And on this, the 12th and last day of Christmas, we have a fabulous King’s Singers/Mormon Tabernacle Choir production of this beloved Christmas classic.
The twelve days in the song are the twelve days of Christmas, starting on Christmas Day. In some traditions, though, the 12 days are counted from the day after Christmas (December 26—Boxing Day or St. Stephen’s Day, which is the feast day of St. Stephen Protomartyr) to the day before Epiphany, or the Feast of the Epiphany (January 6, or the Twelfth Day). Twelfth Night is usually considered to be the evening of January 5th, preceding the Twelfth Day (which is the day before Epiphany starts—the season of the church year that immediately follows Advent and Christmastide). In eras past the Twelfth Day was the last day of the Christmas festivities and was a day of final merrymaking.
As to where this delightful piece came from, no one knows for sure. Some of the song’s textual evidence would suggest a French origin, even though it was first published in England in 1780. (For just one example, apparently the French red-legged partridge is far more likely to perch in trees than the English grey partridge, and the red partridge from France wasn’t successfully introduced into England until around 1770.) And no matter what country or people group it originated with, the irregular time signature of the piece also argues for an early folk origin.
In the version you will hear today, it is the English composer Frederic Austin’s 1909 musical arrangement in which he added his own melody from “Five gold rings” onwards, which has since become the standard English-speaking musical version.
Although we don’t know the origins of the folk song for certain, it’s also possible that it began as a Twelfth Night “memories-and-forfeits” game, in which a leader recited a verse, each of the players repeated the verse, the leader added another verse, and so on until one of the players made a mistake, with the player who erred having to pay a penalty, such as offering up a kiss or a sweet. This is how the game is offered up in its earliest known printed version, in the children’s book Mirth without Mischief (c. 1780) published in England.
Finally, there is a legend that this song was used to secretly pass down the tenets of the Catholic faith during the 16th century’s religious wars in England, with each of the days being used to illustrate an important aspect of faith for the child to learn, or to be catechized in. Although it is certainly possible it was utilized this way, there isn’t enough historical evidence to say that it was for sure—nor is there enough evidence to say that it never was, either. (You can read further about this view here.)
(Many more interesting tidbits can be gleaned from the Wikipedia article about this song, including alternative French versions which, ahem, mention certain body parts with great approval, and Australian versions which utilize native animals instead of the birds mentioned in the traditional song.)
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…
2 Turtle Doves
And a Partridge in a Pear Tree.
On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
And a Partridge in a Pear Tree.
On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…
4 Colly (or Calling) Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
And a Partridge in a Pear Tree.
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me…
5 Gold Rings
4 Colly (or Calling) Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
And a Partridge in a Pear Tree.
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me…
6 Geese-a-Laying
5 Gold Rings
4 Colly (or Calling) Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
And a Partridge in a Pear Tree.
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me…
7. Swans-a-Swimming
6 Geese-a-Laying
5 Gold Rings
4 Colly (or Calling) Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
And a Partridge in a Pear Tree.
On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me…
8. Maids-a-Milking
7. Swans-a-Swimming
6 Geese-a-Laying
5 Gold Rings
4 Colly (or Calling) Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
And a Partridge in a Pear Tree.
On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me…
9 Ladies Dancing
8 Maids-a-Milking
7. Swans-a-Swimming
6 Geese-a-Laying
5 Gold Rings
4 Colly (or Calling) Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
And a Partridge in a Pear Tree.
On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…
10 Lords-a-Leaping
9 Ladies Dancing
8 Maids-a-Milking
7. Swans-a-Swimming
6 Geese-a-Laying
5 Gold Rings
4 Colly (or Calling) Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
And a Partridge in a Pear Tree.
On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…
11 Pipers Piping
10 Lords-a-Leaping
9 Ladies Dancing
8 Maids-a-Milking
7. Swans-a-Swimming
6 Geese-a-Laying
5 Gold Rings
4 Colly (or Calling) Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
And a Partridge in a Pear Tree.
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…
12 Drummers Drumming
11 Pipers Piping
10 Lords-a-Leaping
9 Ladies Dancing
8 Maids-a-Milking
7. Swans-a-Swimming
6 Geese-a-Laying
5 Gold Rings
4 Colly (or Calling) Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
And a Partridge in a Pear Tree.
