The 12 days of Christmas begin or Dec 14th or Dec 25th (depending on how you use them.)
Here are four versions of the 12 Days of Christmas that you can give as gifts leading up Christmas: "Treats", "Ornaments", "Toys", and "Gag Groceries". Pick the one you like best or the one that best suits your gift recipient. "Toys" work well with younger children and "Treats" with older children. Adults and Teens will like "Treats" and older adults will enjoy the "Ornaments".
First here's the Original list from the song:
Day one: A partridge in a pear tree
Day two: Two turtle doves
Day three: Three French hens
Day four: Four calling birds
Day five: Five golden rings
Day six: Six geese a-laying
Day seven: Seven swans a-swimming
Day eight: Eight maids a-milking
Day nine: Nine ladies dancing OR Nine Pipers Piping
Day ten: Ten lords a-leaping OR Ten ladies dancing
Day eleven: Eleven pipers piping OR Eleven lords a leaping
Day twelve: Twelve drummers drumming OR Twelve Fiddlers fiddling
Note: In the version collected by John Jacob Niles, it was nine pipers piping, ten ladies dancing, eleven lords a-leaping, and twelve fiddlers fiddling. I used the variations interchangeably to suit my needs.
(All items pictured below are from the Dollar Tree)
Here's the "Toy" Version:
Day one: A partridge in a pear tree
Here are four versions of the 12 Days of Christmas that you can give as gifts leading up Christmas: "Treats", "Ornaments", "Toys", and "Gag Groceries". Pick the one you like best or the one that best suits your gift recipient. "Toys" work well with younger children and "Treats" with older children. Adults and Teens will like "Treats" and older adults will enjoy the "Ornaments".
First here's the Original list from the song:
Day one: A partridge in a pear tree
Day two: Two turtle doves
Day three: Three French hens
Day four: Four calling birds
Day five: Five golden rings
Day six: Six geese a-laying
Day seven: Seven swans a-swimming
Day eight: Eight maids a-milking
Day nine: Nine ladies dancing OR Nine Pipers Piping
Day ten: Ten lords a-leaping OR Ten ladies dancing
Day eleven: Eleven pipers piping OR Eleven lords a leaping
Day twelve: Twelve drummers drumming OR Twelve Fiddlers fiddling
Note: In the version collected by John Jacob Niles, it was nine pipers piping, ten ladies dancing, eleven lords a-leaping, and twelve fiddlers fiddling. I used the variations interchangeably to suit my needs.
(All items pictured below are from the Dollar Tree)
Here's the "Toy" Version:
Day one: A partridge in a pear tree
a feathered toy bird
a plastic pear
any Partridge Family Toy
Day two: Two turtle doves
2 magic growing turtles
Day three: Three French hens
3 Peeps bubbles OR
Day four: Four calling birds
2 pairs of tropical bird sunglasses OR
4 bird slide whistles OR
4 plastic bird water whistles
Day five: Five golden rings
5 of any type dress up rings OR
5 gold hand bells
Day two: Two turtle doves
2 magic growing turtles
3 Peeps bubbles OR
3 Peeps chapsticks
Day four: Four calling birds
2 pairs of tropical bird sunglasses OR
4 bird slide whistles OR
4 plastic bird water whistles
Day five: Five golden rings
5 of any type dress up rings OR
5 gold hand bells
Day six: Six geese a-laying
3 packages of 2-pack silly putty
Day seven: Seven swans a-swimming
7 rubber duckies OR
Day eight: Eight maids a-milking
8 magic disappearing baby bottles
Day ten: Ten lords a-leaping
10 leap frog toys OR
10 wall climber guys
Day eleven: Eleven pipers piping
11 pipes, whistles or flutes of any kind
11 bubble pipes
Day twelve: Twelve drummers drumming
12 twirling drum noise makers
Here's the "Treats" version:
Day one: A partridge in a pear tree
Pear flavored juice boxes
Day two: Two turtle doves
2 chocolate turtles OR
2 Dove chocolate bars
Day three: Three French hens
french vanilla chocolates
Day six: Six geese a-laying
6 Cadbury cream eggs
Day seven: Seven swans a-swimming
7 duckie lollipops OR
Day nine: Nine pipers piping
licorice pipes
Day ten: Ten ladies dancing
10 female character Pez dispensers
Day eleven: Eleven lords a-leaping
11 male character Pez dispensers OR
Sugar Daddy's
Day twelve: Twelve fiddlers fiddling
Fiddle Faddle
Here's the "Gag Groceries" version:
Day one: A partridge in a pear tree
a can of pears
Day two: Two turtle doves
a bar of Dove soap
Day three: Three French hens
a can of chicken noodle soup OR
Day five: Five golden rings
a can of pineapple rings
Day eleven: Eleven lords a leaping
Muscle Rub OR
Muscle Soak
And finally, the "Ornament" version:
Day two: Two turtle doves
2 foam and feather doves
Day four: Four calling birds
4 glitter bird ornaments
Day five: Five golden rings
Day six: Six geese a-laying
Day eleven: Eleven pipers piping
11 trumpet ornaments
Variations:
-Use the "Treats" or "Toys" version as stocking stuffers or secret santa gifts leading up to Christmas
-Make a gift basket out of the "Gag Groceries" or "Treats" version
-Print a word or picture scavenger hunt list for the "Ornaments" version. Work the ornaments into the christmas tree after the children go to sleep on Christmas eve. The Christmas morning scavenger hunt can buy parents a bit more sleep in time! Make sure they count up all the ornaments they find!
-Instead of working the ornaments into the tree, work them into the whole house's decorations. (ie. Turtle Doves on the dining room table centerpiece, Drums worked into the mantle garland, Calling birds used as door knob hangers, milk pails used as votive holders, ladies shoes worked into the door wreath, lords boots on the stair banister garland, etc...)
-Traditionally the 12 days of Christmas start on Christmas and go to Jan 5th. Use your gifts as a Christmas cool down leading to Jan 6th, Three King's Day. This marks the day the 3 kings finally reached the baby Jesus and is celebrated by eating a Galette de Roi or a King's Cake with a bean or prize baked inside. The youngest family member goes under the table and the eldest cuts each piece. The 'blind' family member under the table says who gets each piece so there's no cheating if the bean is seen while cutting. The prize finder is the King (or Queen) and gets to wear a paper or toy crown. If they drop their prize in another's drinking glass, they become their Queen (or King).
-Include a recipe card for Pineapple Upside-Down Cake and instructions for how to use the item to make a dinner of Chicken Noodle Soup with a side of pears followed by Pineapple Upside-Down Cake with milk. Then pop in a Christmas movie and relax after all that shopping, wrapping, and cooking by making yourself a mini spa with the rest of the items!
3 packages of 2-pack silly putty
7 rubber duckies OR
7 bath toys OR
7 growing ducks
Day eight: Eight maids a-milking
8 magic disappearing baby bottles
Day nine: Nine ladies dancing
9 pairs of dress up shoes OR
9 dress up skirts OR
9 twirling ribbons OR
9 sheets of Disney Princess stickers
9 pairs of dress up shoes OR
9 dress up skirts OR
9 twirling ribbons OR
9 sheets of Disney Princess stickers
Day ten: Ten lords a-leaping
10 leap frog toys OR
10 wall climber guys
Day eleven: Eleven pipers piping
11 pipes, whistles or flutes of any kind
11 bubble pipes
Day twelve: Twelve drummers drumming
12 twirling drum noise makers
Here's the "Treats" version:
Day one: A partridge in a pear tree
Pear flavored juice boxes
Day two: Two turtle doves
2 chocolate turtles OR
2 Dove chocolate bars
Day three: Three French hens
french vanilla chocolates
Day four: Four calling birds
4 gummy bird lollipops
4 gummy bird lollipops
Day five: Five golden rings
Funyuns OR
TGIF Onion Ring Chips OR
Funyuns OR
TGIF Onion Ring Chips OR
Ring Pops
Day six: Six geese a-laying
6 Cadbury cream eggs
Day seven: Seven swans a-swimming
7 duckie lollipops OR
whale crackers OR
goldfish crackers
Day eight: Eight maids a-milking
8 Milky Ways OR
8 Milk Duds OR
8 Cow Tails OR
8 chocolate milk boxes
8 Milky Ways OR
8 Milk Duds OR
8 Cow Tails OR
8 chocolate milk boxes
Day nine: Nine pipers piping
licorice pipes
Day ten: Ten ladies dancing
10 female character Pez dispensers
Day eleven: Eleven lords a-leaping
11 male character Pez dispensers OR
Sugar Daddy's
Day twelve: Twelve fiddlers fiddling
Fiddle Faddle
Here's the "Gag Groceries" version:
Day one: A partridge in a pear tree
a can of pears
Day two: Two turtle doves
a bar of Dove soap
Day three: Three French hens
a can of chicken noodle soup OR
canned chicken salad OR
a box of french vanilla coffee mix OR
a box of french vanilla coffee mix OR
french vanilla coffee flavoring
Day four: Four calling birds
a bag of throat drops
a bag of throat drops
Day five: Five golden rings
a can of pineapple rings
Day six: Six geese a-laying
a half dozen carton of eggs
Day seven: Seven swans a-swimming
a bottle of bubble bath
Day eight: Eight maids a-milking
a carton of milk or chocolate milk
a half dozen carton of eggs
Day seven: Seven swans a-swimming
a bottle of bubble bath
Day eight: Eight maids a-milking
a carton of milk or chocolate milk
Day nine: Nine Pipers Piping
Pipe Tobacco OR
Pipe Tobacco OR
a corn cob pipe (can purchase at places they sell cigarettes)
Day ten: Ten ladies dancing
Foot bath salts OR
Foot powder OR
Foot rub
Day ten: Ten ladies dancing
Foot bath salts OR
Foot powder OR
Foot rub
Day eleven: Eleven lords a leaping
Muscle Rub OR
Muscle Soak
Day twelve:Twelve Fiddlers fiddling
Fiddle Faddle
Fiddle Faddle
And finally, the "Ornament" version:
Day one: A partridge in a pear tree
1 glitter pear ornament in green or gold or
a fake pear strung with a ribbon
2 foam and feather doves
Day three: Three French hens
3 little chicken softies or
3 little chicken softies or
3 chicken figurines or
3 picture frame ornaments holding a picture of a french hen
Day four: Four calling birds
4 glitter bird ornaments
Day five: Five golden rings
5 gold rings from the wedding aisle
Day six: Six geese a-laying
6 gold silly putty eggs
6 foam egg decorations from the craft store
hollow out 6 real eggs and decorate
Day seven: Seven swans a-swimming
Day seven: Seven swans a-swimming
7 swan candy cups from the wedding aisle
Day eight: Eight maids a-milking
8 white milk pail cups from the wedding aisle
Day eight: Eight maids a-milking
8 white milk pail cups from the wedding aisle
Day nine: Nine ladies dancing
9 glitter ladies shoes ornaments or
9 'glass' slipper favors from the wedding aisle
Day ten: Ten lords a leaping
10 glitter boot ornaments
Day eleven: Eleven pipers piping11 trumpet ornaments
Day twelve: Twelve drummers drumming
12 drum ornamentsBonus:
1 violin ornament as a wink to the 12 Fiddlers Fiddling version
Variations:
-Use the "Treats" or "Toys" version as stocking stuffers or secret santa gifts leading up to Christmas
-Make a gift basket out of the "Gag Groceries" or "Treats" version
-Print a word or picture scavenger hunt list for the "Ornaments" version. Work the ornaments into the christmas tree after the children go to sleep on Christmas eve. The Christmas morning scavenger hunt can buy parents a bit more sleep in time! Make sure they count up all the ornaments they find!
-Instead of working the ornaments into the tree, work them into the whole house's decorations. (ie. Turtle Doves on the dining room table centerpiece, Drums worked into the mantle garland, Calling birds used as door knob hangers, milk pails used as votive holders, ladies shoes worked into the door wreath, lords boots on the stair banister garland, etc...)
-Traditionally the 12 days of Christmas start on Christmas and go to Jan 5th. Use your gifts as a Christmas cool down leading to Jan 6th, Three King's Day. This marks the day the 3 kings finally reached the baby Jesus and is celebrated by eating a Galette de Roi or a King's Cake with a bean or prize baked inside. The youngest family member goes under the table and the eldest cuts each piece. The 'blind' family member under the table says who gets each piece so there's no cheating if the bean is seen while cutting. The prize finder is the King (or Queen) and gets to wear a paper or toy crown. If they drop their prize in another's drinking glass, they become their Queen (or King).
-Include a recipe card for Pineapple Upside-Down Cake and instructions for how to use the item to make a dinner of Chicken Noodle Soup with a side of pears followed by Pineapple Upside-Down Cake with milk. Then pop in a Christmas movie and relax after all that shopping, wrapping, and cooking by making yourself a mini spa with the rest of the items!
-Place the extra toys from the multi packs in a box or the Dollar Tree's cardboard treasure chest and use them for prizes for your child throughout the year.
-Place all the 12 days of christmas toys in a box for your child to sort and play with each year. Include an illustrated copy of the lyrics or a CD of the song.
