Stop 4 of 6: Parlour games
Drop in to the parlour and play some games with Fred!
[FILM BEGINS]
Ah, you must be the carol singers! Just in time. You’ve got here for our traditional rendition of 'The Twelve Days of Christmas'. We are going to start from number 12. Do you know the moves? Just checking! Here we go.
[00:00:24]
[♪ Piano and Fred starts to sing ♪]
On the twelfth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me:
Twelve drummers drumming,
[Sound of hand drumming on the floor]
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
- Ooh, lay an egg like a goose -
Six geese a-laying,
[00:01:02]
[A pop sound from Fred’s mouth]
Five gold rings!
Four calling birds,
[Calling]
Oi!
Three French hens,
– Bonjour! Bonjour! –
Two turtle doves,
[Kiss, kiss]
And a partridge in a pear tree.
[00:01:32]
[♪ Piano music ends and speaking starts ♪]
That was wonderful.
Here is a shilling for that wondrous singing and dancing.
[♪ Background Christmas music starts ♪]
Before I give it to you, I’ve got a frightfully good game to play.
It’s called, 'Who am I?'
I’ll give you three clues to guess who I am.
First clue:
When I was 12 years old my father was sent to prison, and I had to leave school to go to work.
Second clue:
I had a pet raven called Grip.
And the third clue:
I wrote ‘A Christmas Carol’.
Who am I?
[00:02:08]
Very good.
Oh ooh...
Let me do another one.
First clue:
I love money.
Second clue:
I hate people.
Third clue:
I’m in ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens.
Who am I?
[00:02:24]
Well done.
Here have a shilling.
[FILM ENDS]
A place to come together
So many games we play today are rooted in parlour games from Victorian times. Fred's so desperate to play some that he might even give you a shilling to join in. Are you ready for some carol singing? Then watch the film above!
Your challenge!
Were you following Fred closely? Bet you can't get all these right:
- What did the three French hens say?
- Can you remember the move for 'six geese a-laying'?
- Can you mime putting a partridge in a pear tree?
- Who was Fred pretending to be when he said 'Who am I?'
Why not film your family's version of the 12 days of Christmas?
Have you got another parlour game to play? Test them out with your family and share them with us to add to our Little Book of Parlour Games by sending them to [email protected].
Did you play a game? That’s a shilling from Fred for you.
Nice one! Maybe you'll get to bring that Christmas turkey or pudding home after all...
