The 12 Days of Christmas

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me

12 Drummers Drumming
11 Pipers Piping
10 Lords a-Leaping
  9 Ladies Dancing
  8 Maids a-Milking
  7 Swans a-Swimming
  6 Geese a-Laying
  5 Gold Rings
  4 Calling Birds
  3 French Hens
  2 Turtle Doves
  1 Partridge In A Pear Tree

  Day of
  Christmas
  Total
  Gifts
  Given
  That Day
  Running
  Total
  Grand Totals of
  Each Gift
  1st     1       1   12 Partridges In Pear Trees
  2nd     3       4   22 Turtle Doves
  3rd     6     10   30 French Hens
  4th   10     20   36 Calling Birds
  5th   15     35   40 Gold Rings
  6th   21     45   42 Geese a-Laying
  7th   28     84   42 Swans a-Swimming
  8th   36   120   40 Maids a-Milking
  9th   45   165   36 Ladies Dancing
  10th   55   220   30 Lords a-Leaping
  11th   66   286   22 Pipers Piping
  12th   78   364   12 Drummers Drumming
So, on the twelfth day, we receive 78 gifts and we have a grand total of 364 gifts.

The above table summarizes the total gift giving.
Let's analyze the third day of Christmas.
As we know from the song, on the third day you will receive:
• 3 French hens
• 2 Turtle Doves
• 1 Partridge in a Pear Tree
That makes 6 as the number of gifts received on the third day.

We also know that you have received gifts on the previous 2 days:
second day
• 2 Turtle Doves
• 1 Partridge in a Pear Tree
first day
• 1 Partridge in a Pear Tree
Making a total of 4 gifts received on those 2 days.
So, for those 3 days, that makes a total of 10 gifts received.
In the table above, looking at the 3rd row, second column we see that 6 is the gift total given on the third day.
Looking at the 3rd row third column we see 10 is the running total of all gifts received for those 3 days.

That fourth column is a little more difficult to explain.
Sure, we all know that we receive 5 gold rings on the 5th Day of Christmas, but how many do we receive in total?
We receive 5 gold rings on the 5th, 6th, 7th all the way to the 12th day.
That makes 8 days all together, making a total of 8 * 5 = 40 gold rings.


* * * * * * * * * * * *

Return To Home Page

Copyright © 1999 -
1728 Software Systems