Friday, December 08, 2006

Christmas is going to be expensive this year.

In light of the Friday Five, from revgalblogpals Question #4. The Twelve Days of Christmas: is there *any* redeeming value to that song? Discuss. My answer was, None, what-so-ever, except it makes for a pretty Christmas light display at the Calloway Gardens. Although I have heard it rumored that the Twelve Days of Christnas has to do with a way of learning the catechism while things were pretty rotten in England for the Catholics. So I thought I would add to the discussion the cost for The items purchased for the 12 days of Christmas.

12 days, $75,000: Cost of Christmas rises again
One partridge still only $15, but don't even ask about the pear tree
PITTSBURGH - The cost of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is on the rise — again.
Buying each item in the song just once — from a partridge in a pear tree to a dozen drummers drumming — will cost you $18,920, or 3.1 percent more than last year, according to PNC Financial Services Group.
The total cost of items gifted by a True Love who repeats all of the song's verses costs more than ever before — $75,122 — for all 364 items, up from $72,608 in 2005, a 3.5 percent increase.
"After years of stagnation, wages for skilled workers, including the song's dancers and musicians, have increased as the labor market has tightened," said Jeff Kleintop, chief investment strategist for PNC Wealth Management. "Also, a decline in the housing market has dampened demand for luxury goods, such as gold rings."
While prices for the partridge, two turtle doves, three French hens, six geese and seven swans remained the same as last year, higher wages made the lords a-leaping, ladies dancing and pipers piping costlier.
The nine ladies dancing earned $4,759, 4 percent more, according to Philadanco, the Philadelphia Dance Co. The lords a-leaping got a 3 percent pay raise, while the drummers drumming and pipers piping earned 3.4 percent more.
The maids a-milking, however, weren't as lucky. They make the federal minimum wage, which has been $5.15 per hour since 1997.
Each year, the Pittsburgh-based bank does a tongue-in-cheek tally of how much the swans, geese and drummers would cost if you purchased them at today's prices. PNC has been calculating the cost of Christmas since 1984.
For the price of buying all 364 items, you could get a brand new, fully-loaded special edition Hummer 2 sport utility vehicle, fully-loaded Cadillac XLR two-door roadster, a cruise around the world, a 5-carat diamond ring or top-of-the-line Cartier or Piaget watch.
Trying to find cheaper deals online won't help, either. The 364 items online would cost $125,767, including shipping, compared to $123,846 last year. You would spend $30,330 online for one of each item.
The nine ladies dancing are the costliest items on the list again, at $4,759. The seven swans a-swimming cost $4,200. And a pear tree saw the biggest jump, going from $89.99 in 2005 to $129.99 this year.
The cheapest? As always, the partridge, still $15.

6 comments:

Sean Carter said...

yes very true that things for the celebration is becoming expensive. but there are lot more cheap stuff if one can hunt for it. you can visit my blogfor more information.

zorra said...

I'll tell my true love that we can just take that cruise around the world instead....

The Vicar of Hogsmeade said...

But without the 12 days of Christmas, we wouldn't have Veggie Tales "The 8 Polish Foods Of Christmas"

Sally said...

thank you thank you- I like this, it really highlights the maddness of a secular Christmas!
Think we'll stick to Turkey though- can't imagine a Partridge for 14!!!

Theresa Coleman said...

Callaway is lovely -- and I usuallly shop at their country store for Christmas gifts. $2 for a bag of grits always makes for a good present....

Lake Lanier Islands has a good drive through display and so does that big shopping strip called Pigeon Forge....

Unknown said...

Thanks for the comments, I loved them.
You guys are great.
I really miss Calloway at this time of year.
Have seen Pigeon Forge. But not Lake Lanier.
Also have done Sedona at Christmas time.