Twelve Days of Christmas Trivia

Can you name the gifts given on each of the Twelve Days of Christmas in this classic Christmas carol?

• I’ve always enjoyed singing the Twelve Days of Christmas in an attempt to see if I could remember each of the symbols, especially when repeating the previous ones in order for the next day. The lyrics of the Twelve Days of Christmas always seemed like a fun, nonsensical Christmas carol, whereas the gifts from the recipient’s lover are actually Christian symbols.

Do you know when the Twelve Days of Christmas are?

• I always thought they were the 12 days leading up to December 25. But, no they aren’t the twelve days before Christmas – they are the twelve days following Christmas ending with Epiphany on January 6. Learn more here.

Do you know the meaning behind the symbols?

• When I first posted this, my oldest granddaughter, Kaitlin, was at the age where she questions things that aren’t clear to her. She asked me why someone would give a partridge in a pear tree as a Christmas present. I didn’t have an answer. So as any good grandmother would do, I “googled” it. This is what I found @ Snopes.com: Twelve Days of Christmas. The website explains the background and controversy surrounding the symbols and then provides meanings for each of the Twelve Days of Christmas.

 Twelve Days of Christmas Lyrics

Now, Kaitlin is 16 and a junior in high school. For each Christmas season, her high school Christmas Choral Concert sings the Twelve Days of Christmas with audience participation. After participating in this activity for two years, this year’s Christmas concert will find us in the front rows on the left side of the center aisle…for the front rows on the right side start the song off joining in with “a partridge in a pear tree”…followed by the next section and the next, etc. until it goes around to the front left with “twelve fiddlers fiddling”…see why? Each group must stand and sit, each time their stanza comes around.

If you have a large gathering, divide the group into 12 smaller groups and sing Twelve Days of Christmas!

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.

The third day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves, and
A partridge in a pear tree.

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.

The fifth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Five gold rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves, and
A partridge in a pear tree.

The sixth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Six geese a-laying,
Five gold rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves, and
A partridge in a pear tree.

The seventh day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
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.

The eighth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
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.

The ninth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Nine drummers drumming,
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.

The tenth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Ten pipers piping,
Nine drummers drumming,
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.

The eleventh day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
Eleven ladies dancing,
Ten pipers piping,
Nine drummers drumming,
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.

The twelfth day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
Twelve fiddlers fiddling,
Eleven ladies dancing,
Ten pipers piping,
Nine drummers drumming,
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.

~ Anonymous ~

How much of the song Twelve Days of Christmas can you sing without missing a line?

If you enjoy humorous Christmas lyrics, you’ll find more at Humorous Christmas Poems | Humorous Christmas Lyrics.