Follow our live coverage of the US election results. ABC's rolling coverage of the US election results. Follow our live coverage for the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic. Four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree are familiar items in the much-loved carol the 12 Days Of Christmas. To many who have heard dozens of adaptations, the song seems to bring together a random bunch of animals and people like "eight maids a-milking" and "11 pipers piping". But the meaning behind the familiar and cheerful song may have been closely tied with religious teachings, according to historical theologian Associate Professor Bronwen Neil from the Australian Catholic University. The 12 Days Of Christmas — usually interpreted to be a countdown to Christmas day by marketers — may have been in fact a secret teaching tool for Catholics during the 18th and 19th century. While the original songwriter is unknown, the English version first appeared in a children's book in


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Presumably looking to spice up the traditional tune , a few years back, the United Student Ministries held its annual Christmas performance and sang the song. By enlisting the help of two adorably hilarious goofballs, they managed to have entire audience cracking up. And, of course, their outrageous portrayal of the partridge in the pear tree is a crowd favorite. The nearly six-minute-long video was posted just before Christmas in and many viewers have posted admiring comments.
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But, this has been one of my favourite Christmas carols forever. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
The song is based on the premise that the singer receives one gift per day from his or her "true love" over the 12 days immediately following Christmas Day. Each verse repeats all of the previous gifts listed; thus, one could say that the singer receives gifts total -- or one a day until next Christmas, when the process begins all over again. The Muppets have recorded many versions of the song, most lasting well over four minutes. A different version was recorded for the Christmas Together album. Both versions are particularly memorable for Miss Piggy belting "Five Additionally, in both versions, each Muppet joins in on John's "partridge in a pear tree" once they have joined the song. In this version, the lyrics were adjusted to fit the characters singing.