History And Myth: A Guide To 'The Twelve Days Of Christmas'

Modern line: The opening line from “The Twelve Days Of Christmas” is as follows:

On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, a partridge in a pear tree.

In other words, the gift is a bird in a tree with delicious fruit that can be enjoyed once each year.

History: This has essentially been the first line of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” for as long as the song has been written down (although there may be variation when it comes to whether or not the gifts were sent, brought, or simply given.) In the version from 1780's Mirth without Mischief and the 1909 version arranged by Frederic Austin, for example, there are no changes. In the intervening years, however, a version written down in 1892 featured “a very pretty peacock” instead of a partridge.

In 1888, there was no bird and just “some part of a juniper tree.”

Interpretations: The partridge supposedly represents the Son of God, while the day is associated with the idea of one religious truth. While there is little evidence to suggest the first day has anything to do with Jesus Christ or belief in him, there are theories that it is symbolic, suggesting the partridge, like Christ, "will sacrifice its life to save its children," and that it is especially protective bird that intensely guards its eggs. 

Out of a religious context, the inclusion of a partridge could be linked to eating the birds during the holiday season. Partridges were (and continue to be) game birds that are hunted in various locations. 

Value: According to PNC's annual Christmas Price Index, a partridge in a pear tree would cost $319.19 in 2023. This has very little to do with the bird (they're only $3 to $7 each), however, and is largely the result of the high price of housing for the partridge in said pear tree. 

Modern line: When day three of the “Twelve” arrives, it's time for the arrival of, well, more birds:

On the third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, three French hens.

Historical origins: Birds have always been part of the third day of Christmas and seem to have consistently been French hens. That said, there was an outlier in 1864 when “fat hens” appeared, and the two instances of day swapping with turtle doves in 1877 and 1917.

French hens are not necessarily French (and they could very well be fat) but may not be found there in contemporary society. Historically, French hens have been found in France, but the name is also associated with the red, bluish, and white coloring on the bird's beak and plumage and may be one of several varieties. Common French chickens include Gauloise Blanche de Bresse, Crevecoeur, and Faverolles. 

Interpretations: A three-part gift, even if (maybe especially if) they're the same thing lends itself to use as a teaching tool about the Holy Trinity. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could be represented but they wouldn't be useful for non-Catholics. As a result, the three French hens have been linked to the virtues of faith, hope, and love found in 1 Corinthians 13.

Hens were commonly consumed during the medieval period, a food that appeared on plates in antiquity, too. 

Value: The PNC Christmas Price Index puts the cost of three French hens at about $330. Bresse Gouloise chickens are not as easy to breed as Faverolles, which can cost between $6 and $12 each. Crevecoeur eggs are roughly $8 each, while a day-old unsexed chicken is $30.

Modern line: When day nine arrives, it's time to dance:

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, nine ladies dancing.

Historical origins: Historically speaking, day nine in “The Twelve Days of Christmas” is when the song really gets complicated. While there's some variation on earlier days, it's with the ninth day that uniformity of any kind begins to vanish. 

In 1780 (when the song was first recorded), day nine featured “nine drummers drumming,” a gift that shows up on other days in later versions. By 1840, ladies dancing appear but it's “lords a-leaping" just two years later. Over the subsequent decades, drummers drumming show up over and over again, with a standalone instance of “lambs a-bleating” in 1877, a solo occurrence of “bulls a-roaring” in 1882, and an ominous set of “bears a-beating” arriving in 1900. In the version from 1909, ladies dancing are back but, in 1966, pipers piping appeared instead. In 1915, however, “fiddlers a-fiddling” made an appearance.  

Interpretations: Nine fruits of the Holy Spirit exist in Catholicism and, if one were to use “The Twelve Days of Christmas” as a form of instruction, they'd correspond nicely to the gifts from day nine. Per Galatians 5:22-23, the nine fruits are, “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

These fruits refer to what life is like as a Christian who is inspired by the Holy Spirit. 

Ladies, particularly from the Middle Ages forward, were attendants to royals. They could have theoretically danced during celebrations at which they were present.

Value: Pricing out bears, bulls, lambs, and pipers is not without struggle, but luckily the PNC Christmas Price Index has done the work when it comes to dancers. According to their estimates, hiring a dance troupe would cost over $8,300. 

For the sake of argument, private ownership of a bear isn't encouraged while a bull averages over $5,000; a lamb can cost about $150, and a piper makes about $40 per hour. 

Modern line: What could anyone possibly want on the fourth day of Christmas? Even more birds:

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, four calling birds. 

For those keeping track, by the time day four has come to an end, the recipient of these gifts in the song has a total of 20 birds.

Historical origins: The earliest recorded versions of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” don't include “calling birds” on the fourth day. In fact, it didn't appear until the version published in 1909. Prior to that, it was “colly birds” (1780), “canary birds” (1846), and even “ducks quacking" (1864). Other variations included “colored birds" and “corley birds.”

When it comes to identifying what each different bird actually referred to, there's not always a clear answer. A “colly" bird, just means the bird was black, which could correspond with the mention of “colored” birds, too. A “canary” bird would have been yellow or some other hue, again colored. Canaries were often kept in coal mines, perhaps linking the two since the word “colly” was also associated with coal. This may have made them all “calling birds” in some way. 

Interpretations: Regardless of the specific birds, the day four gift in “The Twelve Days of Christmas” has been associated with the four gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. As essential parts of the New Testament, the gospels relay accounts of Christ, his teachings, his crucifixion, and his resurrection. 

Blackbirds were likely eaten in antiquity but, during the Middle Ages, represented temptation and implied the need for discipline. 

Value: The Christmas Price Indicator notes the consistency of calling birds as far as expenses have gone over the years. PNC estimates the cost for the four winged creatures at just under $600. Since the cost of a canary averages anywhere from $30 to $400, this makes sense. 

Modern line: On day eight, the gifts do not include birds:

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, eight maids a-milking.

Historical origins: The reprieve from birds - or animals of any kind - is not universal, however. There are several variations on what one's true love offers on day eight ranging from maids, hounds, hares, and boys. The hounds and hares run, while the boys sing. 

In other versions of the song, ladies dancing show up on the eighth day as opposed to day nine.

Interpretations: There are eight Beatitudes in Roman Catholicism and they have been associated with the eight gifts in “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” Beatitudes are attributed to the teachings of Jesus Christ and the blessings he identified in his Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-12):

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Maids - or maidens - historically were unmarried young women. They would have likely milked cows, depending on their social standing. 

Value:  With maids as the modern gift, the PNC Christmas Price Index estimates minimum wage for eight such workers based on the federal minimum wage - $7.25. That works out to $58 per day. 

Presumably, the same wage would be used for boys singing (assuming they were of a legal age). A hair from a breeder could cost over $100, equalling out to $800, while a hound could range from $500 to $1,500 each.

Modern line: Day five in “The Fifth Day of Christmas” is the first that doesn't include birds (depending upon interpretation):

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, five golden rings.

Historical origins: The inclusion of “gold rings" over "golden rings” is historically more common, but this doesn't stop many people today from saying “golden” instead of just “gold.” The former was included in the 1840 version (only one golden ring was up for grabs in 1840) but “golden” didn't formally make it into the song again until 1966. In the years between, “goldie” was used in 1905 and, as a total outlier, “hares running” made its sole appearance in 1864. 

According to some interpretations, “gold” may actually refer to a type of bird, specifically ring-necked pheasants or goldfinches.

Interpretations: If “The Twelve Days of Christmas” was a catechism, the fifth day and gift would represent the first five books of the Bible - also called the Pentateuch. The first five books are the Books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The Pentateuch is associated with Israel, its history, and the life and law of Moses.

If the fifth day brought more gifts of birds, then they were not unheard of during the holiday season when it came time to eat. Apicius includes pheasant in his De Re Coquinaria and medieval cookbooks contain numerous recipes for the fowl. 

Value: The value of gold over time has changed, of course, but the fact that gold was valuable has remained consistent. During the 19th century, the average price per ounce in the United States was between $19 and $21. Over the 20th century, the price rose significantly and was in over $100 per ounce by 1974. 

By mid-2023, the price of gold per ounce was nearly $2,000.  According to the Christmas Price Index, five gold rings would cost $1,245 in 2023.

All of this is to say that gold rings are nothing to scoff at in terms of a premium gift. It's also significantly more valuable than ring-necked pheasants (about $10 each) or goldfinches (as much as $380 each, depending on the breed), too.