The Twelve Days of Christmas

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The Twelve Days of Christmas was first published in England in 1780, thought to have French origins. It's a "cumulative song" in which each new line is added to the previous verse. Enjoy our collection of Christmas Carols!
An illustration for the story The Twelve Days of Christmas by the author Anonymous
An illustration for the story The Twelve Days of Christmas by the author Anonymous
An illustration for the story The Twelve Days of Christmas by the author Anonymous
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.

[Repeat the final verse with great fanfare!]:
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree!

Enjoy our selection of Christmas Carols, and Christmas Stories, Books, and Poems.
For more counting practice, check out Pre-K Wordplay!

The Twelve Days of Christmas


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Return to the Anonymous Home Page, or . . . Read the next christmas carol; The Wassail Song

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Susan Glaspell
Mark Twain
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Mary E. Wilkins Freeman
Herman Melville
Stephen Leacock
Kate Chopin
Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson