Cost of Twelve Days of Christmas Items Just Got More Expensive

Who would have known that the song "The Twelve Days Of Christmas" had a practical use? Yes, it actually does. Using that song you can come close to estimating this year's CPI, based on the increase in costs for each of the items in the song. The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. has been tracking this information for the past 23 years, and for fun compares the CPI with what they call their PNC Christmas Price Index based on the song. This year the percentages are only off by four tenths of a percent. This information was provided in a recent press release from The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. just in time for holiday season.

Of the 13 items in the song, nine items have increased in price since last holiday season. Yes, there are 13 items in the "Twelve Days Of Christmas" as you need to factor in both the price of the partridge and the pear tree for the first day. The items with the biggest increase this year was the four calling birds, as they are 25% higher this year with a total cost of $599.96. Two other items saw increases of over 20 percent as well. These were the five gold rings at 21.5 percent and the six geese-a-laying at 20 percent. Total costs for those items were $395 and $360 respectively. The items which saw no increase whatsoever this year were the pear tree, two turtle doves, three french hens, four calling birds, seven swans-a-swimming, and the nine ladies dancing.

The total cost of all the items in the "Twelve Days Of Christmas" would cost you $19,507.25 this year. The most expensive items on the list are in a tight competition with three of them battling it out. The nine ladies dancing despite not increasing in price this year are still the most expensive at $4,759.19. They are followed by another active group in the 10 lords-a-leaping at $4,285.06. Finally the seven swans-a-swimming will run you $4,200. Both the 11 pipers piping and the 12 drummers drumming will run you over $2,000 each. The good news is after those expenditures, the other eight items are all below $600 in total cost each. The cheapest is the pear tree at $15.