Twelve Days Of Christmas The
Rutter Lyrics

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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.

On the third day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas,
my true love sent 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 sent 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 sent to me
Six geese a-laying,
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 sent to me
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
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 sent to me
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
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 sent to me
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
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 sent to me
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
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 sent to me
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
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 sent to me
Twelve drummers drumming,
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,

Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree!

Overall Meaning

The song "Twelve Days of Christmas" is a Christmas carol that lists a series of increasingly grand and lavish gifts given by someone's true love during the twelve days of the Christmas season. The song's origins are unclear, but it is believed to have originated in France in the late 1700s. The gifts listed in the song are meant to represent different Christian symbols and teachings.

On each day, the singer sings about a new present received from their "true love." The gifts given each day are cumulative, meaning that the presents from the previous days are also mentioned. This creates a repetitive pattern that builds up to a grand finale on the twelfth day.

The partridge in a pear tree represents Jesus Christ and the lone bird symbolizes the one true God. The two turtle doves represent the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. The three French hens are symbolic of the Holy Trinity. The four calling birds represent the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The five golden rings represent the first five books of the Old Testament. The six geese a-laying represent the six days of creation. The seven swans a-swimming represent the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. The eight maids a-milking represent the eight Beatitudes. The nine ladies dancing represent the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit. The ten lords a-leaping represent the Ten Commandments. The eleven pipers piping represent the eleven apostles. Finally, the twelve drummers drumming represent the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.

Line by Line Meaning

On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me A partridge in a pear tree.
On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent me a partridge nestled 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.
On the second day of Christmas, I received two turtle doves along with the partridge in a pear tree.

On the third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the third day of Christmas, my true love sent me three French hens, along with the two turtle doves and the partridge in a pear tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the fourth day of Christmas, I received four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves and the partridge in a pear tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Five golden rings, 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 sent me five golden rings, along with the four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves and the partridge in a pear tree.

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Six geese a-laying, 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 sent me six geese a-laying, in addition to the five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves and the partridge in a pear tree.

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, 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, I received seven swans a-swimming, plus six geese a-laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves and the partridge in a pear tree.

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, 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 sent me eight maids a-milking along with the rest of the gifts from the previous days.

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Nine ladies dancing, Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, 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 sent me nine ladies dancing and all the other gifts from the previous days.

On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Ten lords a-leaping, Nine ladies dancing, Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, 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, I received ten lords a-leaping alongside all the other presents from the previous days.

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Eleven pipers piping, Ten lords a-leaping, Nine ladies dancing, Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, 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, I received eleven pipers piping as well as all the gifts from the previous days.

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Twelve drummers drumming, Eleven pipers piping, Ten lords a-leaping, Nine ladies dancing, Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree!
On the twelfth and final day of Christmas, my true love sent me twelve drummers drumming along with all the other gifts from the previous days.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KWAME B. HOLLAND, VIVIAN S. GREEN, FREDERIC AUSTIN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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