The 12 Days of Christmas – a Ring and Run

[I’ve had several people ask me about this, so I figured it would be easiest to put the poems and information here, so everyone can access it.]

Our family has a fun Christmas tradition! We call it "12 Days" for short. And before I get started, yes, I am fully aware that the traditional 12 days of Christmas actually start after Christmas Day and end on the Epiphany. Our family chooses to celebrate with our friends on the days preceding Christmas. After Christmas, we're in full tax season mode in our house.

Okay, on with the explanation… every year, we choose another family to spoil during the bustling pre-Christmas time. Beginning on December 13, we deliver a little goodie package every evening to our "victims". We base our goodies very loosely on the song "The 12 Days of Christmas". VERY loosely – keep that in mind.

I've gathered this information from various sources over the years, tweaking it to fit our families and our needs – sometimes we have a hard time finding certain parts of the rhymes.

Okay, here are the rhymes and items we do every evening for our chosen family. I usually print these on cardstock and use my Sizzix Super Scallop die to cut them into cute shapes. Then I stamp and embellish, depending on the family we've chosen. If they know I tend to be a little crafty, they get fewer embellishments to try and conceal our identity.

This glad Christmas season is so full of fun.
We're happy to share with your family, then run.
How grateful we are that you're playing our game.
You'll now find that Christmas won't be the same.

 The song that we sing twelve days in a row
Won't get tiresome with treats from friends you know.
But to keep up the mystery and the fun,
You won't know who we are until we're all done!

Each night we'll bring something
Please don't watch for us coming.
If you catch us too soon,
It will spoil the fun that's coming!

Tonight calls for a partridge for your pear tree,
But partridges are tough catches, you see.
Now, how about some canned pears, instead of the bird.
They taste very good, or so we have heard.
[Canned Pears]

Tonight we have turtles & doves coming your way.
Eat all the chocolate you may.
Because in your family you have quite a few,
We've left on your doorstep more than just two.
[Turtle and Dove Candy]

Hens are chickens
If they are French or not!
Here is chicken soup
To heat in a pot.

Four calling birds, we can't pay the fare,
For all we have is a purse full of air.
As Christmas approaches, and calls you must make,
Don't use these gold coins or the phone you may break.
[Gold chocolate coins]

On the fifth day of Christmas with things rather tight,
It's important to us that we all travel light.
Gold rings are too heavy (and so are gold buckles),
So please be content with sweet rings on your knuckles.
[Ring Pops]

*OR*

On the fifth day of Christmas with things rather tight,
It's important to us that we all travel light.
Gold rings are too heavy (and don’t have much flavor)
So please enjoy these tasty Lifesavers.

*OR*

Only five golden rings?
There really are more
Of gold pineapple rings
I got from the store.

Six geese-a-laying– an interesting sight.
One of them squawked and they all took flight.
What they left in their nest, you'll just have to look,
But with these you won't want to cook.
[eggs, plastic swan cups with chocolate inside, chocolate eggs]

The 7th day of Christmas and we are half way done,
Remember no peeking or you'll spoil the fun.
On this day of Christmas, how nice it would be,
If seven swans a swimming your family could see.
The pond was quite empty since the swans have gone south,
We only found goldfish to put in your mouth.
[Goldfish crackers]

On the eighth day of Christmas, we're busy as a bee.
Eight maids-a-milking, no where do we see.
But there in the barn we spy a tasty sweet,
Milk Maid caramels, what a treat.

Nine ladies dancing would be too big a crowd,
Besides their music is way too loud.
We have for you Christmas songs,
That you can listen to all season long.

Ten lords a leaping would be an awesome gift,
But they got stuck while jumping through a white snowdrift.
We had to be content, you see, to watch the popcorn fly.
So we've added a sweet topping to it for you to try.
[Caramel popcorn, popcorn toppings]

Those eleven pipers piping reminds us of our plumber,
To leave him on the doorstep would be a real bummer.
Now make your water piping hot, and fill your cups with care.
We're giving you some hot chocolate we know you'll love to share.

We simply can't believe this game is almost through.
We've had a jolly time bringing these gifts to you.
With only one more night, don't you wish you knew,
Just exactly who we are and why we're doing this for you?

Christmas Eve has arrived, and on this our last night,
One dozen drummers would be a grand sight.
But the noise of their drums would hurt your head,
So eat all these cookies we bring you instead.

The thing to now remember, if you've had lots of fun
When next December rolls around you make the nightly runs.
Make sure you pick your family with tender, loving care
‘Cause its fun to get to spoil them at this special time of year.

And so we wish you a joyous Noel,
We know that you're hoping our name we will tell.
But our name stays a secret, we just cannot share.
It wouldn't be right, no it wouldn't, so there!

Merry Christmas!

So, that's it. I hope I explained it well. Let me know if you have any questions about any of the items or the rhymes or anything else. And if you have some new ideas, I'd LOVE to hear those too!!