The Twelve Days of Christmas
Canterbury Choristers & Dr. Newell B. Wright Lyrics


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[Chorus]
The first thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me:
Is finding a Christmas tree.
The second thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me:
Rigging up the lights,
And finding a Christmas tree.
The third thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me
Hangovers,
Rigging up the lights,
And finding a Christmas tree.
The fourth thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me:
Sending Christmas cards,
Hangovers,
Rigging up the lights,
And finding a Christmas tree.
The fifth thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me:
Five months of bills,
Sending Christmas cards,
Hangovers,
Rigging up the lights,
And finding a Christmas tree.
The sixth thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me:
Facing my in-laws,
Five months of bills,
Oh, I hate those Christmas cards,
Hangovers,
Rigging up these lights,
And finding a Christmas tree.
The seventh thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me:
The Salvation Army,
Facing my in-laws,
Five months of bills,
Sending Christmas cards,
Oh, Jeez!
I'm trying to rig up these lights!
And finding a Christmas tree.
The eighth thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me:
I want to TRANSFORMER FOR CHRISTMAS!
Charities
And what do you mean, "your in-laws"?!?
Five months of bills,
Oh, making out these cards,
Edith, get me a beer, huh?
What we have no extension cords?!?
And finding a Christmas tree.
The ninth thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me:
No parking spaces,
DADDY, I WANT SOME CANDY!!
Donations!
Facing my in-laws,
Five months of bills,
Writing out those Christmas cards,
Hangovers,
Now why the hell are they blinking?!?
And finding a Christmas tree.
The tenth thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me:
"Batteries not included",
No parking spaces,
BUY ME SOMETHIN'!!!!
Get a job, ya bum!!!
Oh, facing my in-laws,
Five months of bills,
Yo, ho! Sending Christmas cards,
Oh, Jeez, look at this!
One light goes out, they ALL go out!!!
And finding a Christmas tree.
The eleventh thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me:
Stale TV specials,
"Batteries not included",
No parking spaces,
I GOTTA GO TO THE BATHROOM!!!!
Charities!!
She's a witch! I hate her!
Five months of bills,
Oh, I don't even KNOW half these people!
Oh, who's got the toilet paper?
Get a flashlight!! I blew a fuse!!!
And finding a Christmas tree.
The twelth thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me:
Singing Christmas Carols,
Stale TV specials,
"Batteries not included",
No parking?
WAAAAAAH!!!! WAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!
Charities!
Gotta make 'em dinner!
Five months of bills,
I'm not sending them this year, that's it!
Shut up, you!




FINE!! If you're so smart, YOU RIG UP THE LIGHTS!!!!!
And finding a Christmas tree.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" by Canterbury Choristers and Dr. Newell B. Wright offer a humorous take on the various things that can be stressful or annoying during the holiday season. The chorus highlights twelve different aspects of the holiday season that can be a pain, using repetition and escalation to emphasize the increasing levels of frustration and chaos that can arise during this time of year.


In the first few verses, the singer laments the difficulties of finding a Christmas tree and rigging up lights, which are traditionally seen as joyful activities but can become burdensome tasks amidst the busyness of the season. The mention of hangovers adds a touch of realism to the song, acknowledging the often excessive indulgence that can occur during holiday gatherings.


As the song progresses, the list of annoyances grows longer, incorporating sending Christmas cards, dealing with in-laws, facing financial stress from bills, and encountering barriers like parking shortages. The escalating frustration is captured in the repeated references to these challenges, creating a sense of overwhelm and exasperation.


The lyrics also touch on societal expectations and pressures during the holidays, such as charitable giving and the need to conform to traditions like singing Christmas carols and watching TV specials. The humorous exaggeration of these expectations reflects a common sentiment of feeling overwhelmed by the obligations and demands of the season.


Overall, the song captures the chaotic and sometimes absurd nature of the holiday season, offering a satirical commentary on the challenges and annoyances that can accompany this time of year. Through its witty and exaggerated portrayal of holiday stressors, the lyrics provide a comical yet relatable perspective on the ups and downs of celebrating Christmas in a modern world.


Line by Line Meaning

The first thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me
The initial challenge of Christmas that troubles me


Is finding a Christmas tree
Involves the task of locating a Christmas tree


The second thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me
The next difficulty of Christmas that bothers me


Rigging up the lights,
Involves setting up the Christmas lights


The third thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me
The third struggle of Christmas that causes me stress


Hangovers,
Refers to experiencing hangovers during the holiday season


Sending Christmas cards,
The task of sending out Christmas cards to friends and family


The fourth thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me
The fourth issue of Christmas that brings me frustration


Five months of bills,
Dealing with the financial burden of holiday expenses


The fifth thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me
The fifth challenge of Christmas that causes me annoyance


Facing my in-laws,
Having to interact with difficult in-laws during the holidays


The sixth thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me
The sixth struggle of Christmas that brings me discomfort


The Salvation Army,
Having to deal with solicitors from charitable organizations like the Salvation Army


The seventh thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me
The seventh hardship of Christmas that frustrates me


I want to TRANSFORMER FOR CHRISTMAS!
Desire for a toy transformer for Christmas presents


The eighth thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me
The eighth challenge of Christmas that brings me distress


No parking spaces,
Difficulty finding parking spaces during the busy holiday season


The ninth thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me
The ninth issue of Christmas that causes me trouble


Donations!
Being asked for charity donations during the holiday season


The tenth thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me
The tenth difficulty of Christmas that annoys me


"Batteries not included",
The inconvenience of purchasing gifts that do not come with batteries


The eleventh thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me
The eleventh challenge of Christmas that brings me aggravation


Stale TV specials,
Feeling bored with repetitive holiday television programs


The twelth thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me
The twelfth struggle of Christmas that causes me distress


Singing Christmas Carols,
Participating in singing Christmas carols despite not enjoying it




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOB RIVERS, BRIAN SILVA, BRIAN ANTHONY SILVA, DENNIS J AMERO

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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