The Twelve Days of Christmas

The song was first published in 1780 and, according to some, is of French origin. The structure of the song is chain-like (cumulative): in each couplet (starting from the second) the set of gifts described in the previous one is repeated, with the addition of a new element. Perhaps it goes back to traditional memorization games ^[1] .

A person receives gifts from his “true love”: partridges, turtle doves, chickens, thrushes, rings, geese, swans, milkmaids, ladies, lords, bagpipers and drummers.

It is known that the song was used to memorize the catechism . In this case, the partridge symbolized Jesus, the turtle doves, the Old and New Testaments, etc. ^[2]

One of the American banks regularly publishes the total value of the gifts mentioned in the song ^[3] .

The song was performed by Burl Ives , Perry Como , Frank Sinatra , Insane Clown Posse , Roger Whittaker , Béla Fleck and the Flecktones , Relient K , Twisted Sister and many others. She repeatedly sounded on television.

• Christmas time