On the 12th day of Christmas my true love game to me...

Oggi è la dodicesima notte, quella che nei paesi anglosassoni indica l'arrivo dell'epifania e la conclusione delle festività, i dodici giorni di Natale. L'OED la definisce:

the evening of the fifth of January, preceding Twelfth Day, the eve of the Epiphany, formerly the last day of the Christmas festivities and observed as a time of merrymaking.

Se anche voi come i bambini inglesi avete delle difficoltà a ricordare quanti siano i giorni che separano il Natale dall'epifania, ecco una semplicissima canzone che dovete solo sforzarvi di imparare a memoria in tutte le sue strofe.

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to mea Partridge in a Pear Tree.

On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to metwo Turtle Dovesand a partridge in a pear tree.

On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to methree French Henstwo Turtle Dovesand a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to mefour Colly Birdsthree French Henstwo Turtle Dovesand a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to mefive Gold Ringsfour Colly Birdsthree French Henstwo Turtle Dovesand a partridge in a pear tree.

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to mesix Geese-a-Layingfive Gold Ringsfour Colly Birdsthree French Henstwo Turtle Dovesand a partridge in a pear tree.

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to meseven Swans-a-Swimmingsix Geese-a-Layingfive Gold Ringsfour Colly Birdsthree French Henstwo Turtle Dovesand a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to meeight Maids-a-Milkingseven Swans-a-Swimmingsix Geese-a-Layingfive Gold Ringsfour Colly Birdsthree French Henstwo Turtle Dovesand a partridge in a pear tree.

On the nineth day of Christmas, my true love gave to menine Ladies Dancingeight Maids-a-Milkingseven Swans-a-Swimmingsix Geese-a-Layingfive Gold Ringsfour Colly Birdsthree French Henstwo Turtle Dovesand a partridge in a pear tree.

On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to meten Lords-a-Leapingnine Ladies Dancingeight Maids-a-Milkingseven Swans-a-Swimmingsix Geese-a-Layingfive Gold Ringsfour Colly Birdsthree French Henstwo Turtle Dovesand a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to meeleven Pipers Pipingten Lords-a-Leapingnine Ladies Dancingeight Maids-a-Milkingseven Swans-a-Swimmingsix Geese-a-Layingfive Gold Ringsfour Colly Birdsthree French Henstwo Turtle Dovesand a partridge in a pear tree.

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to metwelve Drummers Drummingeleven Pipers Pipingten Lords-a-Leapingnine Ladies Dancingeight Maids-a-Milkingseven Swans-a-Swimmingsix Geese-a-Layingfive Gold Ringsfour Colly Birdsthree French Henstwo Turtle Dovesand a partridge in a pear tree.

Facile, no? E' sufficiente ricordarsi che la pernice nell'albero di pere sarebbe Gesù, le due colombe l'Antico e il Nuovo Testamento, le tre chiocce i tre magi, i quattro canarini i quattro vangeli, i cinque anelli... no, eh? Oh beh, provate con questa versione dei muppet.

Ed ecco qualcosa che vi toglierà qualunque altro dubbio.