As far back as we can remember, every year on the last day of school we have a special visitor to Studio. A jolly man with a long, white beard wearing a smart red hat, suit, shiny black belt and boots. He looks familiar, but we’re not quite sure who he is! We love his visits because he brings delicious treats for our students and we sing traditional English Christmas songs with him, our favourite being ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’.
Sadly, it’s won’t be possible for a group singalong this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic (to keep you all safe), but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a festive sing at home (which is probably best for some of us anyway!). So, let’s take a closer look at our favourite Christmas song – we’re sure lots of you have happy memories singing it (and doing the actions!) in Café Studio.
Which are ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ ?
‘The 12 Days of Christmas’ is a Christmas carol that runs through the twelve days that make up the Christmas season – beginning on Christmas Day and ending on 6 January, the day before Epiphany. It is a cumulative song, meaning that each verse is built on top of previous verses. There are 12 verses, representing the twelve days of Christmas. Each day with a new gift, starting with ‘a partridge in a pear tree’ and ending with ‘twelve drummers drumming’.
Most historians believe that the song started out a “memory-and-forfeit” game in 1800s England. These types of games were played by British school children, and the rules were simple. When it’s your turn, you repeat all the previously sung lyrics, and add the next one. If you can’t remember a verse, you owe your opponent a “forfeit,” which was usually a piece of candy.
However, as our students are here to learn English and singing in a foreign language, we don’t make them do a forfeit when they forget a lyric!
What are the lyrics ?
1
On the first day of Christmas
my true love gave to me:
A Partridge in a Pear Tree
2
On the second day of Christmas
my true love gave to me:
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
3
On the third day of Christmas
my true love gave to me:
Three French Hens
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
4
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
5
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
6
On the sixth day of Christmas
my true love gave 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
7
On the seventh day of Christmas
my true love gave 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
8
On the eighth day of Christmas
my true love gave 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
9
On the ninth day of Christmas
my true love gave 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
10
On the tenth day of Christmas
my true love gave 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
11
On the eleventh day of Christmas
my true love gave 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
12
On the twelfth day of Christmas
my true love gave to me:
12 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
To listen to ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ click here