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Apple releases 12 Days of Christmas app for Europe, Canada

Apple has launched its 12 Days of Christmas app in preparation for its annual holiday promotion offering free songs, music videos, apps and books to residents of parts of Europe and Canada.

The 12 Days of Christmas offers are not available for U.S.-based customers, but the app is available in the U.K. App Store and is said to be coming to the Canada App Store soon. Select countries in Europe will also be able to participate in the promotion.

The 12 days will run from Dec. 26 to Jan. 6, with new gifts available each day. Apple has made the promotion an annual tradition for several years now.

Gifts from last year's 12 Days of Christmas deals in Canada included "some episodes of The Big Bang Theory, a Christmas music sampler EP, a best-selling book by a Canadian author, some episodes of Mad Men, an iTunes Live EP from Bedouin Soundclash, music videos and songs from Kings of Leon and Johnny Reid, the movie One Week and two apps, Diner Dash and Fishing Kings," MacNN notes.

Users who are ineligible for the 12 Days promotion have been invited to visit the iTunes page on Apple's website on Boxing Day (Dec. 26) to receive a special gift for their computers.

According to the report, the countdown has its roots in Eastern Christianity, which traditionally holds the Feast of Epiphany on Jan. 6 to celebrate Jesus' baptism.