The holiday season is about giving and the classic song quantifies the largess. The American Museum of Natural History is home to many happy childhood memories and I embrace their scientific form of expressing holiday cheer. Not everyone can claim their “True Love” is a “Science Geek” – but kudos to AMNHNYC for helping us all be Science Lovers!

On the first of the twelve days, a partridge in a book of taxonomy.

On the second day of taxonomy, we give you two scorpions!

On day number three My true love sent to me A turtle in a 16th century book of taxonomy!

No calling birds here! Day four of the Twelve Days of Taxonomy is wasps.

On the fifth Day of Taxonomy my true love gave to me…white, feathery wings!

Day number 6, we bring you these beautiful Narcomedusans

Day seven of the 12 Days of Taxonomy is surprisingly scandalous!

On the eighth Day of Taxonomy My true love sent to me An ornate cuscus in a tree!

What is an anoplotherium? Why, it’s number 9 in the 12 Days of Taxonomy!

Lords A-Leaping! The 10th Day of Taxonomy includes a toucan and a bitter science rivalry.

On the eleventh Day of Taxonomy My true love sent to me A wooden bird from Papua New Guinea!

On the twelfth Day of Taxonomy My true love sent to me A riotous display of sea anemones!