The Twelve Days of Christmas

First recorded: 1780

Origin: England

Lyrics

On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to meA partridge in a pear tree.

On the second day of Christmas my true love sent to meTwo turtle doves,And a partridge in a pear tree...

(And so on up to twelve drummers drumming)

"The Twelve Days of Christmas" piles up gifts from a "true love," a partridge, then turtle doves, French hens, and on to twelve drummers, with the whole list recited again each verse. It began as a memory-and-forfeits game printed in 1780, and the drawn-out "five gold rings" everyone belts out was added by an arranger in 1909.

Origins

The song was first printed in London around 1780 in a small children's book titled Mirth Without Mischief. Folklorists suggest the song may have originated in France as a traditional game of forfeits before it was translated and printed in England.

The modern melody and phrasing sung today are largely based on a 1909 arrangement by English composer Frederic Austin. Austin famously added the specific prolongation and melody for the line "five golden rings," which has since become a defining part of the carol.

Meaning & Interpretation

The twelve days mentioned in the song refer to the Christian festive season that begins on Christmas Day (December 25) and ends on Epiphany Eve (January 5), also known as Twelfth Night.

A popular modern theory suggests that the song was used as a secret catechism by Catholics during their persecution in England from 1558 to 1829, with each gift representing a hidden religious meaning (e.g., the "partridge in a pear tree" representing Jesus). However, historians and folklorists have debunked this claim. There is no historical evidence supporting this code theory, and the song is accepted as a secular memory game and folk song.

Is there a hidden religious meaning in The Twelve Days of Christmas?

No. While a popular theory claims the song was a secret Catholic catechism code under persecution, historians have found no evidence to support this. The carol is considered a traditional secular memory game and holiday song.

When was The Twelve Days of Christmas first printed?

The song was first printed around 1780 in London. It appeared as a poem in a children's book titled Mirth Without Mischief, which was designed as a memory game for young readers.