Christmas carols are among the most-loved songs we sing, and among them “The 12 Days of Christmas” is one of the best-known. That’s true even if we can’t keep straight how many drummers are drumming or maids are a’milking!
All animal lovers know that many of the gifts given during the twelve days of Christmas are, in fact, related to animals. Not all, of course; but the majority.
So we’ve focused just on the days that feature animals. In this article we highlight some of the unique designs you can look for. There’s a huge variety here – from pool toys to Waterford crystal. Hopefully there’s something that’ll suit YOUR taste!
Toland Home Garden Partridge in a Pear Tree
This beautiful home flag will help kick off the first day of Christmas by stylishly showing a partridge in a pear tree. Why, you may ask, is the partridge in a pear tree? That, we may never know.
The rich colors of this flag and its fancy design give it an elegant look as it hangs from your house.
The flag measures 28 inches wide by 40 inches wide. It’s made of polyester. The Toland Home Garden flags holds up well in the face of the elements and are mildew-resistant. It should provide you with a dependable decoration that you can use through many seasons.
Two Turtle Doves Hallmark 2012
Hallmark has become associated with every holiday because of their greeting cards and a wide variety of decorations they’ve created. Since 2011, they’ve been issuing a tree ornament for the “12 Days of Christmas”, one each year.
The ornament for 2012 was this beautiful piece to highlight the two turtle doves. These birds are almost always pictured as a couple, and they’re rendered well here with breat colors and a cute pose.
The words of the verse are etched on the two birds – “Two Turtles Doves” appears on the breast of the front bird, while “On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me” appears on the back of the other bird.
On the heart hanging below the birds, “Two” and “2” are etched.
The ornament is made of plastic and measures about 3 1/4″ high.
Three French Hens Two Tone Blue Mug
Not everything in your Christmas collection has to be a decoration – or so serious.
This handy coffee mug features three “French hens” – a cartoon version of three hens that conform to a stereotype of French culture. They wear berets, smoke, and have wine, cheese and bread – French bread, of course.
The mug features a blue handle and interior. The image is on both sides.
It’s microwave safe. Hand washing is recommended to protect the image.
This is a great for anyone who likes a slighty-less-reverent take on this Christmas carol!
Porcelain Bird Water Whistles (Set of 4)
These aren’t really a Christmas decoration, but they fit quite well with the theme! Just add some water and blow the whistle for great bird chirping sounds.
This is a set of 4 porcelain bird water whistles. They’re wonderfully designed and a great way to have truly “calling birds” as part of your decorations for the holidays and throughout the year.
The birds represented are a peacock, a cockatoo, a lark, and a parrot.
These make a great interactive gift. Not recommended for children under 3!
Waterford Crystal 6th Edition 12 Days of Christmas Champagne Flute, Six Geese-a-Laying
If you’re into the finer things in life, you’ll know Waterford provides some of the best crystal pieces in the world.
They offer a complete set of champagne flutes commemorating all 12 days of Christmas (we only featured one here, but all are available and can be found at the link).
Each flute measures 10 1/4″ tall and using a classic Clare cut pattern.
These must be hand washed. Do not store them upside down, as that can damage the crystal.
It’s a fantastic addition to your Christmas fine dining set!
Towle 2018 12 Days Seven Swans A-Swimming’ Silver-Plated Christmas Holiday Ornament, 7th Edition
Towle presents this great and sophisticated tree ornament as part of their series of silver-plated ornaments commemorating the 12 days of Christmas. 2018’s ornament represents the “7 swans a’swimming.”
The embossed image is of a swan swimming on a pond, and “7th Day of Christmas” is printed below.
The ornament comes with a protective velvet pouch and is packed in a gift box.
It measures about 3.8″ high by 2.8″ wide. It’ll look great on your tree or perhaps on a stand on your mantle!
TooLoud Eight Maids A Milking Womens T-Shirt
The eighth day of Christmas is the last that talks about an animal – and only in an indirect way. The verse talks about eight maids a’milking – but of course, they must be milking something and most commonly it’s assumed to be cows, right?
Our pick for this 8th day was tough because most of the ideas we saw only featured the maids. Fortunately, TooLoud comes through with this great t-shirt that shows both maids and a cow.
The green t-shirt features blackout “cut-out” type images. The one pictured here and linked is the women’s cut of the shirt. At the time we prepare this, it’s only available in women’s medium.
It’s a great and unique design and is a great way to celebrate the season!
Wrapping It Up
Our love for animals led us to try to find a diverse selection of items featuring the birds and other creatures that figure in the twelve days of Christmas. From the simple to the stylish, we’re sure you’ll find something you like here! Just remember that many of these are parts of sets that go beyond just the single “day” shown here. Make them part of your holidays this year!
