’12 Days of Christmas’ items jump 6% in cost to $107,300

If you want to buy someone those seven swans, six geese or five golden rings in the traditional “12 Days of Christmas” carol this year, they’re going to cost you a bit more than last year. That’s according to the so-called Christmas Price Index that PNC Wealth Management updates annually. If you get all 364 items collectively named in all the verses of the song, you’ll pay 6.1% more this year than last year. The total comes to $107,300. “The rise is larger than expected considering the modest economic growth we’ve had,” says Jim Dunigan, managing executive of investments for PNC. He notes that the government’s Consumer Price Index has risen just 2% in the 12 months before September. Thrifty shoppers may find some reasons for cheer. Six items mentioned in the song haven’t gone up in price: maids-a-milking, ladies dancing, lords-a-leaping, calling birds, turtle doves and the partridge. The eight maids-a-milking still cost just $58 because the minimum wage hasn’t risen. Twelve drummers drumming ($2,775.50) and eleven pipers piping ($2,562) might also be considered relative bargains compared to seven swans, which would set you back $7,000. Nine ladies dancing will cost you $6,294.03. The $15 partridge is the cheapest item, and swans the most expensive, at $1,000 each. The Associated Press has more details in the full story here; and you can also check out an interactive feature PNC has created on the “12 Days of Christmas” costs here.