On the 9th Day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Nine drummers drumming...Eight maids a-milking...Seven swans a-swimming...Six geese a-laying...Five golden rings...Four colly birds...Three French hens...Two turtle doves...

...and a partridge in a pear tree...

Did you know that tonight is the 9th Night of Christmas? Did you ever wonder what this song is all about? This is what Wikipedia had to say... The Twelve Days of Christmas, and the associated evenings of those twelve days (Twelve-tide), are the festive days beginning the evening of Christmas Day (December 25) through the morning of Epiphany (January 6). The associated evenings of the twelve days begin on the evening before the specified day. Thus, the first night of Christmas is December 25–26 and Twelfth Night is January 5–6. Twelfth Day is January 6. This period is also known as Christmastide. With the onset of more Americanized and secular traditions throughout the past two centuries (such as the American "Santa Claus", popularity of Christmas Eve itself as a holiday, and rise in popularity of New Year's Eve parties as well), the traditions of the Twelve Days of Christmas have been largely forgotten in the U.S.. This is also heightened by the commercial practice to have "After-Christmas Sales" begin on December 26 and run usually until New Year's Eve. Indeed, contemporary marketing and media tend to espouse the (erroneous) belief that the Twelve Days end on Christmas and thus begin December 14.[3][4] However, a small percentage of Christians of many sects have held on to their own favorite ways to celebrate and those who choose to also have their own church to guide them in a spiritual way of marking this reverent holiday. Americans who celebrate various ways include secular Christians of all backgrounds, religious Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Moravians and those of the Amish and Mennonite communities. Today, some celebrants give gifts each of the Twelve Days, feast and otherwise celebrate the entire time through to Epiphany morning. Lighting a candle for each day has become a modern tradition in the U.S. and of course, singing the appropriate verses of the famous song each day is also an important and fun part of the American celebrations. Some still celebrate Twelfth Night as the biggest night for parties and gift-giving and some also light a Yule Log on the first night (Christmas) and let it burn some each of the twelve nights. Some Americans also have their own traditional foods to serve each night. As in olden days, Twelfth Night to Epiphany morning is then the traditional time to take down the Christmas tree and decorations. The rhyme or chant "The Twelve Days of Christmas" first appeared in a children's book titled, Mirth Without Mischief, c. 1780. There are possibly three earlier French versions and one Scottish. The song was first known to be performed by James O. Halliwell in 1842. The days in England are traditionally[5] as follows: A partridge in a pear tree Two turtle doves Three French hens Four colly birds Five gold rings Six geese a-laying Seven swans a-swimming Eight maids a-milking Nine drummer drumming Ten pipers piping Eleven ladies dancing Twelve lords a-leaping The song calls for "four colly birds," but these are often mistakenly called calling birds. This is due primarily to a misunderstood pronunciation, probably in the 20th century—and partly because of the evolution of the English language since the 16th century and the differences between Australasian, British, and North American pronunciation.[6] Colly in Early English meaning black, would make day four a reference to "four blackbirds." The "five gold rings" refer to ring-necked pheasants. There have been various interpretations of the religious symbolism for each of the Twelve Days, with some claiming the song to be a code used by persecuted Catholics. This is known to be false.[7]

So don't take down that Christmas tree yet...we have some more celebrating to do!