who wrote the 12 days of christmas

The song "The 12 Days of Christmas" was written by an unknown author. It's believed to have been written in the late 18th century, possibly as a memory aid for a game or as a children's song. The lyrics are based on a series of increasingly extravagant gifts given by a person to their true love, one per day for 12 days leading up to Christmas. The song has since become a popular Christmas carol and a cultural icon, known for its unusual lyrics and repetition of the same refrain.