Once you start thinking about the Twelve Days of Christmas, you cannot get the tune out of your mind. It’s impossible. It’s much like that childish song, This is the song that never ends … which may account for the fact that 12 Days goes on and on and on with multiple versions and multiple parodies attributed to it.
It’s likely that the song got its start as a party game during the Middle Ages to mark the 12 days beginning Dec. 26 on up to Epiphany, celebrated on Jan. 6.
The Twelfth Night, or January 5, was the culmination of all the festive-season partying. It was customary for children to set out to meet the three wise kings who had brought gifts to the baby Jesus.
The evening involved feasting and merrymaking and often included the old game Memory and Forfeits, which is thought to be very much like the modern day version of the 12 Days of Christmas. Each person sang a verse about one of the 12 days and then everyone had to remember the order and numbers of items listed. The person who forgot the lyrics forfeited a prize, usually a kiss or a candy.
Deep meaning has been attributed to the lyrics. In 1979, Canadian hymnologist Hugh D. McKellar wrote that the song was likely a way used to teach children their catechism.
According to McKellar, the “Partridge” refers to Jesus; the two turtle doves are the Old and New Testaments and the three French hens are the Three Wise Men. The remaining verses lean heavily on Biblical interpretation. The Calling Birds refer to the four Gospels; the golden rings refer to the five books of the Old Testament; the six geese a-laying are the six days of creation; the swans are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit; the maids are the eight beatitudes; the ladies dancing are the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit; the leaping lords are the ten commandments; the pipers are the eleven faithful apostles and, finally, the drummers drumming are the 12 points of the Apostle’s Creed.
The cumulative effect of the song means that the lucky recipient would acquire a lot of birds and more than a few dancing, leaping and drumming musicians.
In total she would possess 12 partridges and 12 pear trees; 22 turtle doves; 30 French hens; 36 calling birds; 40 gold rings; 42 laying geese, 42 swimming swans; 40 milk maids; 36 drummers, 30 pipers, 22 dancing ladies and 12 leaping lords. When totalled, the true lover would give 364 gifts – one present short if his aim was to give his honey a gift for each day in the year.
