KBGS Old Boys' Forum

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12 days of Christmas: the marriage of literature and maths

It is worth considering that if we note that on the first day one gift was received and on the second three gifts i.e 1+2=3 and on the third day 1+2+3=6 and so on until in total she received 1+3+6+10+15+21+28+36+45+55+66+78=364 ( Sigma.Sigma.N) gifts or or one gift for each day of a lunar year ie 13*28=364 (there being 13 lunar months each of 28 days in a year). We are left to ask what she would receive on the spare day of our annual calendar of 365 days. Why not 'her true love'??

Re: 12 days of Christmas: the marriage of literature and maths

Sounds fascinating, Arthur - but 'fraid I've just been at the Sherry and nothing adds up. Happy Christmas to you and all your readers.

Re: 12 days of Christmas: the marriage of literature and maths

It could possibly have been "My Lord Montague of Beaulieu"!

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 55-60

Current location (optional) Harrogate

Re: 12 days of Christmas: the marriage of literature and maths

I've been on the whiskey and none of it is adding up either

Re: 12 days of Christmas: the marriage of literature and maths

Terry, John. Funny that!! The more I drink the more sense it makes.

Re: 12 days of Christmas: the marriage of literature and maths

Arthur
All 364 gifts were received in the 12 days. The fact that this is the same as the number of days in 13 lunar months is irrelevant. Only a poet would ask what she would receive on the spare day of our annual calendar year. When would you have expected the spare day to be? It couldn’t be the 365th day of the year as this would fall within the 12 days of Christmas and bring the authenticity of the song into question.

Incidentally if anyone is interested, which I doubt, here are the quantities of each item on the gift list:
22 pipers piping,
30 lords-a-leaping,
36 ladies dancing,
40 maids-a-milking,
42 swans-a-swimming,
42 geese-a-laying,
40 GOLDEN RINGS!
36 calling birds,
30 french hens,
22 turtle doves
12 partridges in pear trees
Total 364 gifts

I cannot imagine what she would have done with all these gifts at the end of the five days. Perhaps, Arthur, with your more fertile imagination you provide an answer.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1937-1944

Current location (optional) Huntingdon