The Twelve Days of Christmas
England Lyrics
On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.
On the second day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree...
(And so on up to twelve drummers drumming)
A partridge in a pear tree.
On the second day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree...
(And so on up to twelve drummers drumming)
History and Meaning
An English Christmas carol that enumerates a series of increasingly grand gifts given on each of the twelve days of Christmas. The carol first appeared in print in England in 1780 in a children's book titled "Mirth Without Mischief," though it may have French origins. The version most commonly sung today is largely based on an arrangement by English composer Frederic Austin from 1909. While a popular interpretation suggests the song served as a secret catechism for young Catholics during times of religious persecution in England (1558-1829), with each gift symbolizing religious teachings, scholars debate this theory, noting the song's playful nature aligns more with secular folk traditions and memory games.