Pear Trees: Up 44%

Posted at 8:35 PM on December 6, 2006 by John Birge

PITTSBURGH, Nov. 27, 2006 The 22nd Christmas Price Index finds the cost of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” is $18,920 in 2006, up 3.1% over last year. Jeff Kleintop, chief investment strategist for PNC Wealth Management says: “After years of stagnation, wages for skilled workers, including the song’s dancers and musicians, have increased as the labor market has tightened. The largest dollar increase this year resulted from rising labor costs – exceeding the rate of inflation for the first time in years. Nine Ladies Dancing earned $4,759, 4 percent more than in 2006, compared to a raise of 3 percent for Lords-a-Leaping. The musicians, Drummers Drumming and Pipers Piping, earned 3.4 percent more compared with 2005. Maids-a-Milking, who are paid the minimum wage, were the only service providers not to see an increase this year. Also, Pear Tree prices increased 44 percent from last year. The total cost of items gifted by a True Love who repeats all of the song’s verses is $75,122.

Full details and spreadsheet available here.