The origins of the ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’: the lyrics, numbers and timings explained
The first 10 days of gifts. Picture: Getty By Sophia Alexandra Hall, ClassicFM London @sophiassocials We all know the ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’ song, what is the story behind those sometimes bizarre lyrics? Leaping Lords await... Twelve days of Christmas? ...we sing about them every year. But this Christmas it might be time for a deeper dive. Let’s discover that incredibly generous ‘true love’ who bestows the bunch of daily bizarre gifts on the song’s protagonist. Who gets their true love 8 maids [who are] milking [a cow]? and where do you even get eight milkmaids from? Are they there by choice? Do we need to call the police? Keep hold of those gold rings, as we break down the story behind one of the season’s most iconic songs. When are the twelve days of Christmas? The twelve days of Christmas are sometimes also known as Twelvetide . There is a raging debate as to when exactly Twelvetide starts. While some would suggest the first day of Chri...