On the first day of Christmas My true love gave to me A partridge in a pear tree. For many centuries young and old alike have been singing about the maids a-milking the lords a-leaping and a partridge in a pear tree. A Christmas carol a parlor game and a delightful counting song-The Twelve Days of Christmas- is indeed a favorite of the holiday season. In this book sumptuously illustrated by Jan Brett all the splendid images of The Twelve Days of Christmas come joyously alive. Look closely and you ll see not only the extravagant gifts given by a suitor to his lady but a love story a family s busy Christmas preparations Merry Christmas in eleven languages and a veritable menagerie of charming creatures. Jan Brett s exquisitely detailed illustrations so rich in traditional folk motifs make this book a visual treat to be enjoyed over and over again.