In Touch With Nature – 12 Days of Christmas in Southern Africa
Posted: December 24, 2025 Filed under: Holidays, In Touch With Nature, Photography, Poetry, Wildlife | Tags: #InTouchWithNature, #RobbieCheadle, In Touch With Nature, Nature Photography, Robbie Cheadle, South Africa, Wildlife, Writing to be Read 11 CommentsI am ending my “In Touch With Nature” year with a Southern Africanised version of 12 Days of Christmas.
12 Days of Christmas in Southern Africa
On the first day of Christmas
My true love sent to me:
A leopard in a great tree

On the second day of Christmas
My true love sent to me:
Two lion cubs and
A leopard in a great tree

On the third day of Christmas
My true love sent to me:
Three hartebeest
Two lion cubs and
A leopard in a great tree

On the fourth day of Christmas
My true love sent to me:
Four playing wild dogs
Three hartebeest
Two lion cubs and
A leopard in a great tree

On the fifth day of Christmas
My true love sent to me:
Five feeding cheetahs
Four playing wild dogs
Three hartebeest
Two lion cubs and
A leopard in a great tree

On the sixth day of Christmas
My true love sent to me:
Six grazing zebras
Five feeding cheetahs
Four playing wild dogs
Three hartebeest
Two lion cubs and
A leopard in a great tree

On the seventh day of Christmas
My true love sent to me:
Seven marching elephants
Six grazing zebras
Five feeding cheetahs
Four playing wild dogs
Three hartebeest
Two lion cubs and
A leopard in a great tree

On the eighth day of Christmas
My true love sent to me:
Eight gemsbok a-resting
Seven marching elephants
Six grazing zebras
Five feeding cheetahs
Four playing wild dogs
Three hartebeest
Two lion cubs and
A leopard in a great tree

On the ninth day of Christmas
My true love sent to me:
Nine wildebeest prancing
Eight gemsbok a-resting
Seven marching elephants
Six grazing zebras
Five feeding cheetahs
Four playing wild dogs
Three hartebeest
Two lion cubs and
A leopard in a great tree

On the tenth day of Christmas
My true love sent to me:
Ten impala a-watering
Nine wildebeest prancing
Eight gemsbok a-resting
Seven marching elephants
Six grazing zebras
Five feeding cheetahs
Four playing wild dogs
Three hartebeest
Two lion cubs and
A leopard in a great tree

On the eleventh day of Christmas
My true love sent to me:
Eleven buffalos drinking
Ten impala a-watering
Nine wildebeest prancing
Eight gemsbok a-resting
Seven marching elephants
Six grazing zebras
Five feeding cheetahs
Four playing wild dogs
Three hartebeest
Two lion cubs and
A leopard in a great tree

On the twelfth day of Christmas
My true love sent to me:
Twelve guinea fowl running
Eleven buffalos drinking
Ten impala a-watering
Nine wildebeest prancing
Eight gemsbok a-resting
Seven marching elephants
Six grazing zebras
Five feeding cheetahs
Four playing wild dogs
Three hartebeest
Two lion cubs and
A leopard in a great tree























