what was the 12 days of christmas

The 12 days of Christmas is a traditional Christmas carol that lists 12 gifts given to the singer by their true love, one each day for 12 days leading up to Christmas. The gifts listed in the song include: a partridge in a pear tree, two turtle doves, three French hens, four calling birds, five golden rings, six geese a-laying, seven swans a-swimming, eight maids a-milking, nine ladies dancing, 10 lords a-leaping, 11 pipers piping, and 12 drummers drumming.