A couple of years ago, Sophie produced a series of blogs around The Twelve Days of Christmas and books that the verses suggested to her. Many of you followed the blogs — which are still available here — and read some of the books Sophie suggested.
I was one of those who found new authors that way. And I am very grateful.

I’m not doing anything so erudite this year. But the carol came into my mind when I was sorting through photographs from a mate’s safari trip to Botswana. (Isn’t that a fabulous sunset, above?) I have permission to use the pics to illustrate the doggerel I’ve created, with apologies to whoever wrote the original carol. (For my Twelve Days Botswana version, there isn’t enough content for 12 blogs, so you get it all in one!)

Twelve Days of Christmas, Botswana-style:
you may wish to sing along as you read 😉

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

a raptor in a bare tree.

On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

two stalking storks
and a raptor in a bare tree.

On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

three tall giraffes
two stalking storks
and a raptor in a bare tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

four lion cubs
three tall giraffes
two stalking storks
and a raptor in a bare tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

five buffalo-o-o-o
four lion cubs
three giraffes
two stalking storks
and a raptor in a bare tree.

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

six crocs a-cruising
five buffalo-o-o-o
four lion cubs
three giraffes
two stalking storks
and a raptor in a bare tree.

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

seven vultures vaiting
six crocs a-cruising
five buffalo-o-o-o
four lion cubs
three giraffes
two stalking storks
and a raptor in a bare tree.

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

eight zebras zigging
seven vultures vaiting
six crocs a-cruising
five buffalo-o-o-o
four lion cubs
three giraffes
two stalking storks
and a raptor in a bare tree.

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

nine hippos basking
eight zebras zigging
seven vultures vaiting
six crocs a-cruising
five buffalo-o-o-o
four lion cubs
three giraffes
two stalking storks
and a raptor in a bare tree.

On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

ten impala posing
nine hippos basking
eight zebras zigging
seven vultures vaiting
six crocs a-cruising
five buffalo-o-o-o
four lion cubs
three giraffes
two stalking storks
and a raptor in a bare tree.

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

eleven gnus g-nawing
ten impala posing
nine hippos basking
eight zebras zigging
seven vultures vaiting
six crocs a-cruising
five buffalo-o-o-o
four lion cubs
three giraffes
two stalking storks
and a raptor in a bare tree.

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

twelve ellies tramping
eleven gnus g-nawing
ten impala posing
nine hippos basking
eight zebras zigging
seven vultures vaiting
six crocs a-cruising
five buffalo-o-o-o
four lion cubs
three giraffes
two stalking storks
and a raptor in a bare tree.

Confessions?

Some of the numbers are, er, a bit approximate, in case you were counting  There is, I admit, a stray stork in the tree along with the seven vultures vaiting, and rather more than eleven g-nawing g-nus, but hey…

I hope you’ll forgive the liberties I took for this little bit of fun.
Happy Christmas to you and yours from all of us at Libertà.

PS for those who’ve made it this far, I’ve included below, as a Christmas bonus for lion lovers, a short video of those Botswana lion cubs with their mum. Enjoy!