Now that we’re full blown into the Christmas season it’s also time to be inundated with Holiday inspired songs for the season. While I’d likely have to defer any listing of artists who have recorded holiday CD’s to those with more musical knowledge than I, there certainly isn’t a shortage of choices for our holiday listening enjoyment. Maybe it’s only a matter of time before even Paris Hilton or Kim Kardashian thinks they can personalize “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” using her own videotaped exploits to jazz it up or something (I know…I hope not also!)
Personally speaking, I’ve always tended to enjoy holiday music and many of my favourite Christmas Carols are either traditional or updated versions of the old classics. Truth be told, we tend to sing many of these timeless songs without giving much thought as to their lyrics or origins. Songs such as “Away in a Manger” and “Silent Night” have obvious meanings, but others aren’t so clear. One of my favourites has always been the “Twelve Days of Christmas” yet I only recently learned about the history behind the song. Given the nature of what it talks about it’s always been a song that analysts like to have fun with each year. I tend to always catch a news story around now about how someone estimated what the price of all the gifts in the song would be to buy in today’s market, and it’s usually something astronomical. However what I thought would be interesting to do would be to analyze the song differently than we usually do, which is to look at it from the point of the receiver and not the actual giver.
I did some calculating and determined that if one were to receive all the gifts mentioned in the song, by the time it was over they would have received: 12 Drummers Drumming, 22 Pipers Piping, 30 Lords a Leaping, 36 Ladies Dancing, 40 Maids a Milking, 42 Swans a Swimming, 42 Geese a Laying, 40 Golden Rings, 36 Calling Birds, 30 French Hens, 22 Turtle Doves and 12 Partridges in Pear Trees. When looking at these numbers a few thoughts have come to mind:
- In total there were 184 birds received. Why anyone would want that many birds I don’t know, but I would certainly hope that they have a newspaper subscription! I’m not even factoring in the fact that those 42 Geese are a laying, and soon those eggs will be a hatching!
- A total of 100 entertainers were received as well. While I can certainly appreciate that as entertainers they are perhaps used to working over the holiday season, just where is the recipient supposed to house them? Furthermore, if you give someone 22 pipers piping and 12 drummers drumming, don’t you think the neighbours might have an issue with the noise!? I know the racket that comes from the toys my children receive so to imagine the bagpipes and drums along with the ladies dancing and the Lords leaping next door might tempt me to seek the comparative peace and solitude of a Sum 41 concert.
- My heart also goes out to the Maids a Milking because truthfully these women should be home with their families on the holidays and not tending to “udder” business. Personally I’d suggest stocking up at the supermarket instead and giving the ladies a well deserved holiday!
- And lastly if I were the recipient I’d be darned if I was going to be picking up all the pears that fall from those trees!!
The Twelve Days of Christmas has always been a favourite Christmas Carol and it’s good to know that new renditions are always being recorded. I suppose it might be fun to try and do this same analysis with Bob and Doug Mackenzie’s version of this song but I’ll leave that to someone else. In the meantime I’m continuing to love the A-capella classics from Straight No Chaser such as their own version of 12 Days of Christmas as well as possibly my new favourite holiday jingle The Christmas Can Can. I think the environmentalist in me resonates with this song about how Christmas is more about shopping now than anything else.
Whatever your preference is, never forget that while singing about all those gifts is one thing, be careful what one wishes for since receiving them might present far more challenges than you ever imagined!
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