On the first day of Christmas
My true love sent to me,
An emu up a gum tree.
On the second day of Christmas
My true sent to me,
Two pink galahs,
And an emu up a gum tree.
On the third day of Christmas
My true love sent to me,
Three kookaburras laughing,
Two pink galahs,
And an emu up a gum tree.
On the fourth day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
Four koalas cuddling,
Three kookaburras laughing
Two pink galahs
And an emu up a gum tree.
On the fifth day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
Five kangaroos,
Four koalas cuddling,
Three kookaburras laughing,
Two pink galahs,
And an emu up a gum tree.
On the sixth day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
Six brolgas dancing,
Five Kangaroos,
Four koalas cuddling,
Three kookaburras laughing,
Two pink galahs,
And an emu up a gum tree.
On the seventh day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
Seven possums playing,
Six brolgas dancing,
Five Kangaroos,
Four koalas cuddling,
Three kookaburras laughing,
Two pink galahs,
And an emu up a gum tree.
On the eighth day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
Eight dingoes digging,
Seven possums playing,
Six brolgas dancing,
Five Kangaroos,
Four koalas cuddling,
Three kookaburras laughing,
Two pink galahs,
And an emu up a gum tree.
On the ninth day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
Nine wombats working,
Eight dingoes digging,
Seven possums playing,
Six brolgas dancing,
Five Kangaroos,
Four koalas cuddling,
Three kookaburras laughing,
Two pink galahs,
And an emu up a gum tree.
On the tenth day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
Ten lizards leaping,
Nine wombats working,
Eight dingoes digging,
Seven possums playing,
Six brolgas dancing,
Five Kangaroos,
Four koalas cuddling,
Three kookaburras laughing,
Two pink galahs,
And an emu up a gum tree.
On the eleventh day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
Eleven numbats nagging,
Ten lizards leaping,
Nine wombats working,
Eight dingoes digging,
Seven possums playing,
Six brolgas dancing,
Five Kangaroos,
Four koalas cuddling,
Three kookaburras laughing,
Two pink galahs,
And an emu up a gum tree.
On the twelfth day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
Twelve parrots prattling,
Eleven numbats nagging,
Ten lizards leaping,
Nine wombats working,
Eight dingoes digging,
Seven possums playing,
Six brolgas dancing,
Five Kangaroos,
Four koalas cuddling,
Three kookaburras laughing,
Two pink galahs,
And an emu up a gum tree.
It’s unclear who is the author of these verses (if you know, please tell me so I can attribute copyright.)
http://tww.id.au/c/12days-of-christmas.html kists three variations, as do others.
QBD bookstore has several different illustrated children’s books about the Australian Twelve Days of Christmas.
One authored by June Williams and illustrated by John McIntosh.
Another book and CD combination from Heath McKenzie is available.
There’s a performance of the Australian version available on YouTube apparently by the Royal Perth Brass Band below: