What is a Partridge in a Pear Tree ? A "Partridge in a Pear Tree" is an expression from the holiday song "The Twelve Days of Christmas," alluding to the main present given on the primary day of Christmas, representing Jesus Christ; the partridge addresses the bird's defensive nature, while the pear tree can be deciphered as an image of fruitfulness or the Tree of Life, making the expression a coded strict reference.