We all know the song, even if we can’t remember it past the fifth day. And there’s always a debate about when the 12 days of Christmas actually are. But where do the twelve days of Christmas Come From, and how old is the song?
There are two types of people in the world. Ones that hear Twelve Days Of Christmas and immediately shout ‘FIVE GOLD RINGS!’ or the ones that then get into a debate with their loved ones about when the twelve days actually are. If you are either of these people, then you will learn everything you need to know about the song and tradition below.
Where Does The Twelve Days Of Christmas Come From?
Also known as Twelvetide, the twelve days celebrate the nativity of Jesus. In some cases, the first day of Christmas is December 25, with the twelfth being January 5. However, lots of people think that Boxing Day is the first day instead. According to Christmastide, the twelve days begin on Christmas Day.
In 567, the 12 days from Christmas were declared as a sacred and festive season. Supposedly, it was done so the lunar calendar could be coordinated with the solar calendar. But we’re not entirely sure why this means celebrating for twelve days, but we’ll take it anyway.
When Are The Twelve Days Of Christmas?
In theology, January 6 is known as Epiphany which celebrates the revelation of God reincarnating as Jesus. It was a day of celebration and feasting and concluded the twelve days. Although this isn’t something we celebrate anymore, it does explain why we have the 12 days of Christmas. In the Middle Ages, feasting and merrymaking climaxed on the twelfth night, something that William Shakespeare used for the setting of his play, Twelfth Night.
To this day, many still believe that having your Christmas decorations up after the twelve days of Christmas is bad luck. We think the tradition of gifting for each of the days should be upheld too!
How Old Is The Twelve Days Of Christmas?
The lyrics to the song were first published in the late eighteenth century, but since then it has had numerous lyrics and melodies. The one that we know today was composed in 1909 by English composer, Frederic Austin.
The first lyrics were published in a children’s book, Mirth Without Mischief and in a broadsheet in Newcastle. Whilst the differences weren’t massive, they are noticeable. For instance, there was no ‘On’ and instead started with ‘The first day…The second day…’ and so on.
‘Gave’ was originally ‘sent,’ and it started off being from ‘my mother’ rather than ‘my true love.’ We’re not sure that has quite the same ring to it…
Often, the last four days of gifts have been recorded as being mixed up in various versions. Lastly, ‘calling birds’ was originally ‘collie’ birds, referring to their coal-black colour. However, this tended not to stick as versions went on to have ‘coloured’, ‘canary’ and ‘Curley’ birds in its place. Then, in 1909, Austin decided upon ‘calling’ and that lyric has stuck ever since.
All in all, there have been 23 versions of the Christmas carol, proving that it’s certainly a popular song and definitely open for interpretation.