Twelve Days of Christmas

For the past two years, I've posted historical information as to the items listed in the traditional carol, The Twelve Days of Christmas. Check the December postings from 2008 and 2009. PNC Wealth Management compiles costs for what it would actually cost to purchase everything, from the Partridge in a Pear Tree through the Twelve Drummers Drumming, http://pnc.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=756.

They've been doing this for 27 years. This year, the cost is up 9.2 percent, to $23,439. They attribute most of the increase to the rise in gold prices, boosting the price of the Five Gold Rings, and increased costs of entertainment. "The 11 Pipers Piping ($2,356) and 12 Drummers Drumming ($2,552) saw modest increases, both up 3.1 percent, however these higher costs give greater weight to the index. Lords-a-Leaping jumped 8 percent to $4,766 but the biggest dollar increase this year was for the Nine Ladies Dancing, up $820, a 15 percent boost. None of these performers received a wage increase last year, and were playing catch-up in 2010," PNC said in a press release.

They noted that Houdan, Crevecoeur and La Fleche are the French breeds that would be likely candidates fot Three French hens, price up to $150 from $45 in 2009. That's not an outlandish price, although you could get them for less. The Six Geese A-Laying are unchanged, at $150. Sounds like a good deal.

If they'd taken my advice and bought Ring-Necked Pheasants instead of the literal Gold Rings, $649.95, they'd have saved quite a bit. Pheasant chicks are readily available for less than $3 each. Four Calling Birds, unspecified as to breed, are listed at $599.96. Historically, Colley Birds could refer to black fowl, which would also be much less expensive.

The Seven Swans A-Swimming are most changeable in price, going way up some years and down others. They are up 6.2 percent this year, to $5,600. Probably Mute Swans, those are the iconic breed, but controversial. Some states require that they be pinioned, the distal end of the wing surgically removed so that they can't fly. If they escape, they easily become feral and have become an invasive species in some states.

The Eight Maids A-Milking continue as minimum wage employees, one of the least expensive items at $58.