The Twelve Days of Christmas

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!

Über das Lied

Französischer & englischer Kinderreim / Text: James Orchard Halliwell-Phillipps

Hintergrund:

Bei dem Weihnachtslied „The Twelve Days of Christmas“ wird in jeder Strophe ein Element hinzugefügt. Ganz einem Kinderreim entsprechend handelt es sich hier um einen Zählreim. Einige Ethnologen, Theologen und Volkskundler gehen heute davon aus, dass die Anzahl der Geschenke und die Präsente selbst eine religiöse Bedeutung haben:
One Partridge in a Pear Tree: Gott
Two Turtle Doves: das Alte und Neue Testament
Three French Hens: Glaube, Liebe, Hoffnung
Four Calling Birds: die vier Evangelien
Five Gold Rings: das Pentateuch (Sündenfall-Geschichte)
Six Geese a-laying: die sechs Schöpfungstage
Seven Swans a-swimming: die sieben Sakramente
Eights Maids a-milking: die acht Seligpreisungen
Nine Ladies Dancing: die neuen Früchte des Heiligen Geistes
Ten Lords a-leaping: die zehn Gebote
Eleven Pipers Piping: die elf Apostel
Twelve Drummers Drumming: die zwölf Glaubensbekenntnisse des Apostolikums