Trying to Keep Up? ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ with Today’s Price Tag

We’ve all heard the classic holiday song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas”, although I would be hard pressed to repeat all the different items bought by True Love without a little help. But this year, according to the LA Times, anyone trying to match that gift giving item for item will be spending more than ever before.

Let’s review the items given by the very affectionate True Love.

• Partridge in a Pear Tree
• Two Turtle Doves
• Three French Hens
• Four Calling Birds
• Five Golden Rings
• Six Geese-a-Laying
• Seven Swans-a-Swimming
• Eight Maids-a-Milking
• Nine Ladies Dancing
• Ten Lords-a-Leaping
• Eleven Pipers Piping
• Twelve Drummers Drumming

In order to buy all the items, it would cost $25,431.18, according to a survey from PNC Wealth Management. And online shipping charges would raise the total to $40,440. For those who add up the items every time they are listed in the song’s verses, the 364 items would cost $107,300.24 this year. That’s a big chunk of change, especially in today’s economy.

So how could you recreate your own “The Twelve Days of Christmas” on a budget? A visit to a pet store might lend realism to the bird items. You may not want to buy all those birds listed, nor could you afford to, with the drought this summer making feed prices and the bird prices rise more sharply than other items on the list. 

Five golden rings might be a bit much on the pocketbook, but you could pick up one golden ring at Jenkins Jewelers.

I’m not sure that you can find eight maids-a-milking at many dairies anymore where machines do much of the heavy work, but I would substitute any ice cream shop. There you are sure to find a maid or two scooping up tasty treats that you can enjoy at Cocoa Bean, Bittersweet Café, Hogan Brothers or Culver's.

The last four items could easily be found at entertainment venues. During the holiday season, holiday concerts often feature dancing ladies, leaping lords, pipers piping and drummers drumming. Check with you local schools and auditoriums for a fun night out. 

Your “Twelve Days of Christmas” may not have quite the dramatic presentation of the original, but taking time to try any of these ideas would certainly create a unique holiday experience.

Follow Northfield Patch on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our daily newsletter