The Twelve Days of Christmas are from December 26th to January 6th. This song, which uses ordinal numbers, has made them famous.
Sing along to the music here - midi
Image |
Day |
Lyrics |
Hidden Meaning or Urban Myth? |
|
Day 1 |
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me - a partridge in a pear tree. |
Jesus Christ |
|
Day 2 |
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me - two turtle doves |
The Old and New Testaments |
And a partridge in a pear tree. |
|||
|
Day 3 |
On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me - three french hens |
Faith, Hope and Charity or the Father, Son and Holy Spirit |
Two turtle doves |
|||
|
Day 4 |
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me - four calling birds |
The Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists |
Three french hens |
|||
|
Day 5 |
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me - five golden rings |
The first Five Books of the Old Testament or The Catholic Church's five obligatory sacraments: baptism, communion, confirmation, penance and last rites |
Four calling birds |
|||
|
Day 6 |
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me - six geese a laying |
The six days of creation |
Five gold rings |
|||
|
Day 7 |
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me - seven swans a swimming. |
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments |
Six geese a laying |
|||
|
Day 8 |
On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me - eight maids a milking |
The eight beatitudes or the eight times a year that Roman Catholics in those days were required to receive Holy Communion |
Seven swans a swimming |
|||
|
Day 9 |
On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me - nine ladies dancing |
The nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit |
Eight maids a milking |
|||
|
Day 10 |
On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me - ten lords a leaping |
The Ten Commandments |
Nine ladies dancing |
|||
|
Day 11 |
On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me - eleven pipers piping |
The eleven apostles, excluding Judas |
Ten lords a leaping |
|||
|
Day 12 |
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me - twelve drummers drumming |
The twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed |
Eleven pipers piping |
!Note - A few cutbacks have been made - Have Fun with English
!Note -And mathematically speaking - Have Fun with English