues: 1) Faith, 2) Hope, and 3) Love (1 Corinthians 13:13) On the 4th day of Christmas my true love sent to me... Four Calling Birds The Four Gospels: 1) Matthew, 2) Mark, 3) Luke, and 4) John, which proclaim the Good News of God's reconciliation of the world to Himself in Jesus Christ. [* This is the 1909 American version. Earlier English versions have "colley birds" or blackbirds. There are other versions as well.] On the 5th day of Christmas my true love sent to me... Five Gold Rings The first Five Books of the Old Testament, known as the Torah or the Pentateuch: 1) Genesis, 2) Exodus, 3) Leviticus, 4) Numbers, and 5) Deuteronomy, which gives the history of humanity's sinful failure and God's response of grace in the creation of a people to be a light to the world. On the 6th day of Christmas my true love sent to me...

Six Geese A-laying The six days of creation that confesses God as Creator and Sustainer of the world (Genesis 1). On the 7th day of Christmas my true love sent to me... Seven Swans A-swimming The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: 1) prophecy, 2) ministry, 3) teaching, 4) exhortation, 5) giving, 6) leading, and 7) compassion (Romans 12:6-8; cf. 1 Corinthians 12:8-11) On the 8th day of Christmas my true love sent to me... Eight Maids A-milking The eight Beatitudes: 1) Blessed are the poor in spirit, 2) those who mourn, 3) the meek, 4) those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 5) the merciful, 6) the pure in heart, 7) the peacemakers, 8) those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. (Matthew 5:3-10) On the 9th day of Christmas my true love sent to me...

Nine Ladies Dancing The nine Fruit of the Holy Spirit: 1) love, 2) joy, 3) peace, 4) patience, 5) kindness, 6) generosity, 7) faithfulness, 8) gentleness, and 9) self-control. (Galatians 5:22) On the 10th day of Christmas my true love sent to me... Ten Lords A-leaping The ten commandments: 1) You shall have no other gods before me; 2) Do not make an idol; 3) Do not take God's name in vain; 4) Remember the Sabbath Day; 5) Honor your father and mother; 6) Do not murder; 7) Do not commit adultery; 8) Do not steal; 9) Do not bear false witness; 10) Do not covet. (Exodus 20:1-17) On the 11th day of Christmas my true love sent to me...

Eleven Pipers Piping The eleven Faithful Apostles: 1) Simon Peter, 2) Andrew, 3) James, 4) John, 5) Philip, 6) Bartholomew, 7) Matthew, 8) Thomas, 9) James bar Alphaeus, 10) Simon the Zealot, 11) Judas bar James. (Luke 6:14-16). The list does not include the twelfth disciple, Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus to the religious leaders and the Romans. On the 12th day of Christmas my true love sent to me... Twelve Drummers Drumming The Twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles' Creed : 1) I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. 2) I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. 3) He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. 4) He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell [the grave]. 5) On the third day he rose again.

He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. 6) He will come again to judge the living and the dead. 7) I believe in the Holy Spirit, 8) the holy catholic Church, 9) the communion of saints, 10) the forgiveness of sins, 11) the resurrection of the body, 12) and life everlasting. Epiphany, January 6 Thanks to Yvonne Edwards for suggesting this page and finding the graphics. -Dennis Bratcher, Copyright © 2015, Dennis Bratcher, All Rights Reserved Christmas Songs - The Twelve Days Of Christmas lyrics | LyricsMode.com The Twelve Days Of Christmas lyrics $album_name To explain lyrics, select line or word and click "Explain". Create lyrics explanation Select some words and click "Explain" button. Then type your knowledge, add image or YouTube video till "Good-o-meter" shows "Cool" or "Awesome!". Publish your explanation with "Explain" button. Get karma points! OK, got it! New! Read & write lyrics explanations Highlight lyrics and explain them to earn Karma points.

Christmas Songs – The Twelve Days Of Christmas lyrics 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, And a Partridge in a pear tree. On the fourth day of Christmas My true love gave to me: Four calling birds, And a Partridge in a pear tree. On the fifth day of Christmas My true love gave to me: Five golden rings, And a Partridge in a pear tree. On the sixth day of Christmas My true love gave to me: Six geese a laying, And a Partridge in a pear tree. On the seventh day of Christmas My true love gave to me: Seven swans a swimming, And a Partridge in a pear tree. On the eighth day of Christmas My true love gave to me: Eight maids a milking, And a Partridge in a pear tree. On the ninth day of Christmas My true love gave to me: Nine ladies dancing, And a Partridge in a pear tree.

On the tenth day of Christmas My true love gave to me: Ten lords a leaping, And a Partridge in a pear tree. On the eleventh day of Christmas My true love gave to me: Eleven pipers piping, And a Partridge in a pear tree. On the twelfth day of Christmas My true love gave to me: Twelve drummers drumming, And a Partridge in a pear tree. Lyrics taken from Correct Add song structure elements Click "Correct" to open the "Correction form". There you can add structure tags, correct typos or add missing words. Send your correction and get karma points! Result of your work will appear after moderating. OK, got it! 0 UnregisteredDec 18, 2016 at 2:57 am This song talks to usher bump just helped me in my life time and you created this song for many more people but the people that listens to it should think about what there hearing I'm all in my fellings about this song I swear I love it. Add your reply Write about your feelings and thoughts Know what this song is about? Does it mean anything special hidden between the lines to you? Share your meaning with community, make it interesting and valuable.

Make sure you've read our simple tips Hey! It's useful. If this song really means something special to you, describe your feelings and thoughts. Don't hesitate to explain what songwriters and singer wanted to say. Also we collected some tips and tricks for you: Don't write just "I love this song." Hidden between the lines, words and thoughts sometimes hold many different not yet explained meanings Remember: your meaning might be valuable for someone Don't post links to images and links to facts Write correctly Don't spam and write clearly off-topic meanings Don't write abusive, vulgar, offensive, racist, threatening or harassing meanings Do not post anything that you do not have the right to post Please note: We moderate every meaning Follow these rules and your meaning will be published . Write song meaning Type your knowledge till "Good-o-meter" shows "Awesome!". Then send your meaning with "Post meaning" button. Get karma points! OK, got it! Twelve Days of Christmas - Notes on the Festival and the Carol Twelve Days of Christmas Notes on the Festival and the Carol Origins The twelve days of Christmas, 1 as a festival, have a long history. Being the days between Christmas Day and the Feast of the Epiphany on Jan.

6, according to one source, it was first mentioned as a festal tide by the eastern Father, Ephraem Syrus, at the end of the fourth century, and was declared to be such by the western Council of Tours in 567 A.D. The laws of Ethelred (991-1016) ordained it to be a time of peace and concord among Christian men, when all strife must cease ï¿½ perhaps the beginning of the traditional Christmas truces observed up through World War I. J. Collingwood Bruce and John Stokoe observed that "The twelve days, extending from Christmas Day to Epiphany, where usually amongst our ancestors 'the' days of the whole year wherein to make merry and fraternize in mirth and good fellowship." And concerning this song, they wrote: The is one of the quaintest of Christmas carols now relegated to the nursery as a forfeit game, where each child in succession has to repeat the gifts of the day, and incurs a forfeit for every error. The accumulative process has always been a favourite game with children, and in early writers from Homer downwards this repetition is often employed. ...

[T]he total number of gifts amount to three hundred and sixty-five ï¿½ one for each day of the year; the twelve pear trees being in commemoration of the twelve days of Christmas. Source: J. Collingwood Bruce and John Stokoe, A Collection of the Ballads, Melodies, and Small-pipe Tunes of Northumbria. (Commonly known as Northumbrian Minstrelsy) (Published by the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle-Upon_Tyne, 1882), "The Twelve Days of Christmas," pp. 129-131. In time, the game would become a song, popular in Great Britain, Canada, the US, and elsewhere in the world. In the earliest known book printing of "The Twelve Days of Christmas," Mirth Without Mischief (ca. 1780), we have these lyrics: On the twelfth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me Twelve lords a leaping, Eleven ladies spinning, Twelve bells ringing, In the Second Edition (1843), "The First Day of Christmas" was rhyme # CCLXXII, and occurred on pp. 155-156.

In the Fifth Edition (1886), it was rhyme # CCCXLVI, occurring on pages 184-188. As a song, Elizabeth Poston reports that an early version dates back to a thirteenth-century manuscript in the Library of Trinity College, Cambridge (B. 14. 39) entitled 'Twelfth Day'. According to Husk, more modern versions were frequently found in the broadsides printed at Newcastle at various periods during the last hundred and fifty years. On one such broadside, it was described as "An Old English Carol," but properly speaking, it is not a carol but a Christmas song. An example of such a Broadside, from the Harding Collection, was retrieved from The Bodleian's Broadside Ballads Online (Harding B25(378) . The Newcastle printer was "Angus" and the date was between 1774 and 1825. The last verse, slightly different than the early Halliwell version given above, was: The twelfth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me Twelve lords a leaping, Two turtle doves, and A partridge in a pear tree.

Several sources report that the first book publication was in Mirth without Mischief, a children's book published in London about 1780, and is said to have been first published in a Christmas song book by Husk in 1868. [See: The Twelve Days of Christmas - Version 1 ] It's origin, however, was probably not England, but, rather, France as a forfeits game and song, celebrated on Twelfth Night (Epiphany, January 6th). One source states that at least three French versions are known (but that source did not give any examples). Douglas Brice notes that it has always been such a favourite with the French, and thinks that it may be among the songs of the troubadours of Languedoc which had had such a great influence on European music over the centuries. "In fact," he writes, "it remind us of a "chanson de geste" that has run to seed.

The snatch of melody that accompanies the enumeration of the gifts, ending as it does with the Imperfect Cadence (IV-V) is almost identical with that used by the French minstrels of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries." Over time, the song became a favorite, not just on Twelfth Night, but throughout the Christmas season, and for adults as well as children. In modern times, the song is usually sung as twelve consecutive verses, beginning with the first verse. But, over the years, how it was played or performed also evolved. Sung and Played Sabin Baring-Gould writes that the song was "a favourite among children in Devon where it is called the Nawden Song. The giving of forfeits was customary by those who could not remember the list of gifts." Halliwell observed (in the Second Edition of 1843): Each child in succession repeats the gifts of the day, and forfeits for each mistake. This accumulative process is a favourite with children ; in early writers, such as Homer, the repetition of messages, &c. pleases on the same principle.

Husk describes how it was practiced in 1860's London: The practice was for one person in the company to recite the first three lines; a second, the four following; and so on; the person who failed in repeating her portion correctly being subject to some trifling forfeit. The lady who was the favoured recipient of the gifts enumerated must have required no small extent of shelf or table room for their accommodation, as at the end of the Christmas festivities she must have found herself in possession of twelve partridges in pear trees, twenty-two turtle-doves, thirty French hen, thirty-six colley (i.e., black) birds, forty gold rings, forty-two laying geese, forty-two swimming swans, forty milk-maids, thirty-six drummers, thirty pipers, twenty-two dancing ladies, and twelve leaping lords; in all three hundred and sixty-four articles, one for each day of the year save one. Brice wrote that in London 12 players were played the game, and each player, having contributed his gift was required to recite all the gifts previously enumerated bringing the list to an end with the words "And a partridge in a pear tree," in which the entire group joined as a chorus.

If a player failed to repeat the gifts in the correct order, a forfeit was demanded of him. Brice also notes that Lucy Broadwood found that the more usual method of performing this carol was "to begin with the 'twelfth day', and in subsequent verses to omit one day at a time in reversed numerical order until the second day is reached; then the process is reverses, the days added one by one till the singer reaches the verse he began with." In some rural areas, the song was sung in 23 verses! Similar to the practice described by Broadwood, the practice was to start with the 12th verse, and moving backwards to the 1st verse, and then back consecutively to the 12th. In other areas, they sang the 23 verses starting with the 1st verse, progressing to the 12th verse, and returning. Cecil Sharp gave this slightly different description: The second verse begins: One goldie ring, And the part of a June apple-tree. In this way the twenty-third verse is triumphantly reached, and that, except for the last line, is the same is the first verse.

Sharp noted that these words are also used as a Children's Game. One of Halliwell's versions (p. 63) was still used by children in Somerset (at that time), and Lady Gomme gives a London variant (Dictionary of British Folk-Lore, volume i, p. 315), besides reprinting three other forms. See: Gomme ï¿½ Twelve Days of Christmas . Sharp also noted "Country singers are very fond of accumulative songs of this type, regarding them as tests of endurance and memory, and sometimes of sobriety!" Neil Lomax gives this description: The players sat in a row, the first one singing the first round of the tune, the second the second, the third the third, and so on, until one made a mistake or name the gift wrongly. This player paid a forfeit. The song went on and on and the game continued until a number of forfeits had been accumulated. The forfeits were then counted and each owner had to redeem his fault by performing some task.

Lomax also wrote that several versions of this game have also been noted in the mountains of East Tennessee, but it normally occurs as a counting song (citing Children Go Where I Send Thee ). Different Places, Different Lyrics In the same way that many ways of performing this song and game evolved, so there were many changes to the words. This "traditional" version, given by Husk in 1868 gives the following: A partridge in a pear tree. Two turtle-doves, Eleven ladies dancing, Twelve lords a-leaping. This was also the version reproduced on the Broadside Harding B25(378) printed by Angus in Newcastle between 1774 and 1825 (above). Likewise this same listing ï¿½ although our partridge is now "upon" a pear tree ï¿½ was posted to Notes and Queries by Robert S. Salmon of Newcastle-on-Tyne in 1855. He noted: The following lines form, as I am inclined to think, one of the productions "so puerile and simple" alluded to by Brand in his Popular Antiquities. See Bohn's edition, 1849, vol. i.

p. 490. Rude, however, and monotonous as these lines are, they occupy a prominent place in the recollections of most of the present generation who are ï¿½ ". . . . native here. And to the manner born " ï¿½ it having been, up to within twenty years (ca. 1835), extremely popular as a schoolboy's Christmas chant.... Source: Robert S. Salmon, "Christmas Jingle" (The Twelve Days of Christmas), Notes and Queries, Series 1, Vol. 12 (December 29, 1855), pp. 506-507.

There was a footnote to the article asking "What is the meaning of 'collie birds'?" In square brackets, it was noted: "A blackbird is called by this name in Somersetshire." This same listing ï¿½ except that the partridge is on, not in, a pear tree ï¿½ is found in Northumbrian Minstrelsy (1882), where it is observed: The is one of the quaintest of Christmas carols now relegated to the nursery as a forfeit game, where each child in succession has to repeat the gifts of the day, and incurs a forfeit for every error. The accumulative process has always been a favourite game with children, and in early writers from Homer downwards this repetition is often employed. The twelve days, extending from Christmas Day to Epiphany, where usually amongst our ancestors the days of the whole year wherein to make merry and fraternize in mirth and good fellowship. The music of the first and last verses only are here given, as each verse not only commemorates the gifts of a day, but also re-enumerates those of the preceding days, requiring no slight effort of memory on the part of those who try it.

The melody for each gift is the same in all the repetitions, so that the 1st verse contains the whole of the tune, and the total number of gifts amount to three hundred and sixty-five ï¿½ one for each day of the year; the twelve pear trees being in commemoration of the twelve days of Christmas. Source: J. Collingwood Bruce and John Stokoe, "The Twelve Days of Christmas," in Northumbrian Minstrelsy: A Collection of the Ballads, Melodies, and Small-pipe Tunes of Northumbria. (Published by the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, 1882), pp. 129-131. And see John Stokoe, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" in the continuing series of articles titled "The North=Country Garland of Song," appearing in The Monthly Chronicle of North-Country Lore and Legend, Vol. II, No. 11 (Printed and Published for Proprietors of the "Newcastle Weekly Chronicle" by Walter Scott, Newcastle-On-Tyne, January, 1888), pp. 41-42.

In that article, he also noted: This old carol was early in the century a favourite New Year's pastime in the North of England, but has almost died out of memory. Our copy of the music was originally collected by the late Mr. John Bell, of Gates head, about eighty years ago [circa 1808]. These lyrics are also quoted, with attribution to John Stokoe, by M. C. (Marie Clothilde) Balfour, County Folk-Lore, Vol. IV. Examples of Printed Folk-Lore Concerning Northumberland (Published for the Folk-Lore Society by David Nutt, London, 1904), pp. 138-139. The same lyrics are found in W. G. Whittaker, ed., North Countrie Ballads, Songs and Pipe-Tunes. Part I. (London: J. Curwen & Sons, Ltd., 1921), pp. 120-123. And this is the same listing as given by Halliwell, Nursery Rhymes of England (Fifth Edition of 1886, pp.

184-188) who adds the note that "Each child in succession repeats the gifts of the day, and forfeits for each mistake." It should be observed that this version differs from the versions given by Halliwell in the First through Fourth editions of his Nursery Rhymes (1841-1846) (above). Halliwell's editions of 1843 and 1886 are available at the Internet Archive ; the editions of 1846, 1858 and 1886 are available at Google Books . Writing in circa 1875, Georgiana C. Clark, reproduced this version of a Christmas Day Game of Forfeits, starting with the first verse, and concluding with the twelfth verse: The first day of Christmas My true love sent to me A partridge in a pear-tree. The twelfth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me Twelve lords leaping Two turtle doves, and A partridge in a pear-tree. Source: Georgiana C. Clark, Jolly Games for Happy Homes. (London: Dean & Son, ca. 1875?), pp. 238ï¿½242.

Sabin Baring Gould, writing in 1886, gives this enumeration, with some other renderings. 1. Partridge, in common with many other speckled birds, was an emblem of the evil one. Pear tree has some magical properties associated with Christmas eve, although pear tree ï¿½ perdrix (pertriz) in the French version ï¿½ carried into the English language may have sounded like pear tree, ï¿½joli perdrixï¿½ isï¿½ a ï¿½pretty juniperï¿½ or ï¿½part of a juniper treeï¿½. [See Below] 2. Two turtle doves obviously has some reference to the ï¿½true lovesï¿½. Having started with birds, thereafter birds were variously listed. 3. French Hens may simply mean rare (or foreign) fowl. [Or: "Five Britten Chains" or "Five Britten Hens," according to Sharp] 4. Colley-birds are blackbirds. 5.

Gold ringsï¿½it seems likely that as this comes among the list of birds it may mean ï¿½goldspinks' which are goldfinches. [See below] 6. Geese a-laying ï¿½common to all versions. 7. Swans a-swimming (steers a-running). 8. Hares a-running (swans a-swimming; deers a-running), etc. 9. Ladies dancing (drummers drumming; lords a-leaping). 10. Lords a-playing (pipers piping; ladies dancing; bells a-ringing). 11. Bears a-baiting (ladies dancing; bulls a-bleating). 12. Bulls a-roaring (lordsï¿½ a-leaping; cocks a-crowing, bells a-ringing; ships a-sailing).

Brice noted that Cecil Sharp collected the following options to "a partridge in a pear tree": "part of a Juniper Tree", "part of a June-Apple Tree," and "pass through a Juniper Tree." Sharp added that 'June Apple-Tree' may or may not be a corruption of "Juniper-Tree," but the singer explained it by saying that it meant a tree whose fruit kept sound and good till the following June. Keyte and Parrott also noted that the origin of the pear tree may be perdix (or perdrix?), French for 'partridge." They go on to state that ... the partridge and the pear tree have been the subject of arcane speculation: the partridge as a symbol of the devil, who reveals to Herod that the Virgin Mary is hiding behind a sheaf of corn; the folk belief that a girl who walks backwards towards a pear tree on Christmas Eve and walks round it thrice will see the image of her future husband; etc. In a similar vein, Brice notes that "in folk-lore the pear is an emblem of fertility and the partridge an emblem of the Evil One".

He also notes that the pipe and drum have always been regarded as symbolizing the harmonious relationship between the good Christian and his Creator. He concludes that "The presence of the Evil one in the genealogical tree would appear to be a reference to Man in his fallen state awaiting Redemption through the Passion of Christ." It has been suggested that the French phrase for "A partridge in a pear tree" could be a French play on words. It's been written that the French for partridge is "perdix," and the French for pear tree is "perdrix." The French phrase, then, would contain some form of "perdix, perdrix." Is there any traction to this explanation? Your guess is as good as mine, and I don't have a clue (but it is an intriguing option). Another suggestion is that in earlier times, a common decoration was a bird cage, called a "pear tree," into which a mechanical bird was housed ï¿½ hence, a partridge in a pear tree. Again, any traction to this explanation? And again, your guess is as good as mine.

Note: Both of these two suggestions come from an interesting line of comments in the "Why 'in a pear-tree?'" thread at the Mudcat Cafe . Concerning the "five gold rings, several authorities note that the gold rings are possibly a corruption of ï¿½goldspinksï¿½ (Scottish dialect for goldfinches) or ï¿½gulderï¿½ (a gulder-cock is a turkey ï¿½ frequently appearing in the original French). Many sources write that the rings refer to the gold rings around the neck of a pheasant. Routley in The University Carol Book (Carol 204n) and the editors of The New Oxford Book of Carols (Carol 133n) note that the melody for the "five gold rings" was added by Frederic Austin (1872-1952) in an arrangement published by Novello, 1909. This arrangement is said by the editor of the excellent Wikipedia article on The Twelve Days of Christmas to be the standard form of the melody heard since then. There was this review of the Austin arrangement in The Musical Times, Nov. 1, 1909, p.

722: 'The twelve days of Christmas' is a clever arrangement of a traditional song of the cumulative or ' The House That Jack Built ' type. 'What my love sent to me' on the first, second, third day of Christmas, and so on down to the twelfth, reveals a constantly increasing store of affection and generosity. The first day's gift is 'a partridge in a pear-tree'; that of the twelfth comprises 'Twelve drummers drumming, eleven pipers playing, ten lords a-leaping, nine ladies dancing, eight maids a-milking, seven swans a-swimming, six geese a-laying, five gold rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle-doves and a partridge in a pear-tree.' No explanation is given of any subtle significance that may underlie the lover's wayward choice of tokens of his regard. To the captivating, if elusive, tune of this song Mr. Austin has added an accompaniment that is always ingenious, especially where it suggests the air that is being played by the eleven pipers, always varied and interesting, and never out of place. The song is suitable for a medium voice. On Dec.

1, 1916, The Musical Times (p. 533) ran an advertisement for Austin's arrangement for Two Shillings. There was also an advertisement by Novello for the Seymour Dicker arrangement of ï¿½The Twelve Days of Christmas, Traditional Cumulative Folk-Song. Arranged for Twelve Voices or Twelve Groups of Voices.ï¿½ The price set by Novello was two pence. It was advertised to be ï¿½A Sure Success for School Christmas Concerts.ï¿½ In 1892, W. Minto gave us this version, possibly from Newcastle: On the twelfth, twelfth day of Christmas my true love brought to me Twelve ladies dancing, And the part of a mistletoe bough. The twelfth verse provides: On the first day of Christmas my true Love sent to me, One goldie ring, And the part of a June apple tree. The next example is an excerpt from William Henderson, Notes on the Folk-lore of the Northern Counties of England and the Borders (Folk-lore Society, 1879), p. 71. "From Mr. Joseph Crawhall, of Newcastle, I have received the following song.

It was given to him by a friend who called it a carol, and said that in his early days he used to sing it every Christmas with his sisters: "The first day of Christmas my true love sent to me A partridge upon a pear tree. The second day of Christmas my true love sent to me Two turtle doves and a partridge upon a pear tree. The third day of Christmas my true love sent to me Three French hens, two turtle doves, &c. &c. The fourth day of Christmas my true love sent to me Four curley birds, three French hens, &c. &c. The fifth day of Christmas my true love sent to mc Five gold rings, four curley birds, &c. &c. The sixth day of Christmas my true love sent to mc Six geese laying, five golden rings, &c. &c. The seventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me Seven swans swimming, six geese laying, &c. &c. The eighth day of Christmas my true love sent to me Eight maids, milking, seven swans swimming, &e. &c.

The ninth day of Christmas my true love sent to mc Nine drummers drumming, eight maids milking, &c. &c. The tenth day of Christmas my true love sent to me Ten pipers piping, nine drummers drumming, eight maids milking, seven swans swimming, six geese laying, five gold rings, four curley birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge upon a pear tree." This example is from The Merrie Heart, A Collection of Favourite Nursery Rhymes, by M.E.G. (London: Cassell, Petter, and Galpin, 18??), pp. 140-143. The full song is given, but since we all know that part by now, we'll skip to the very last: The twelfth day of Christmas My mother sent to me Twelve bells a-ringing, two turtle-doves, and a partridge in a pear-tree. The same song is also found in Cock Robin, And Other Nursery Rhymes and Jingles (London, Paris & New York: Cassell, Petter, Galpin & Co., 1883), pp. 63-66.

The following is from The Cliftonian: A Magazine Edited by Members of Clifton, Volume 1, Issue 1 (Bristol, England: Clifton College, March, 1869), pp. 145-6. CHRISTMAS CAROLS. Having spent some part of my Christmas holidays in a retired little town in Gloucestershire, where many old customs and superstitions still linger, I of course came in for a good share of carol-singing. These, however, differed very much from the irreverent and discordant caterwauling (I cannot call it anything else) which greet our ears evening after evening in' our suburban streets. For irreverent they could not well be, since sacred words were not attempted, and discordant they certainly were not, seeing that the singers were composed chiefly of the members of the choir. The favourite carol in particular attracted my attention, from its peculiarity and the utter absurdity of the words; they ran as follows:ï¿½ "The first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me A partridge in a pear-tree.

"The second day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Two turtle-doves, and a partridge in a pear-tree." And proceeds in this ascending manner until on the twelfth day of Christmas the young lady receives the following astounding tribute of true love :ï¿½ "The twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Twelve bells a-ringing, Two turtle-doves, And a partridge in a pear-tree." As it stands this sounds perfectly absurd; and so I always esteemed it, until in a book I was reading the other day, I came across its exact fac-simile in French; and it was stated that this was one of the songs sung by the Canadian "voyageurs" or lake traders. What the connection between the Canadian settlers and the little town in Gloucestershire can possibly be it is hard to imagine. It is certain that the Lord of the Manor of that part of Gloucestershire came over from Normandy with our William I, and the names of some of the gentry about there give clear proofs of Norman origin. "Why then may we not suppose that some rovers from the same part of Normandy may have migrated to Lower Canada, carrying with them their national songs?

This connection too would seem to afford a little clue to the absurdity of the words: for, keeping in mind their probably French origin, what is more natural to suppose than that "pear-tree" is a corruption of perdrix, so that "a partridge in a pear-tree" is really only a repetition of the same word? and instead of taxing our knowledge of ornithology to find a parallel to a "colley-bird," why not suppose that "colley" is a corruption of collet, hence we at once have a bird with a ruff, i. e., the ruff-pigeon. If too the words be really of such ancient origin as this supposition would infer, it is curious to mark the peculiar delicacy of expression. For instance, there is no difficulty in seeing the meaning of such expressions as "bells-a-ringing," "lords-a-leaping," "ladies dancing," and above all the "gold ring," but still they are put with such a quaint and simple sense of propriety, which cannot but excite our wonder at that early period.

All this, however, is pure supposition, and if any of the readers of "The Cliftonian" can afford me any certain information on the subject, they will much oblige. AN ANTIQUARIAN. Editor's Note: I find it odd that the "Antiquarian" found it 'hard to imagine' the connection between Canadian settlers and the town of Gloucestershire. I would suspect emigration from England to Canada is the connection, as is the case with American versions. Robert Chambers reproduced an interesting version of this song titled "The Yule Days" in his Popular Rhymes of Scotland (1870) which begins: The king sent his lady on the first Yule day, A papingo-aye; What learns my carol and carries it away. He notes that the papingo-aye is a peacock.

This rhyme concludes: The king sent his lady on the thirteenth Yule day, Three stalks o' merry corn, three maids a-merry dancing, Three hinds a-merry hunting, an Arabian baboon, Three swans a-merry swimming, Three ducks a-merry laying, a bull that was brown, Three goldspinks, three starlings, a Goose that was gray, Three plovers, three partridges, a papingo-aye; Wha learns my carol and carries it away. Crossing the Atlantic to Canada and the US The song has been very popular in both Canada and the United States since at least the late 1700s and early 1800s. In a note published by John Rodemeyer, Jr., in 1902, he wrote: The New England custom during those early years of the present century was to observe Christmas from December 25 to January 5, the twelve days being generally given up to receiving and returning family visits.

Contemporary with this custom was the belief, inculcated in the minds of the children, that if they would visit the cow stables at midnight of Christmas Eve, they would see the cattle kneel before the mangers. A poem of the twelve days shows the gift for the first day of Christmas to be a parrot on a juniper tree instead of a "partridge on a pear tree." The verse for the twelfth day, which embodied the entire list of days and "gifts" was as follows: The twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me twelve guns shooting, Two Turtle-doves, and A partridge upon a pear tree. A scrap near the top of the article seems to indicate that it was very popular in New England, but it's hard to say due to damage to the page that was scanned. Source: Pamela McArthur Cole, "Notes and Queries," in The Journal of American Folk-Lore, Vol. XIII, the issue of July-September 1900. (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1900), pp. 229ï¿½230.

In 1917, there was an interesting article in The Journal of American Folk-Lore concerning The Twelve Days of Christmas, commencing with the version copied down by G. L. Kittredge, Dec. 30, 1877, from the singing of Mrs. Sarah G. Lewis of Barnstable, Mass. (who learned this version from her grandmother). The first verse begins: The first day of Christmas my true love sent to me Some part of a juniper tree, And some part of a juniper tree. Thereafter the song generally follows the usual enumeration of French hens, colly birds, five gold rings, etc., except for ï¿½two turkle doves,ï¿½ a most unusual spelling. The article also discusses other variants, and cites numerous references, including Halliwell, Chambers, etc. See The Twelve Days of Christmas-G.L. Kittredge [this link opens in a new page at this web site]. This article is an excerpt from G. L. Kittredge, " Ballads and Songs ," in The Journal of American Folk-Lore, Vol.

XXX (Lancaster, PA: American Folk-Lore Society, 1917), pp. 365-367. Another very interesting article appeared in The Journal of American Folk-lore by Philip Barry, The Twelve Days of Christmas (1905) , who gives two versions of the song plus sheet music from 1790 and 1899. Philip Barry, "The Twelve Days of Christmas," from "Some Traditional Songs" in The Journal of American Folk-Lore, Vol. XVIII, No. LXVIII. (American Folklore Society; Boston: Houghton Mifflin and Company, January-March 1905), pp. 56ï¿½59. In her 1888 book What Happened On Christmas Eve, Emily Huntington Miller gave us just a brief excerpt from another version: ï¿½Fourth day of Christmas my true love sent to me Four flaring flambeaux, a partridge and a pear-tree.ï¿½ Sadly, the complete song is not reproduced, and a couple of searches for a text were unsuccessful at this time.

Another unusual excerpt has the following: The fifth day of Christmas my true love sent to me five hares running, four ducks quacking, three fat hens, two turtledoves, a partridge, and a pear-tree." Again, we lack the balance of this song; this portion came from a frequently reprinted short story by Thomas Hughes titled "The Ashen Faggot: A Tale for Christmas" by Thomas Hughes (beginning on p. 243). One of the first appearances was in 1862 in "Macmillan's Magazine." In 1953, Ruth Crawford Seeger, in her American Folk Songs for Christmas, gave this version: The twelfth day of Christmas my true love sent to me: Twelve bulls a-roaring, Two turtle doves, A partridge on a pear tree. Source: Ruth Crawford Seeger, American Folk Songs for Christmas (Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Co., 1953), pp. 72-73. Seeger's source was the Archive of American Folk Song (AAFS 989 A1), Forklore Section, Library of Congress (LOC), Washington, D.C.

See also Folksongs of Florida, by Alton C. Morris, University of Florida Press, Gainesville, p. 416. For game directions see Folk Songs of Old New England, p. 52. Note: The American Folklife Center's Archive was originally founded as the Archive of American Folk Song at the Library in 1928. In 1978 it became part of the American Folklife Center and was subsequently renamed the Archive of Folk Culture. Today the Archive includes over three million photographs, manuscripts, audio recordings, and moving images. It consists of documentation of traditional culture from all around the world including the earliest field recordings made in the 1890s on wax cylinder through recordings made using digital technology. It is America's first national archive of traditional life, and one of the oldest and largest of such repositories in the world. Source: The American Folklife Center , Library of Congress. Sheet music to "The Twelve Days of Christmas" does not appear to be online at this time. Searches of three sheet music databases at the LOC all returned the result: "We were unable to find any matches for your search." Rev.

Ray Broadus Browne, in Alabama Folk Lyric: A Study in Origins and Media of Dissimination (Popular Press, 1979; pp. 110-111), also gives a variation on The Twelve Days of Christmas whose first verse was: On the first day of Christmas my truest love said to me: Partridge on pear tree. This version ran to ten verses (the third of which was forgotten by the original singer), concluding with "ten mules braying." The full enumeration includes: Partridge on a pear tree Two turtle dovesï¿½ As A Catechism There is the widely circulated story that this song was written in England as a "catechism song" to help young Catholics learn the tenets of their faith during a long period of religious repression. This originated with information published by Fr. Hal Stockert in 1982, and later published on the World Wide Web as Origin of the "Twelve Days of Christmas": An Underground Catechism" (1995). Fr. Stockert wrote that I found this information while I was researching for an entirely unrelated project which required me to go to the Latin texts of the sources pertinent to my research.

Among those primary documents there were letters from Irish priests, mostly Jesuits, writing back to the motherhouse at Douai-Rheims, in France, mentioning this purely as an aside, and not at all as part of the main content of the letters. He has also noted that the original research was lost in a flood. See: Catholic Culture, Origin of the Twelve Days of Christmas for additional details and comments by Fr. Hal; see also Ace Collins, Stories Behind The Best-Loved Songs of Christmas (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2001). Usually, the explanation runs as follows: The "True Love" that gives the gifts refers to God the Father. The "Me" who gets the gifts represents the baptized Christian. The Partridge in a Pear Tree = Jesus Christ, the Son of God; Like the mother partridge, Christ will feign death or succumb to the predator to save His young.

2 Turtle Doves = The Old and New Testaments (or the sacrifice offered in the temple by Joseph and Mary at the presentation of Christ in the Temple) 3 French Hens = Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues (see: I Corinthians 13) (or the gifts of the Magi) 4 Calling Birds = the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists 5 Golden Rings = The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which gives the history of man's fall from grace.

6 Geese A-laying = the six days of creation 7 Swans A-swimming = the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments 8 Maids A-milking = the eight beatitudes (see: Matthew 5: 3-11) 9 Ladies Dancing = the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit (see: Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) (or the nine choirs of angels) 10 Lords A-leaping = the ten commandments 11 Pipers Piping = the eleven faithful apostles/disciples 12 Drummers Drumming = the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed Most commentators discount this version concerning the origin of the song for the fundamental reason that the most of the elements were common to both the Church of Rome and the Church of England, and because the song probably originated in France well before this time in England's history. However, it is certainly possible that the original song was adapted as a catechism song for use by persecuted English Catholics.

Considering the large number of variants and variations that have occurred over the years, this is not an unreasonable possibility. It should be emphasized that Fr. Stockert's intent was to publish this information "simply as some delicious tidbit I thought the world would be delighted to share over a holiday season." Since then, he has been the target of some unfair and occasionally vitriolic criticism. In short, whether or not it originated as a catechism song, it certainly can be used as one if you find this helpful in your devotions or faith. There are a number of songs that have been used as catechisms. For an overview, see Eckenstein - Chants of the Creed ; Lina Eckenstein, Comparative Studies in Nursery Rhymes (London: Duckworth & Co., 1906), pp. 143-151. On this website, there are several excellent candidates: On 'YouTube' As might be expected, there is a plethora of versions of this carol at YouTube.

"Straight No Chaser," a 10-man a capella singing group, performed their very interesting version of " 12 Days of Christmas " for the first time, December 7th, 1998, at Indiana University. (Thanks to my dear cousin Kate for that URL!) They also perform a number of other carols, including some very nice versions of "Silent Night" and "O Holy Night." Note: 1. In England, the 12 days of Christmas are usually reckoned to be December 26 through January 6, inclusively. There is, however, an older belief that a day begins at nightfall, not midnight or daybreak. According to Clement A. Miles: Sometimes Christmas is reckoned as one of the Twelve Days, sometimes not. In the former case, of course, the Epiphany is the thirteenth day. In England we call the Epiphany Twelfth Day, in Germany it is generally called Thirteenth; in Belgium and Holland it is Thirteenth; in Sweden it varies, but is usually Thirteenth. Sometimes then the Twelve Days are spoken of, sometimes the Thirteen.

'The Twelve Nights;' in accordance with the old Teutonic mode of reckoning by nights, is a natural and correct term." See: Clement A. Miles, Christmas in Ritual and Tradition, Christian and Pagan (T. Fisher Unwin, 1912; reprinted by Dover Publications, New York, 1976 under the title Christmas Customs and Traditions: Their History and Significance). Return Eckenstein - Chants of Numbers (1906); Lina Eckenstein, Comparative Studies in Nursery Rhymes (London: Duckworth & Co., 1906), pp. 134-142, and Eckenstein - Chants of the Creed , pp. 143-151. Philip Barry, The Twelve Days of Christmas (1905) ; two versions of the song plus sheet music from 1790 and 1899 from Philip Barry, "The Twelve Days of Christmas," from "Some Traditional Songs" in The Journal of American Folk-Lore, Vol. XVIII, No. LXVIII.

(American Folklore Society ; Boston: Houghton Mifflin and Company, January-March 1905), pp. 56ï¿½59. The Twelve Days of Christmas - JFSS 5 (1916); Five versions of the carol, including sheet music, plus a discussion about the carol, from Cecil J. Sharp, A. G. Gilchrist and Lucy E. Broadwood, ï¿½Forfeit Songs; Cumulative Songs; Songs of Marvels and of Magical Animals,ï¿½ Journal of the Folk-Song Society, Vol. 5, No. 20 (English Folk Dance + Song Society, Nov., 1916), pp. 277-296. Article Stable URL: . The Twelve Days of Christmas-G.L. Kittredge (1917); an interesting article in The Journal of American Folk-Lore concerning The Twelve Days of Christmas, an excerpt from G. L. Kittredge, " Ballads and Songs ," in The Journal of American Folk-Lore, Vol. XXX (Lancaster, PA: American Folk-Lore Society, 1917), pp.

365-367. Several of the sources mentioned below give additional sources, which include: "The Jolly Gosshawk" (or Gross-hawk or Groshawk), a variant of "The Twelve Days," a tune and notes by Cecil Sharp on pp. 282-283 of Journal of the Folk-Song Society, Vol. 5, No. 20 (Nov., 1916). Article Stable URL: . This discussion is part of an article about "Forfeit Songs" (see above). Mr. Baring-Gould's note to " The Jolly Goss-Hawk " (Songs of the West, No. 71, 1892, 1905, 1913). The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes, 1951, p. 122.

Question: According to the song The Twelve Days of Christmas, what is given on the seventh day and what are they doing?
Answer: Seven swans a-swimming