How much do the ‘12 Days of Christmas’ gifts cost in 2023? Hint: a lot
(NEXSTAR) – You would have to splurge a bit to buy your true love a partridge in a pear tree and two turtle doves in 2023.
The total cost of all the lavish gifts mentioned in the “Twelve Days of Christmas” carol reached an all-time high of $46,729.86 this year, according to PNC’s Christmas Price Index.
For 40 years, the financial services company has released its index as a tongue-in-cheek way to measure inflation. It’s based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index.
Take, for example, the partridge in a pear tree: It’s up 13.9% from last year because of the spiking cost of the tree it lives in (a proxy for housing costs). Meanwhile, the two turtle doves saw the highest price jump at 25%, which PNC said “reflects their rarity.”
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PNC’s first-ever Christmas Price Index, released in 1984, noted that the gifts would cost $20,069.58. Since then, its index has increased 133%. The Consumer Price Index, however, has increased 191%.
“The methodology differences are obviously going to give distinct results, but the overall inflation trends have remained remarkably consistent over the years,” Amanda Agati, chief investment officer for PNC’s Asset Management Group, said in a statement.
Year-over-year inflation didn’t hit every present outlined in the holiday classic. Though still relatively pricey, the calling birds, gold rings, swans-a-swimming, maids-a-milking, and ladies dancing cost the same as they did last year.
The Christmas Price Index
Gift | 2022 Price | 2023 Price | % Change |
One partridge in a pear tree | $280.18 | $319.18 | +13.9% |
Two turtle doves | $600.00 | $750.00 | +25% |
Three French hens | $318.75 | $330.00 | +3.5% |
Four calling birds | $599.96 | $599.96 | 0.0% |
Five gold rings | $1,245.00 | $1,245.00 | 0.0% |
Six geese-a-laying | $720.00 | $780.00 | +8.3% |
Seven swans-a-swimming | $13,124.93 | $13,125 | 0.0% |
Eight maids-a-milking | $58.00 | $58.00 | 0.0% |
Nine ladies dancing | $8,308.12 | $8,308.12 | 0.0% |
10 lords-a-leaping | $13,980.00 | $14,539.20 | +4% |
11 pipers piping | $3,021.40 | $3,207.38 | +6.2% |
12 drummers drumming | $3,266.93 | $3,468.02 | +6.2% |
Total Price | $45,523.27 | $46,729.86 | +2.7% |
If you think $46,729.86 is high, just wait until you see the “true cost of Christmas in a song,” which factors in every single time the gifts are repeated in the carol. That comes out to $210,972.66 for 364 total items.
It’s worth mentioning that despite the record-high price, the 2023 Christmas Price Index only increased by 2.7% from last year. That’s considerably lower than 2022’s 10.5% jump and aligns with how inflation has since cooled off.
Last month, inflation fell to 3%, the Associated Press reported, citing a government report. It reached 7.1% in November 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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