Tuesday, November 29, 2011

True Cost Of ‘12 Days Of Christmas’


If you’ve ever thought about actually purchasing all the items listed in the holiday classic “The 12 Days of Christmas,” you had better have a pile of cash ready. According PNC Financial, the total cost of realizing the full 12 Days of Christmas has crossed the $100,000 mark for the first time, coming in at $101,119.84. While that’s only a 4.4% change from last year, it’s a 35% increase over the total price from only five years ago. The single most expensive item on the list is the seven swans a-swimming, at $6,300, followed closely by the $6,294.03 you’d have to pay for the nine ladies dancing. The cheapest item would be eight maids a-milking, which only costs $58. The partridge only costs $15, but it has to come with the pear tree, which adds another $169.99. However, even the least expensive item would need to be purchased several times over to fulfill the 12 Days bonanza. But for only $24,263.18 you can get one of each item on the list.

2011 PNC Christmas Price Index
Traditional Internet
% Change % Change
2010 2011 2011/10 2010 2011 2011/10
1 Partridge in a Pear Tree $161.99 $184.99 14.2% $194.94 $242.44 24.4%
Partridge $12.00 $15.00 25.0% $70.00 $80.00 14.3%
Pear Tree $149.99 $169.99 13.3% $124.94 $162.44 30.0%
2 Turtle Doves $100.00 $125.00 25.0% $200.00 $445.00 122.5%
3 French Hen $150.00 $150.00 0.0% $260.00 $300.00 15.4%
4 Calling Birds $599.96 $519.96 -13.3% $450.00 $520.00 15.6%
5 Gold Rings $649.95 $645.00 -0.8% $374.75 $699.70 86.7%
6 Geese-a-Laying $150.00 $162.00 8.0% $525.00 $1,386.60 164.1%
7 Swans-a-Swimming $5,600.00 $6,300.00 12.5% $6,482.00 $10,412.50 60.6%
8 Maids-a-Milking $58.00 $58.00 0.0% $333.44 $337.92 1.3%
9 Ladies Dancing $6,294.03 $6,294.03 0.0% $8,322.55 $8,322.55 0.0%
10 Lords-a-Leaping $4,766.70 $4,766.70 0.0% $13,373.35 $13,373.35 0.0%
11 Pipers Piping $2,356.20 $2,427.60 3.0% $2,200.00 $2,200.00 0.0%
12 Drummers Drumming $2,552.55 $2,629.90 3.0% $1,620.00 $1,620.00 0.0%
Total Price Index $23,439.38 $24,263.18 3.5% $34,336.03 $39,860.06 16.1%
True cost in song $96,824.29 $101,119.84 4.4% $137,851.73 $174,382.93 26.5%
“Core” index, ex. swans $17,839.38 $17,963.18 0.7% $27,854.03 $29,447.56 5.7%

For a historical look at PNC’s index, check out www.pncchristmaspriceindex.com. The site includes an interactive train journey where visitors can pick up each of the gifts along the way.