The First Day of Christmas is Monday, December 1st, 2025. You should start on this day.
Challengers who complete the challenge successfully will earn 50 WellPath points.
At the end of the Challenge complete the online evaluation and submit your completed tracker to wellness@srpmic-nsn.gov to earn 50 WellPath points. Questions? wellness@srpmic-nsn.gov.
Building a Routine
Each day, you’ll add a new exercise and repeat all previous days’ exercises—just like the “12 Days of Christmas.”
12 Days of Fitness
Day 1
Do Day 1 exercise.
Day 2
Do Days 1 + Day 2 + Day 1 exercises
Day 3
Do Days 1 + Day 2 + 1 + Day 3 + 2 + 1 exercises.
Day 4
Do Days 1 + Day 2 + 1 + Day 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 exercises
Day 5
Do Days 1 + Day 2 + 1 + Day 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 +1 exercises
Day 6
Do Days 1 + Day 2 + 1 + Day 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 +1 + Day 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 exercises
Day 7
Do Days 1 + Day 2 + 1 + Day 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 +1 + Day 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 exercises
Day 8
Do Days 1 + Day 2 + 1 + Day 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 +1 + Day 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 exercises
Day 9
Do Days 1 + Day 2 + 1 + Day 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 +1 + Day 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 9 + 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 exercises
Day 10
Do Days 1 + Day 2 + 1 + Day 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 +1 + Day 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 9 + 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 10 + 9 + 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 exercises
Day 11
Do Days 1 + Day 2 + 1 + Day 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 +1 + Day 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 9 + 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 10 + 9 + 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 11 + 10 + 9 + 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 exercises
Day 12
Do Days 1 + Day 2 + 1 + Day 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 +1 + Day 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 9 + 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 10 + 9 + 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 11 + 10 + 9 + 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 12 + 11 + 10 + 9 + 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 exercises
Day 13–31
Do Days 1 + Day 2 + 1 + Day 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 +1 + Day 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 9 + 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 10 + 9 + 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 11 + 10 + 9 + 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + Day 12 + 11 + 10 + 9 + 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 exercises
There you go! That’s your 12-days of CHRISTmas. Now you have your daily routine to use for the rest of December. Hence, the 30-day, 12 days of CHRISTmas Challenge!
Please modify or replace any exercise which you feel is difficult to perform and could cause injury.
Exercise Examples to Choose From to Create Your Routine
12 Days of CHRISTmas Challenge Resources
Challenge Routines Examples
Using the hymnals to stay on track with your exercise progression during the 12 Days of Christmas:
Use the tracker to mark down when you complete your exercises each day. You will sign and turn in the tracker at the end of the challenge in addition to completing an online evaluation. After the 12th Day of Christmas, you will simply repeat the exercises for the 12th Day of Christmas (in the order of the song) 10 more days before the end of December.
12 Days of Fitness Routine from Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation
Here’s a video from Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation showing the example exercise routine. The lady, Janessa is doing the advanced routine, the man, Alan is doing a modified routine to make it easier. However you should consider modifying the routine using the resources from this page to match your interests and to adapt to your current fitness level.
Coach Eley’s 12 Days of Christmas Routine
https://player.vimeo.com/video/891899806?h=22cb0064eb
12 Days of Christmas w/ Coach Christine from SRPMIC on Vimeo.
Christine’s Christmas Routine Tracker
“Legs” 12-Days of CHRISTmas Routine
“Boxer” 12-Days of CHRISTmas Routine
“Core” 12-Days of CHRISTmas Routine
Creat Your Own: 12-Days of CHRISTmas Routine
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I track my participation?
A: Download the tracker for the 30-day 12 Days of Christmas routine and then put a “√” or an “X” in the box for the days in which you exercised. It’s ok if you miss a day or two of the 12 Days of Christmas. You have to repeat the 12th day routine a minimum of 5x’s per week for the last two-weeks of December. See sample tracker to the right.
Q: I don’t understand the progression of exercise each day?
A: It’s just like the song: 12 Days of Christmas. You start out by following the song up to the current day of the 12 Days of Christmas. The best illustration is the hymnal for the boxer routine. Click below to view the routine video which will illustrate the progression. You won’t do your full routine until the 12th day. Then you will do the full routine for the remainder of the challenge.
Q: I don’t like one of the exercises on my routine. Can I change it?
A: It’s easier to return your exercise than a Christmas present from a teenager. Below you will find a section for all of the exercises of the Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation’s routine. In that routine you can find alternative exercises. Also, you can pick and choose exercises from other routines. Lastly, there is a resource area with links to an exercise library from the American Council on Exercise, Spark People and ExRx.net. WellPath Coaches are also available to help you find alternate exercises or put together a routine that is right for you. If an exercise is making you sore, you don’t like it, or you feel it puts you at risk for an injury, please replace it.