The Cost Of ‘12 Days Of Christmas’ Reaches Record High

Previously unissued photo dated 18/12/12 of two turtle doves, pictured at the Glasgow Museum Resource Centre, representing the Two Turtle Doves during a Twelve Days of Christmas themed tour organised by the museum. The turtle dove is a species that mates for life, so the giving of two turtle doves could be a way the lover is expressing his intention of love and marriage. While the other six birds sung about in the song probably ended up on the table, the turtle doves would have been delivered to one’s lover live and in a cage to be kept as pets for enjoyment. (Photo by Danny Lawson/PA Images via Getty Images)

The annual gift-giving ritual outlined by “The 12 Days of Christmas” now costs more than ever before.

Purchasing a partridge in a pear tree, two turtle doves, and the other gifts mentioned in the classic song would run a gift-giver $46,729.86 this year, according to PNC Financial Services’ 2023 Christmas Price Index. That’s 2.7 percent higher than it was last year, and 13.2 percent costlier than it was in 2021, the index reveals.

Still, it would cost a whole lot more to truly pay homage to the song. If one listens to the lyrics, it’s clear that the each gift is given every day, with another added. In other words, there are a total of 12 partridges in pear trees, 22 turtle doves and so on. To purchase all of those items, one would have to shell out $210,972.66 – surpassing the $200,000 mark for the first time ever, per PNC.

Can one actually buy maids a-milking and lords a-leaping?