The twelve days of Christmas budget
On the first day of Christmas
My true love sent to me:
A partridge in a pear tree.
On the ninth day of Christmas
My true love sent to me:
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five gold rings,
Four colly birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the second day of Christmas
My true love sent to me:
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the third day of Christmas
My true love sent to me:
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the tenth day of Christmas
My true love sent to me:
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five gold rings,
Four colly birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the fourth day of Christmas
My true love sent to me:
Four colly birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the fifth day of Christmas
My true love sent to me:
Five gold rings,
Four colly birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the eleventh day of Christmas
My true love sent to me:
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five gold rings,
Four colly birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the sixth day of Christmas
My true love sent to me:
Six geese a-laying,
Five gold rings,
Four colly birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the seventh day of Christmas
My true love sent to me:
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five gold rings,
Four colly birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the twelfth day of Christmas
My true love sent to me:
Twelve drummers drumming,
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five gold rings,
Four colly birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the eighth day of Christmas
My true love sent to me:
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five gold rings,
Four colly birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
© www.teachitmaths.co.uk 2014
23784
Page 1 of 5
The twelve days of Christmas budget
The generous suitor is planning to repeat his gift-giving again this year. This time he has a
tighter budget and wants to check he is not being too generous.
Item
Partridge
Turtle dove
Hen (French)
Bird (colly)
Ring (gold)
Goose (laying)
Swan (swimming)
Maid (milking)
Lady (dancing)
Lord (leaping)
Piper (piping)
Drummer (drumming)
© www.teachitmaths.co.uk 2014
Cost per item
last year
Price change
£5
10% increase
£10
5% increase
£15
20% increase
£5
20% decrease
£100
5% increase
£20
5% decrease
£25
No change
£120 a day
15% increase
£150 a day
3 for price of 2
Free of charge
n/a
£130 a day
10% increase
£110 a day
1% increase
23784
Page 2 of 5
The twelve days of Christmas budget
Challenge 1
By the end of the twelfth day, which two items had been given in the largest quantities?
Challenge 2
How many items were given in total each year?
Challenge 3
What was the total cost of the rings last year?
Challenge 4
How much will all the rings cost this year?
Challenge 5
The dancing ladies have offered a special discount this year. How much will they now
charge in total?
Challenge 6
What is the most expensive item this year? (cost per item)
Challenge 7
Taking into account the quantities, which item cost most in total last year?
Challenge 8
Taking into account the quantities, which item will cost most in total this year?
Challenge 9
What was the total cost on the twelfth day last year?
Challenge 10
What was the total cost on the twelfth day this year?
Challenge 11
The drummers have said they won’t be available on the twelfth day this year so the
ladies have offered to step in. How much money does this save?
Challenge 12
The lords don’t want to be outdone and have generously offered to do the whole thing
(except the rings) on the twelfth day. How much will the twelfth day now cost?
© www.teachitmaths.co.uk 2014
23784
Page 3 of 5
The twelve days of Christmas budget
ANSWERS
Challenge 1
Answer: Swans and geese – 42 of each
By the end of the twelfth day, which two items had been given in the largest quantities?
Challenge 2
Answer: 364
How many items were given in total each year?
Challenge 3
Answer: £4000
What was the total cost of the rings last year?
Challenge 4
Answer: £4200
How much will all the rings cost this year?
Challenge 5
Answer: £3600
The dancing ladies have offered a special discount this year. How much will they now
charge in total?
Challenge 6
Answer: Piper £143
What is the most expensive item this year? (cost per item)
Challenge 7
Answer: Ladies £5400
Taking into account the quantities, which item cost most in total last year?
Challenge 8
Answer: Maids £5520
Taking into account the quantities, which item will cost most in total this year?
Challenge 9
Answer: £5945.00
What was the total cost on the twelfth day last year?
Challenge 10
Answer: £5820.70
What was the total cost on the twelfth day this year?
Challenge 11
Answer: £133.20
The drummers have said they won’t be available on the twelfth day this year so the
ladies have offered to step in. How much money does this save?
Challenge 12
Answer: £525
The lords don’t want to be outdone And have generously offered to do the whole thing
(except the rings) on the twelfth day. How much will the twelfth day now cost?
© www.teachitmaths.co.uk 2014
23784
Page 4 of 5
The twelve days of Christmas budget
Teaching notes
Page 1 – These are the original words from the poem published in 1780. This could be
projected on an IWB. Note that the poem refers to ‘colly birds’ rather than the more
familiar ‘calling birds’ – colly means black.
Page 2 – Price list. It can be edited but be aware that the values on the spreadsheet
will need amending too.
Page 3 – Student question sheet.
Page 4 - Answers to each question. See the spreadsheet for the complete set of
calculations.
Extension activities – Once the main task has been completed, students could devise
their own questions and spreadsheet to calculate the answers.
Additional information – PNC Bank publishes a ‘Christmas Price Index’ each year based
on the twelve days of Christmas. There are activities designed especially for schools:
https://www.pncchristmaspriceindex.com/
© www.teachitmaths.co.uk 2014
23784
Page 5 of 5