Cost of Christmas and the Avian Bird Flu

welsh

welsh

Junkmaster
Apparently the Avian Bird Flu is having a consequence on the cost of Christmas.

If you are thinking about breaking up with your girlfriend, do it before the holidays.

Note the Christmas price index-

True cost of Christmas: $18,348.87
Avian flu is making it even more expensive for true loves to make the ultimate romantic holiday gesture -- buy every item mentioned in '12 Days.' With repetitions? Make it $78,608.02.

By MSN Money staff

You think saving for a new flat-panel plasma television or iPod Nano for the holidays is daunting? Be thankful you don't have to save for the original gifts of the "12 Days of Christmas."

To buy the partridge in a pear tree, the 12 drummers drumming and all the gifts in between in the verses of the famous song you'd have to shell out $18,348, according to PNC Advisors' annual survey. And if you were really true to the song, buying all the gifts including the repetitions? Those 364 items would cost a cool $72,608, up 9.5% from last year's $66,344.
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For a clearer graph- http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/invest/extra/P101694.asp?GT1=7390

The Christmas Index 1984 2004 2005 chg 04-05
One Partridge in a Pear Tree $32.52 $93.00 $104.99 12.90%
Partridge 12.57 15.00 15.00 0.00%
Pear Tree 19.95 78.00 89.99 15.40%
Two Turtle Doves 47.71 40.00 40.00 0.00%
Three French Hens 14.78 45.00 45.00 0.00%
Four Calling Birds 280.00 396.00 399.96 1.00%
Five Gold Rings 275.00 255.00 325.00 27.50%
Six Geese-a-Laying 150.00 210.00 300.00 42.90%
Seven Swans-a-Swimming 7,000.00 3,500.00 4,200.00 20.00%
Eight Maids-a-Milking 26.80 41.20 41.20 0.00%
Nine Ladies Dancing 1,511.50 4,400.13 4,576.14 4.00%
10 Lords-a-Leaping 1,679.45 4,039.08 4,039.00 0.00%
11 Pipers Piping 770.56 2,053.20 2,053.20 0.00%
12 Drummers Drumming 834.78 2,224.30 2,224.30 0.00%

Total Christmas Price Index 12,623.10 17,296.91 18,348.87 6.10%
True cost of Christmas in song 62,427.10 66,334.46 72,608.02 9.50%
"Core" index, excluding swans 13,796.91 14,148.87 2.60%

This year's headlines had an impact on the index. Avian flu? Those swans and geese are going to cost you more because of a spike in the price of large birds. And the French hens? You can't import them from France this year -- though there are domestic suppliers. Meanwhile, energy prices are driving up some delivery costs.

The bling will cost you more
The holiday survey is used as a tongue-in-cheek indicator of inflation, though this year's increase in the Christmas Index outpaces the government's measurement. PNC's Christmas Price Index is up 6.1% from 2004. The core Christmas index -- excluding the swans -- is up just 2.6% this year, though.Start investing with $100.

Inflation fears have stoked the price of gold, and so you'll have to dig a little deeper if you want those five gold rings. They'll cost you $325, up 27.5% from last year. The jump in price for those six geese -- up 42.9% to $300 -- outstripped even the hike in gold bands, though.

“The Christmas Price Index reflects the economic trends that we have witnessed during the past year,” Jeff Kleintop, chief investment strategist for PNC Advisors, said in a statement. “Not only are avian flu fears and fuel costs driving prices higher, but gold prices are also on the rise. Meanwhile, wages for skilled laborers are struggling to keep up with rising expenses.”

Not much to leap about
The prices in one area of the index seem to be holding steady. The wages of Maids-a-Milking, Lords-a-Leaping, Pipers Piping and Drummers Drumming did not budge in 2005, PNC Advisors reported, demonstrating that it was a difficult year to keep up with higher costs of living.

According to Philadanco, the Philadelphia Dance Company, the Nine Ladies Dancing received a pay raise of 4%, but they were the only lucky ones to get a raise this year.

PNC also checks the cost of Christmas on the Internet, which is significantly higher. The Christmas Internet Index rose 5.7% to $29,322.80 primarily because of shipping costs, up due to rising fuel prices, PNC said.

Any way you look at it, bringing the song to life is an expensive proposition, romantic though it may be. Maybe your true love would just rather have the cash.
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Furthermore I think to keep the milking maids price stable, you have to get them from China.

(What's Pennyiliu get a hissy fit).
 
How exactly do you calculate the costs of hiring a Lord or Lady, no matter what the activity they participate in?

I can see how you might fudge it, and count any woman as a "Lady," but there isn't an equivalent for 'Lords.' I suppose you would have to import them from the UK, at a cost likely more expensive than the rest of the list combined.
 
IIRC you can become a Baron, Baroness, Lord or Lady for GBP 50 in Sealand.

It's only aknowledged in the jurisdiction of Sealand, but hey, at least SOMEONE aknowledges your title.
 
There is always prostitution.

My wife asked if a Milking Maid is a woman who is lactating.

Leaping Lords- could be a reference to happy homosexuals.

Five golden rings- I thought were cheap.

Lady's Dancing- getting dancing girls is easy- just check your yellow pages. Or you could hire out strippers.

Drummers drumming- I am sure you could get a bunch of high school kids to play drums for a modest fee. Have them do a drumming competition- who could drum the best and loudest (you might not even have to pay them).

Pipers Piping- you might have to hire out from you local orchestra.

To be honest, I think you could probably do this on the cheap if you hire out a high school marching band.

Rather it is the French hens, turtle doves, etc- that will require you to make real payments.
 
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