We’ve all been humming along to a familiar Christmas song for weeks now. You know it: “five goooolden rings!” Here at the Pear Bureau, we even commemorate the holiday season with our Partridge in a Pear Tree ornament (see above). But what is that reference all about, anyway? I’ve seen people in pear trees and even bears in pear trees, but never, ever a partridge, so I decided to investigate this mysterious Christmas lyric. Here’s what I found: Nothing is clear about this song. It is English and/or French in origin. It may be a memory game, a catechism lesson, or maybe it was supposed to be all about birds. Let me break it down for you: It was first known as a song – an English carol, most likely – that was played as a memory game. As players Continue reading →