What are the lyrics to the Christmas Carol “The Twelve Days of Christmas”?
On the (insert day) day of Christmas, my true love sent to me: 1st A partridge in a pear tree 2nd Two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree. 3rd Three French hens, two turtle doves, etc. 4th Four colly birds, three French hens, etc. 5th Five gold rings! Four colly birds, etc. 6th Six geese a-laying, five gold rings! Etc. 7th Seven swans a-swimming, six geese a-laying, etc. 8th Eight maids a-milking, seven swans a-swimming, etc. 9th Nine ladies dancing, eight maids a-milking, etc. 10th Ten lords a-leaping, nine ladies dancing, etc. 11th Eleven pipers piping, ten lords a-leaping, etc. 12th Twelve drummers drumming, eleven pipers piping, etc. This carol is an anonymous reminder of a form popular in the Middle Ages, the “counting” song. “The Twelve Days of Christmas” is unique among Christmas Carols in being entirely about getting gifts and having nothing else to do with the season.
