The Twelve Days of Christmas
Mitchell Ayres Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My true love gave to me
A partridge in a pear tree!
On the second day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!
My true love gave to me
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!
On the fourth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!
On the fifth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Five golden rings!
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!
On the sixth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Six geese a layin'
Five golden rings!
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!
On the seventh day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Seven swans a swimmin
Six geese a layin'
Five golden rings!
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!
On the eighth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Eight maids a milkin
Seven swans a swimmin
Six geese a layin'
Five golden rings!
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!
On the ninth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Nine pipers pipin
Eight maids a milkin
Seven swans a swimmin
Six geese a layin'
Five golden rings!
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!
On the tenth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Ten ladies dancin
Nine pipers pipin
Eight maids a milkin
Seven swans a swimmin
Six geese a layin'
Five golden rings!
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!
On the eleventh day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Eleven Lords a leapin
Ten ladies dancin
Nine pipers pipin
Eight maids a milkin
Seven swans a swimmin
Six geese a layin'
Five golden rings!
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!
On the twelfth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Twelve drummers drummin
Eleven Lords a leapin
Ten ladies dancin
Nine pipers pipin
Eight maids milkin
Seven swans a swimmin
Six geese a layin'
Five golden rings!
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!
"The Twelve Days of Christmas" is a popular Christmas carol that is believed to have originated in England as a memory and forfeit game. The song talks about the gifts given by the singer's "true love" on each of the twelve days of Christmas. Each new day brings a new gift, and all the gifts from previous days are repeated, leading to a cumulative effect as the song progresses. The carol has a catchy melody and repetitive lyrics, making it easy to sing along and remember.
The first day of Christmas brings "A partridge in a pear tree." This line is repeated on each subsequent day, with the addition of the new gift for that day. The second day brings "Two turtle doves," the third day brings "Three French hens," and so on, until the twelfth day of Christmas when the ultimate gift is revealed: "Twelve drummers drummin'." The gifts included in the carol are a mix of birds, people, and jewelry, and their significance is subject to interpretation.
Some interpret the gifts as Christian symbols, with the partridge in a pear tree representing Jesus Christ and the other gifts signifying virtues or concepts important to the Christian faith. Others see the gifts as an elaborate love song, with the "true love" representing a suitor who is showering his beloved with increasingly grand gifts. Regardless of the interpretation, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is a beloved holiday tradition that brings joy and cheer to millions of people around the world each year.
Line by Line Meaning
On the first day of Christmas
On the first day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
My true love gave to me
A partridge in a pear tree!
A partridge in a pear tree!
On the second day of Christmas
On the second day of Christmas
Two turtle doves
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!
And a partridge in a pear tree!
On the third day of Christmas
On the third day of Christmas
Three French hens
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!
And a partridge in a pear tree!
On the fourth day of Christmas
On the fourth day of Christmas
Four calling birds
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!
And a partridge in a pear tree!
On the fifth day of Christmas
On the fifth day of Christmas
Five golden rings!
Five golden rings!
Four calling birds
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!
And a partridge in a pear tree!
On the sixth day of Christmas
On the sixth day of Christmas
Six geese a layin'
Six geese a layin'
Five golden rings!
Five golden rings!
Four calling birds
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!
And a partridge in a pear tree!
On the seventh day of Christmas
On the seventh day of Christmas
Seven swans a swimmin
Seven swans a swimmin
Six geese a layin'
Six geese a layin'
Five golden rings!
Five golden rings!
Four calling birds
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!
And a partridge in a pear tree!
On the eighth day of Christmas
On the eighth day of Christmas
Eight maids a milkin
Eight maids a milkin
Seven swans a swimmin
Seven swans a swimmin
Six geese a layin'
Six geese a layin'
Five golden rings!
Five golden rings!
Four calling birds
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!
And a partridge in a pear tree!
On the ninth day of Christmas
On the ninth day of Christmas
Nine pipers pipin
Nine pipers pipin
Eight maids a milkin
Eight maids a milkin
Seven swans a swimmin
Seven swans a swimmin
Six geese a layin'
Six geese a layin'
Five golden rings!
Five golden rings!
Four calling birds
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!
And a partridge in a pear tree!
On the tenth day of Christmas
On the tenth day of Christmas
Ten ladies dancin
Ten ladies dancin
Nine pipers pipin
Nine pipers pipin
Eight maids a milkin
Eight maids a milkin
Seven swans a swimmin
Seven swans a swimmin
Six geese a layin'
Six geese a layin'
Five golden rings!
Five golden rings!
Four calling birds
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!
And a partridge in a pear tree!
On the eleventh day of Christmas
On the eleventh day of Christmas
Eleven Lords a leapin
Eleven Lords a leapin
Ten ladies dancin
Ten ladies dancin
Nine pipers pipin
Nine pipers pipin
Eight maids a milkin
Eight maids a milkin
Seven swans a swimmin
Seven swans a swimmin
Six geese a layin'
Six geese a layin'
Five golden rings!
Five golden rings!
Four calling birds
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!
And a partridge in a pear tree!
On the twelfth day of Christmas
On the twelfth day of Christmas
Twelve drummers drummin
Twelve drummers drummin
Eleven Lords a leapin
Eleven Lords a leapin
Ten ladies dancin
Ten ladies dancin
Nine pipers pipin
Nine pipers pipin
Eight maids milkin
Eight maids milkin
Seven swans a swimmin
Seven swans a swimmin
Six geese a layin'
Six geese a layin'
Five golden rings!
Five golden rings!
Four calling birds
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!
And a partridge in a pear tree!
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GEORGE C. JR CORY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind