12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

12 Days of Christmas - A Musical Perspective

DECEMBER 24th, 2015

By LANA CARBON & JOHN LILIES

Most of us have sat around a tree at Christmas time and sang (in our case, very poorly) the 12 Days of Christmas. Originally published as a chant without musical accompaniment in 1780, it wasn’t until 1909 that the English composer Frederic Austin gave us the version we know today.

I thought I would write out the song to see how close I came to the original and was shocked to see I was right for a change. It usually takes me a few times to remember the correct order of the lyrics and I wondered if I was the only one. So of course I asked John to see how close she came to the proper order. I must say, I was in for a treat.

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12 Days – The John Version

On the 1st day of Christmas my true love gave to me a partridge in a pear tree.

On the 2nd day of Christmas my true love gave to me 2 turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree.

On the 3rd day of Christmas my true love gave to me 3 french hens, 2 turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree.

On the 4th day of Christmas my true love gave to me 4 calling birds, 3 french hens, 2 turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree.

On the 5th day of Christmas my true love gave to me 5 maids a milking, 4 calling birds, 3 french hens, 2 turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree.

On the 6th day of Christmas my true love gave to me 6 swans a swimming, 5 maids a milking…

On the 7th day of Christmas my true love gave to me 7 pipers piping…

On the 8th day of Christmas my true love gave to me 8 drummers drumming…

On the 9th day of Christmas my true love gave to me 9 ladies laughing…

On the 10th day of Christmas my true love gave to me 10 lords a leaping…

On the 11th day of Christmas my true love gave to me 11 bats eating pizza (I think John got a little lost at this point)…

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me 12 bottles of vodka, 11 bats eating pizza, 10 nerds in a barn, 9 cats drinking milk, 8 puppies playing fetch, 7 hamsters running in a circle, 6 maids playing tag, 5 drummers drumming, 4 calling birds, 3 french hens, 2 turtle doves and a partridge in my fried brain.

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Surprisingly, these are not the right lyrics (I know, it blew my mind too).

Do you know the actual lyrics? Do you have your own version you’d like to share? Email us with your version or recollection and we may choose to share it here on the blog!

Speaking of alternative versions, many artists have recorded different takes on what kind of gift-giving occurred during these 12 days. Here are a few of the more popular (and humourous) takes on the traditional classic.

Bob and Doug Mackenzie – 12 Days of Christmas

Jeff Foxworthy – 12 Redneck Days of Christmas

Bob Rivers – 12 Pains of Christmas

Fay McKay – 12 Daze of Christmas

(As always if you have suggestions to others we should look into please just let us know in the comment section here or on our Facebook page or Twitter.)

Over the course of writing about our December theme, we became inspired and even managed to pen our own version of the song that we know you will want to sing while sitting around your fireplace this year… after imbibing in a few eggnogs perhaps.

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The Carbon Lilies 12 Days of Christmas

On the 1st Day of Christmas my true love gave to me an article for our blog.

On the 2nd Day of Christmas my true love gave to me 2 ponche de crème and an article for our blog.

On the 3rd Day of Christmas my true love gave to me 3 weeks of transcribing, 2 ponche de crème and an article for our blog.

On the 4th Day of Christmas my true love gave to me 4 Big Séance hoodies, 3 weeks of transcribing, 2 ponche de crème and an article for our blog.

On the 5th Day of Christmas my true love gave to me 5 Haunted Walks, 4 Big Séance hoodies, 3 weeks of transcribing, 2 ponche de crème and an article for our blog.

On the 6th Day of Christmas my true love gave to me 6 road trip stories, 5 Haunted Walks, 4 Big Séance hoodies, 3 weeks of transcribing, 2 ponche de crème and an article for our blog.

On the 7th Day of Christmas my true love gave to me 7 movie passes, 6 road trip stories, 5 Haunted Walks, 4 Big Séance hoodies, 3 weeks of transcribing, 2 ponche de crème and an article for our blog.

On the 8th Day of Christmas my true love gave to me 8 elusive éclairs, 7 movie passes, 6 road trip stories, 5 Haunted Walks, 4 Big Séance hoodies, 3 weeks of transcribing, 2 ponche de crème and an article for our blog.

On the 9th Day of Christmas my true love gave to me 9 margaritas, 8 elusive éclairs, 7 movie passes, 6 road trip stories, 5 Haunted Walks, 4 Big Séance hoodies, 3 weeks of transcribing, 2 ponche de crème and an article for our blog.

On the 10th Day of Christmas my true love gave to me 10 Spooktacular people, 9 margaritas, 8 elusive éclairs, 7 movie passes, 6 road trip stories, 5 Haunted Walks, 4 Big Séance hoodies, 3 weeks of transcribing, 2 ponche de crème and an article for our blog.

On the 11th Day of Christmas my true love gave to me 11 art exhibits, 10 Spooktacular people, 9 margaritas, 8 elusive éclairs, 7 movie passes, 6 road trip stories, 5 Haunted Walks, 4 Big Séance hoodies, 3 weeks of transcribing, 2 ponche de crème and an article for our blog.

On the 12th Day of Christmas my true love gave to me 12 senile ghost hunters, 11 art exhibits, 10 Spooktacular people, 9 margaritas, 8 elusive éclairs, 7 movie passes, 6 road trip stories, 5 Haunted Walks, 4 Big Séance hoodies, 3 weeks of transcribing, 2 ponche de crème and an article for our blog.

To be totally honest, we would have loved to have recorded this to share with you all but a lack of time and any discernible singing talent whatsoever prevented that from happening. Who knows, maybe one day we can include it in our list of 12 Christmas songs.

Happy 12 Days everyone… make them musical!!

(You can email us at carbonlilies@hotmail.com)

The Twelve Days of Christmas

DECEMBER 21st, 2015

By LANA CARBON

If you have been following our social media accounts lately, you may have seen that we are watching 12 Movies and listening to 12 Songs for the 12 Days of Christmas. We started on the 1st of December to give us extra time to ensure we get all 12 movies watched in a timely fashion (a lesson we learned doing our 31 Movies and Songs for Hallowe’en), especially considering how busy this month is for us.

How did we come to the magic number of 12? Why it’s from the song of course but that got me to thinking…when are the actual 12 days of Christmas? My original thought was that they were the 12 days prior to and including the 25th…that would explain the gifts would it not? Christmas Day is the day almost everyone exchanges their gifts so it had to be the culmination of this entire gift giving goodness, right? Alternatively, it could be the first 12 days of December (a good way to start the month off with a bang) or perhaps the 12 days surrounding the winter solstice to honour the pre-Christian meaning of the season… I honestly didn’t know but my curiosity meant I would just have to find out.

As you might expect, the 12 days of Christmas are strictly Christian in nature. That made sense to me but I had no clue that the first of these days would be Christmas Day itself. I honestly thought it would have been the twelfth day. I will admit that I myself am not a devout Christian to say the least so I had no idea that there were so many days honoured between Christmas and a day called Epiphany. They represent the feast days of various saints as well as special feasts honouring other momentous occasions in the Christian faith.

Day 1: Dec. 25th Christmas Day – The birth of Jesus.

Day 2: Dec. 26th Boxing Day (A.K.A. – St. Stephen’s Day) - St. Stephen was the first Christian Martyr. He was stoned to death for foretelling the coming of Jesus. (Interesting note…this is the day that the events of the carol Good King Wenceslas occurred).

Day 3: Dec. 27th John the Apostle Day – Most trusted friend of Jesus.

Day 4: Dec. 28th Feast of Innocents – Day to honour the boys killed while Herod was looking for Baby Jesus.

Day 5: Dec. 29th St. Thomas Becket Day – While he was the Archbishop of Cantebury, St. Thomas Becket was murdered for challenging King Henry II for authority over the church.

Day 6: Dec. 30th St. Egwin of Worcester Day – I couldn’t find much on St. Egwin other than he is the Patron Saint of orphans and widows as well as Evesham Monastery (if you have more information please feel free to let me know).

Day 7: Dec. 31st New Year’s Eve (A.K.A. Pope Sylvester Day) – The Pope responsible for converting Emperor Constantine to Christianity.

Day 8: Jan. 1st New Year’s Day (A.K.A. Solemnity of Mary) – The day to honour Mary, Mother of Jesus.

Day 9: Jan. 2nd St. Basil Day – St. Basil was a key figure in the liturgy of the Christian religion making him the Patron Saint of education, monks and exorcism.

Day 10: Jan. 3rd Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus – The day to celebrate the naming of Jesus.

Day 11: Jan. 4th St. Simeon Stylites Day – St. Simeon was so dedicated to his prayers that he chose to live on a pillar for 37 years in order to avoid earthly distractions. (Alternatively, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Day – Founder of the Sisters of Charity School in the United States. She became the Patron Saint of Catholic Schools.)

Day 12: Jan. 5th Epiphany Eve (A.K.A. The Twelfth Night) – The evening before the Wise Men came to the Baby Jesus. It became tradition to add the Three Wise Men to the Nativity scene before the decorations came down the following day.

In the Tudor era, the rich would swap places with their servants for a party held in the evening of the Twelfth Night to mark the end of winter. Pipes, especially bag pipes, were played as well as games such as “Pass the Egg”, “Egg Toss” and “Snapdragon” - a dangerous game where one would pull dried fruit out of a tray of flaming brandy (Thank goodness Hasbro didn’t scoop up the rights to that one). A pea or bean would be baked into a cake and whoever found it within their share would become the Lord or Lady of “Misrule Night” and be treated like a king or queen (later a second pea or bean was added so that there would be both Lord and Lady).

Twelfth Night by Jan Steed

Twelfth Night by Jan Steed

From what I hear, it is good to be the King. Perhaps I will never be King but I shall revel in the fact that I now know more about this wonderful time of year…and the next time someone asks you about the 12 Days of Christmas, you too will know exactly when they are… “And knowing is half the battle!” (To quote one of my favourite Saturday morning cartoons). After reading this article, send us a comment on Facebook or tweet us with the name of the cartoon if you know the one to which I am referring.

This week, we will be back with our big reveal of the 12 Movies and 12 Songs for the 12 Days of Christmas. Don’t miss out!