Isn’t it ironic that the “12 Days Of Christmas” we start singing our hearts out to … well in advance … actually refers to the days following December 25 instead of leading up to it?
Or perhaps that’s not so surprising to you? (And if so, please don’t judge me!) But I’ll be the first to admit that despite working at the world’s largest Christmas store, I hadn’t actually ever given the twelve days of Christmas much thought beyond happily humming along. That is until recently, when I discovered this remarkable ornament set celebrating those eccentric gifts of-old that have stood the test of time.
So once December 25th rolls around, don’t be so quick to turn off the Christmas music …. or at least this classic! Because you’ve got 12 more days to merrily croon to this playful tune!
DID YOU KNOW? “The best known English version was first printed in 1780 in a book intended for children, Mirth without Mischief, as a memorization game to be played on Twelfth Night” according to Wikipedia.
While it seems the origins of the “Twelve Days Of Christmas” is a little less well-known than that of “Silent Night” (which is revered here at Bronner’s with a replica Memorial Chapel from that in Austria), there’s no shortage of celebration for the 12 days!
The Twelve Days Of Christmas draws lots of attention every season as many track the cost of such lavish gift giving. But without a doubt, no one does it better than PNC with their Christmas Price Index. That report has “since grown into one of PNC’s most popular and anticipated economic reports”1 since its conception in 1984. We can’t wait to see this year’s report!
THE GIFT OF 12 PARODIES
Subsequently, another claim to fame for the popular tune is the various parodies that have evolved over the years.
What’s better than 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? How about the gift of 12 parodies?! You may recognize some of these:
12. Disney’s “The Twelve Days Of Christmas“
11. Alvin And The Chipmunks “The Twelve Days Of Christmas“
10. Frank Kelly’s “Christmas Countdown”
9. Jimmy Buffett’s “Twelve Days Of Christmas (Parrothead Version)“
8. Sesame Street’s® “Twelve Days Of Christmas”
7. Sesame Street® Cookie Monster’s “Twelve Days Of Christmas Cookies” 🍪😋 (Cookie Monster would be in heaven in our Virtual Cookie Exchange post!)
6. Bob River’s “The 12 Pains Of Christmas”
5. The Muppets sang “The Twelve Days Of Christmas” with John Denver and reprised their roles years later with comedian Jimmy Fallon … Poor Fozzie Bear still struggling! 😂
4. Allan Sherman’s “The Twelve Gifts Of Christmas“
3. Crossroads Bible Church’s United Student Ministries rendition of the “Twelve Days Of Christmas” (complete with interpretive dance😂)
2. Jeff Foxworthy’s “Redneck 12 Days Of Christmas“
1. Straight No Chaser’s “The 12 Days of Christmas“
DO YOU WANT 12 OR 361 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS?
Bronner’s is the “World’s Largest CHRISTmas Store” … 365 days a year!
All those fun parodies got me wondering … what would the “12 Days Of Christmas” from Bronner’s look like? So I made it my mission to find out! And here’s what I discovered:
On the twelfth day of Christmas Bronner’s gave to me-
- 12 Fontanini!
- 11 Christmas customs!
- 10 Tinsel garlands!
- 9 Painters painting!
- 8 Lighted snow globes!
- 7 Sugar cookies!
- 6 Christmas legends!
- 5 Bronner’s boxes!
- 4 Village scenes!
- 3 Stockings!
- 2 Christmas wreaths
- From the World’s Largest Christmas Store!
MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME …
Play it safe this Christmas! Bronner’s has the perfect ornament sets to treat your true love to all the fun of the 12 days of Christmas without the mess of live birds, milking maids, lords-a-leaping and all the pa-rum-pum-pumming from 12 drummers drumming! (We’re thinking of you Gobnait O’Lúnasa!😉)
You may even enjoy the challenge of finding your own ornament to celebrate each of the 12 days of Christmas while visiting Bronner’s, the world’s largest Christmas store, in person!
DID YOU KNOW? This carol inspired one of Bronner’s annual art ornament designs.
And so, with that, it seems the only fitting way to close this post is with … 🎵a partridge in a pear tree!🎵 (We hope you were singing that last line along with us.😊)
1. “History of the Index” The PNC Christmas Price Index, 2018
I tried looking for the Twelve Days of Christmas ornaments online and could not find.
How do I purchase them?
Marcella, please contact our customer service team at 800.361.6736 or customerservice@bronners.com. They will be glad to assist you in placing an order. Thank you!