We all have our favorite Christmas songs, but not all Christmas classics have a history the way that the "12 Days" does. In fact, many fans of the tune don't even realize the deep history and story behind the never-ending list of gifts. You might not even know what the gifts are supposed to represent, or that there's a hidden-message message theory about the lyrics.
One thing everyone can agree on — it's a pretty quirky song, especially compared to more modern ballads like Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" or Michael Bublé's "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas." But with that said, knowing the rich history behind the elaborate song (which ends up totaling 364 gifts, by the way) puts the seemingly odd lyrics in context, and gives you some more holiday knowledge to share at your Christmas dinner and holiday parties. Let's dive in!
What are the 12 days of Christmas?
The "12 Days of Christmas" in the carol reference the 12 days following Christmas, also known as Twelvetide in Christianity. The period begins with the birth of Christ on December 25th, and ends with the coming of the Three Wise Men on January 6th, also known as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day. The weeks before Christmas are known as Advent — hence, the creation of advent calendars.
"12 Days of Christmas" gift list
- First day: Partridge in a pear tree
- Second day: 2 turtledoves
- Third day: 3 French hens
- Fourth day: 4 calling birds
- Fifth day: 5 golden rings
- Sixth day: 6 geese a-laying
- Seventh day: 7 swans a-swimming
- Eighth day: 8 maids a-milking
- Ninth day: 9 ladies dancing
- Tenth day: 10 lords a-leaping
- Eleventh day: 11 pipers piping
- Twelfth day: 12 drummers drumming
Where do the "12 Days of Christmas" lyrics come from?
Though some scholars believe that the song is French in origin, the first printed appearance of the song was in the English children's book Mirth With-out Mischief. If you haven't heard of it, that's probably because it was published in 1780.
In the original lyrics, the "four calling birds" were actually “four colly birds." The term "colly" is old English slang for blackbirds. In other old versions of the song, the partridge we all know and love is replaced with a "very pretty peacock upon a pear tree." It wasn't until 1909 that British composer Frederic Austin penned the version of the lyrics that we are all familiar with today.
Is there a hidden meaning behind the song?
There's a theory floating around claiming that during a time when Christians were punished for worshiping openly, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" song was used to secretly pass on the ideology of Christianity. Per this theory, each gift on the list symbolizes a different aspect of the Christian faith:
- The Partridge in the Pear Tree is Jesus Christ.
- The 2 Turtle Doves are The Old and New Testaments.
- The 3 French hens are Faith, Hope and Charity, the theological virtues.
- The 4 Calling Birds are the four gospels and/or the four evangelists.
- The 5 Golden Rings are the first five books of the Old Testament.
- The 6 Geese A-laying are the six days of creation.
- The 7 Swans A-swimming are the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments.
- The 8 Maids A-milking are the eight beatitudes.
- The 9 Ladies Dancing are the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit.
- The 10 Lords A-leaping are the ten commandments.
- The 11 Pipers Piping are the eleven faithful apostles.
- The 12 Drummers Drumming are the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle’s Creed.
But while it is true that the "12 days" reference the days between the birth of Christ and the coming of the Magi, Snopes breaks down the many historical and logistical errors in the "hidden meanings" theory, including the biggest flaw in the claim: If Christians were living in fear of even mentioning the basic tenants of Christianity, how were they able to sing a song that mentions the word "Christmas" in every lyric?
How much would the 12 Days of Christmas cost?
Want to know another fun fact about the "12 Days of Christmas" tune? Since 1984, PNC Bank has been tracking the price of giving each gift mentioned in the song with the PNC Christmas Price Index. The index uses current market rates to calculate how much each gift would cost, on average, for the modern consumer. All those gifts added up together in 2024 would cost you a whopping $201,972.66, adjusted from $197,071.09 in 2023, when you count each repetition of the song according to the current Christmas price index — swans alone are really expensive ($1,875 each!) It's the cumulative cost of the ten lords-a-leaping at $14, 539.20, which increased by a whopping 4% in 2023, that takes first place as the most expensive gift on the 2024 list. And while that might seem intense, you have to remember, the real reason the final number is so eye-popping is that the gifts are cumulative — you give each previous gift a mention with each subsequent gift, which brings your total number of gifts to 364.
As an Editorial Fellow for Good Housekeeping, Katie covers health, beauty, home, and pop culture. Outside of the office, you can find her killing it on the karaoke machine or listening to true crime podcasts.
Annie O’Sullivan (she/her) covers holiday, gift guide, travel, and lifestyle content at Good Housekeeping. She has a degree in magazine journalism from Syracuse University and previously reported for Runner’s World, NBC New York/NY 4 and Woman’s Day. Annie also has experience writing entertainment news and celebrity-focused content.
