Celtnet Recipes Blog: The Twelve Days of Christmas

Yes, I know that the 'twelve days of Christmas' refer to the days of and following Christmas day itself. But for a recipe site, it's best to publish recipes on the days leading up to Christmas.

As a result, I am taking a bit of a liberty here (at least in terms of the song) by publishing an essential Christmas recipe each and every single day leading up to Christmas Eve. In essence, this is my Christmas Advent Calendar for you, with each day providing a new recipe.

For those who are unfamiliar with the song, I give it below with an illustration:

The Twelve Days of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
A partridge in a pear tree

On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
Two turtle doves

On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Three French hens

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Four Colly Birds

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Five gold rings

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Six Geese-a-laying

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Seven Swans-a-swimming

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Eight Maids-a-milking

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Nine Ladies dancing

On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Ten Lords-a-leaping

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
Eleven Pipers piping

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Twelve drummers drumming

The colly birds are blackbirds or songbirds, 'colly' being a regional word for 'coal'. In many modern versions, 'four calling birds' is sung instead.

The song was first written down in the 1780s, but originates in an older folksong. Note that 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' is a cumulative song, meaning that each verse is built on top of the previous verses.

My version and the recipes: