[Missouri-l] The story about the 12 days of Christmas

[Nancy Lynn]

I got this from another list. Enjoy.

Here's the story which I found on MSNBC.  It mentions a 1.1% 
increase according to the CPI, so where's our SS increase!
Note the misspelling of partridge in the story, speaking of 
spelling.
Kathy
  US business
  '12 Days of Christmas' cost approaches $100K
Cost of 'The 12 Days of Christmas' items spikes this year, 
nearing $100,000
By JENNIFER C.  YATES
The Associated Press
PITTSBURGH -- In the unlikely event that your Christmas list this 
year includes every item mentioned in "The Twelve Days of 
Christmas," be prepared to pay nearly $100,000.
  Trying to buy the 364 items repeated in all the song's verses 
-- from 12 drummers drumming to a partridge in a pear tree -- 
would cost $96,824, an increase of 10.8 percent over last year, 
according to the annual Christmas Price Index compiled by PNC 
Wealth Management.
  So you might want to try for one of everything.  That would 
cost only $23,439, or 9.2 percent more than last year.
  The 27th annual holiday index has historically mirrored the 
national Consumer Price Index, but not this year.  The PNC 
Christmas Price Index grew 9.2 percent from last year, compared 
with just a 1.1 percent increase in the much broader Consumer 
Price Index.
  Jim Dunigan, managing executive of investment for PNC Wealth 
Management, said that's because the whimsical holiday price index 
looks at a much smaller group of goods and services.  Even within 
the index itself, there are some goods that have seen small 
increases and others that have seen larger ones, he said.
  Also, gold prices are high -- which pushed the cost of five 
gold rings up 30 percent to $649.95 -- as was the cost of hiring 
entertainers.  Not to mention the birds.
  "There's no doubt that our feathered friends in general make up 
a good portion of the increase," Dunigan said.  The price of feed 
and availability led to a 78.6 percent increase in the price of 
two turtle doves, to $100, and a whopping 233 percent increase in 
the cost of three french hens, to $150.
  Dunigan said that higher prices aren't necessarily a bad thing.
  "The good news is that the economy is improving, and we are 
starting to see some pockets of price increases, as long as the 
total basket is controlled," he said.
  Only four of the 12 gifts in the song didn't go up in price 
from last year: the pear tree ($149, not including the 
partridge), four calling birds ($599.96), six geese ($150) and 
the eight maids-a-milking ($58).



The most expensive item on the list was $6,294.03 to hire nine 
ladies dancing, a 15 percent increase from last year.  The 
cheapest was $12 for one patridge, a 20 percent increase.
  PNC Financial Services Group Inc.  checks jewelry stores, dance 
companies, pet stores and other sources to compile the list.  
Some of its sources this year include the National Aviary in 
Pittsburgh and the Philadelphia-based Pennsylvania Ballet 
Company.
  The annual index is also used in middle and high schools across 
the country to teach economic trends.