On the Ninth Day of Christmas

My true love gave to me, nine ladies dancing …

The Australian Women’s Weekly, 24th November 1976 page 99.

By the 9th “day” of this memory game/cumulative song the focus changes from the feasting part of the 12 day period, to the celebrating part, with music and dancing. There are, however, some variations on this song that including things such as “ships a sailing” and “bears a baiting”.

On the Tenth day of Christmas

My true love gave to me, ten lords a leaping …

The Australian Women’s Weekly, 24th November 1976 page 100.

I have seen it suggested that the lords were playing leap-frog, but surely it simply refers to  dancing, as some dances in Elizabethan times, such as the Galliard and  La Volta, included jumping?

The Canberra Times, 1st March 1980 page 5.

From GoodButtonsAU, Etsy

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