| The Twelve Days Of Christmas by OLAADEGBU(m): 5:40pm On Dec 13, 2023 |
Which are 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' and what are the lyrics to the song?
25 October 2023, 15:50
By Sian Moore
It comes up every Christmas, and every year you forget the words (bar 'Five Gold Rings', of course). Here’s a handy guide to 'The Twelve Days of Christmas', including its lyrics and meaning.
'The Twelve Days of Christmas' is a rootin'-tootin', singalong Christmas carol that runs through the twelve days that make up the Christmas season – beginning on Christmas Day and ending on 6 January, the day before Epiphany.
Each day represents a new gift, starting with 'a partridge in a pear tree' and ending with ‘twelve drummers drumming'.
It's a traditional English tune dating back to the 1700s, which some historians actually believe to have French origins.
The version we know best came from Frederic Austin, an English composer who set the lyrics and added some flourishes – including the drawn out "five go-old rings" – in 1909.
The carol is a cumulative song, which means that each verse is built on top of the previous verses.
What are the lyrics to 'The 12 Days of Christmas'?
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.
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,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
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,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle 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
And a partridge in a pear tree.
Read more: The origins of the 'Twelve Days of Christmas' – lyrics, numbers and timings explained Source 
|
| Re: The Twelve Days Of Christmas by OLAADEGBU(m): 1:25pm On Dec 18, 2023 |
On the first day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
A partridge in a pear tree. |
| Re: The Twelve Days Of Christmas by OLAADEGBU(m): 2:05am On Dec 27, 2023 |
OLAADEGBU:
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. 
|
| Re: The Twelve Days Of Christmas by OLAADEGBU(m): 5:27pm On Dec 28, 2023 |
OLAADEGBU:
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. 
|
| Re: The Twelve Days Of Christmas by OLAADEGBU(m): 1:46pm On Dec 29, 2023 |
OLAADEGBU:
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. |
| Re: The Twelve Days Of Christmas by OLAADEGBU(m): 11:23am On Dec 30, 2023 |
OLAADEGBU:
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. |
| Re: The Twelve Days Of Christmas by OLAADEGBU(m): 4:53am On Dec 31, 2023 |
OLAADEGBU:
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.
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. 
|
| Re: The Twelve Days Of Christmas by OLAADEGBU(m): 3:05pm On Jan 01 |
OLAADEGBU:
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. |
| Re: The Twelve Days Of Christmas by OLAADEGBU(m): 4:53pm On Jan 02 |
OLAADEGBU:
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. |
| Re: The Twelve Days Of Christmas by OLAADEGBU(m): 1:07pm On Jan 03 |
OLAADEGBU:
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, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves And a partridge in a pear tree. |
| Re: The Twelve Days Of Christmas by OLAADEGBU(m): 3:36pm On Jan 04 |
OLAADEGBU:
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,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
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, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves And a partridge in a pear tree. 
|
| Re: The Twelve Days Of Christmas by OLAADEGBU(m): 12:52am On Jan 05 |
OLAADEGBU:
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,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle 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. |
| Re: The Twelve Days Of Christmas by OLAADEGBU(m): 4:37am On Jan 06 |
OLAADEGBU:
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 And a partridge in a pear tree. 
|
|
