The Top Shelf: ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’

By Barbara Danza
Epoch Times Staff

One of the many great joys of the holiday season is the abundance of tradition and storytelling we share with our children. In her newly published rendition of one of the most beloved Christmas carols, Laurel Long brings to life The Twelve Days of Christmas.

The song itself dates back to at least 1780 when it is first known to have been printed, and traditionally refers to the 12 days beginning on Christmas Day (Dec. 25) and ending with the Feast of the Epiphany (Jan. 6). Many believe the song’s lyrics to be symbolic of specific tenets of the Christian faith. Having been passed down through centuries, “The Twelve Days of Christmas” has become a staple of the holiday season.

Long’s lavish and beautiful illustrations depict each gift given from the “true love” beginning, of course, with “a partridge in a pear tree” and ending with “twelve drummers drumming.”

Further enhancing the reader’s experience, Long has cleverly hidden on each page images of the previous gifts given within the main illustration. Children will surely revel in the challenge of finding them all.

A festive addition to a child’s library, The Twelve Days of Christmas by Laurel Long is sure to be a book that is enjoyed each year at this special time.