Despite what the traditional radio stations, TV commercials and car dealerships tell you, the Twelve Days of Christmas actually come after Christmas. No, really. Those twelve days mark the time from Christmas Day to Epiphany. I'm not going to get into the weeds of the religious history, though if you're interested, you can check out the info on Wikipedia (among other places).
I always mention this fact, year after year, as it seems many people lose their enthusiasm for Christmas a day or two after.
I always mention this fact, year after year, as it seems many people lose their enthusiasm for Christmas a day or two after.
For our first ten years, the Sounds of Christmas stayed on through January 6. And while there was a drop-off in listeners, it was surprising that so many people, in so many different countries, continued to listen.
Also, listeners sent in emails and messages, asking us to stay on all year long. That seemed a bit much, and I went back and forth on that. Finally, a few years ago, I decided to give it a try.
Surprisingly, aside from that initial drop-off after Christmas Day, thousands continued to listen, all over the globe.
Some people don't like the idea of year round Christmas music, and I get that. It's not for everybody. Some don't like it before Thanksgiving, or before December 1. And some don't like it at all. That's okay. No one has to listen.
But, for those who do enjoy it, the Sounds of Christmas is here for you. Any time you need some Christmas spirit, just click on the player (on the website or through the app) and enjoy it as the Sounds of Christmas turns the Twelve Days of Christmas into Twelve Months (well, eleven months plus Halloween).
Also, listeners sent in emails and messages, asking us to stay on all year long. That seemed a bit much, and I went back and forth on that. Finally, a few years ago, I decided to give it a try.
Surprisingly, aside from that initial drop-off after Christmas Day, thousands continued to listen, all over the globe.
Some people don't like the idea of year round Christmas music, and I get that. It's not for everybody. Some don't like it before Thanksgiving, or before December 1. And some don't like it at all. That's okay. No one has to listen.
But, for those who do enjoy it, the Sounds of Christmas is here for you. Any time you need some Christmas spirit, just click on the player (on the website or through the app) and enjoy it as the Sounds of Christmas turns the Twelve Days of Christmas into Twelve Months (well, eleven months plus Halloween).
As far as the song goes, there are lots of versions of "The Twelve Days of Christmas". Not just different artists and different arrangements, but actual different versions, where the twelve items are in different orders, or the items are actually replaced with other things.
The song was originally published over two hundred years ago.
12 Lords A Leaping
11 Ladies Dancing
10 Pipers piping
9 Drummers Drumming
8 Maids A-Milking
7 Swans A-Swimming
6 Geese A-Laying
5 Gold Rings
4 Colley Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
And a Partridge in a Pear Tree
The song was originally published over two hundred years ago.
12 Lords A Leaping
11 Ladies Dancing
10 Pipers piping
9 Drummers Drumming
8 Maids A-Milking
7 Swans A-Swimming
6 Geese A-Laying
5 Gold Rings
4 Colley Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
And a Partridge in a Pear Tree
Those lyrics were printed somewhere around 1800. In the early 1900s, the lyrics were published with a few changes. The four colley birds became four calling birds. Colley had meant black, so these were basically blackbirds. The change to calling birds made the subtle shift that these were songbirds, not necessarily blackbirds.
The Ladies Dancing moved from 11 to 9, Lords A-Leaping moved from 12 to 10, Pipers Piping moved from 10 to 11, and Drummers Drumming moved from 9 to 12. No one seems to know why these changes were made.
Briefly, in the mid-1800s, Pipers Piping became Fifers Fifing. Shortly after, the Pipers were replaced with Ships Sailing, the Ladies Dancing became Ladies Spinning, and the Lords A-Leaping became Bells Ringing.
While those all shifted back a few years later, other changes crept in. French Hens became Fat Hens, the Colley Birds became Ducks Quacking and the Gold rings became Hares Running.
Then those changes went back, and the Geese A-Laying switched to Ducks A-Laying, the Maids A-Milking became Hares A-Running, and the Drummers Drumming were replaced with Badgers Baiting.
In the 1870s, the Badgers were replaced with Lambs A-Bleating, and the Lords A-Leaping became Lords A-Leading.
In the 1880s, the final five gifts were Hare’s A-Running, Bulls A-Roaring, Men A-Mowing, Dancers A-Dancing, and Fiddlers A-Fiddling.
In the 1890s, the Partridge was temporarily replaced with a Very Pretty Peacock, and the Lords A-Leading became Lads A-Louping.
In 1900, Squabs A-Swimming, Hounds A-Running, Bears A-Beating, and Cocks A-Crowing were all added.
A few years later, Boys A-Singing and Asses A-Racing were introduced.
In 1909, the standard that we hear today, for the most part, seemed to be accepted.
12 Drummers Drumming
11 Pipers Piping
10 Lords A-Leaping
9 Ladies Dancing
8 Maids A-Milking
7 Swans A-Swimming
6 Geese A-Laying
5 Golden Rings
4 Calling Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
And a Partridge in a Pear Tree
When I mention all these changes that happened in the 1700s and 1800s, I should mention that there have been publications of those verses with those changes, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they were preferred or more in use than other versions.
Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters are credited with recording one of the earliest versions of the song, and that was in 1949.
Perry Como recorded a version of it in 1953, but switched around the Lords A-Leaping, Ladies Dancing and Pipers Piping.
Many other artists have recorded in the years since, and the order of those last four or five gifts is often switched around. Pentatonix did that a few years ago, and I didn’t know the song’s history, and instead, just got annoyed at them for changing it around. I had no idea that all of these changes had been going on for hundreds of years.
So, Pentatonix, if you’re listening, I apologize.
The Ladies Dancing moved from 11 to 9, Lords A-Leaping moved from 12 to 10, Pipers Piping moved from 10 to 11, and Drummers Drumming moved from 9 to 12. No one seems to know why these changes were made.
Briefly, in the mid-1800s, Pipers Piping became Fifers Fifing. Shortly after, the Pipers were replaced with Ships Sailing, the Ladies Dancing became Ladies Spinning, and the Lords A-Leaping became Bells Ringing.
While those all shifted back a few years later, other changes crept in. French Hens became Fat Hens, the Colley Birds became Ducks Quacking and the Gold rings became Hares Running.
Then those changes went back, and the Geese A-Laying switched to Ducks A-Laying, the Maids A-Milking became Hares A-Running, and the Drummers Drumming were replaced with Badgers Baiting.
In the 1870s, the Badgers were replaced with Lambs A-Bleating, and the Lords A-Leaping became Lords A-Leading.
In the 1880s, the final five gifts were Hare’s A-Running, Bulls A-Roaring, Men A-Mowing, Dancers A-Dancing, and Fiddlers A-Fiddling.
In the 1890s, the Partridge was temporarily replaced with a Very Pretty Peacock, and the Lords A-Leading became Lads A-Louping.
In 1900, Squabs A-Swimming, Hounds A-Running, Bears A-Beating, and Cocks A-Crowing were all added.
A few years later, Boys A-Singing and Asses A-Racing were introduced.
In 1909, the standard that we hear today, for the most part, seemed to be accepted.
12 Drummers Drumming
11 Pipers Piping
10 Lords A-Leaping
9 Ladies Dancing
8 Maids A-Milking
7 Swans A-Swimming
6 Geese A-Laying
5 Golden Rings
4 Calling Birds
3 French Hens
2 Turtle Doves
And a Partridge in a Pear Tree
When I mention all these changes that happened in the 1700s and 1800s, I should mention that there have been publications of those verses with those changes, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they were preferred or more in use than other versions.
Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters are credited with recording one of the earliest versions of the song, and that was in 1949.
Perry Como recorded a version of it in 1953, but switched around the Lords A-Leaping, Ladies Dancing and Pipers Piping.
Many other artists have recorded in the years since, and the order of those last four or five gifts is often switched around. Pentatonix did that a few years ago, and I didn’t know the song’s history, and instead, just got annoyed at them for changing it around. I had no idea that all of these changes had been going on for hundreds of years.
So, Pentatonix, if you’re listening, I apologize.
In 1984, the PNC Wealth management bank in the U.S. began publishing the Christmas Price Index, which computed the entire value of all the gifts in the song. However, this was only for the one gift mention on each new day in the song, instead of adding up all of the gifts (meaning that by the end, there were twelve partridges in twelve pear trees, since one was given each day).
They created a second index to reflect those totals, which they called the True Cost Of Christmas.
In 1984, the True Cost Of Christmas was determined to be $61,318.94.
In 2021, the True Cost Of Christmas has risen to $179,454.19.
They created a second index to reflect those totals, which they called the True Cost Of Christmas.
In 1984, the True Cost Of Christmas was determined to be $61,318.94.
In 2021, the True Cost Of Christmas has risen to $179,454.19.
Regardless of how much you can spend on partridges and pear trees, or if there are pipers or fifers, the main thing I hope you take away from all of this is that the 12 Days of Christmas come after Christmas.
So don’t let anyone tell you that you should stop listening to Christmas music, even though traditional radio stations, and most stores and other places where music is played, have stopped.
In fact, since we’re on year-round, you don’t ever have to stop. If Christmas music brings you joy, we’re here for you, anytime you want to listen and get a little Christmas spirit, whether it’s December 29th or January 5th or, for that matter, March 5th or June 5th.
The Sounds of Christmas will keep playing the Best Variety of Christmas music, all year long. Well, except in October, when we play the Best Variety of Halloween music.
So don’t let anyone tell you that you should stop listening to Christmas music, even though traditional radio stations, and most stores and other places where music is played, have stopped.
In fact, since we’re on year-round, you don’t ever have to stop. If Christmas music brings you joy, we’re here for you, anytime you want to listen and get a little Christmas spirit, whether it’s December 29th or January 5th or, for that matter, March 5th or June 5th.
The Sounds of Christmas will keep playing the Best Variety of Christmas music, all year long. Well, except in October, when we play the Best Variety of Halloween music.
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