If it’s the "thought that counts," think of buying all of the presents in the popular song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas." You could max out that credit card.
PNC Financial Services, which monitors such things annually, gives that a lot of thought. This year, the corporation
calculates that buying a partridge, a pear tree, golden rings, French hens and all of the other presents would cost $27,673.21, or more than half of the $52,000 median income of the American family.
That
price tag has risen $15,000 from when PNC’s predecessor, the Provident National Bank of Philadelphia, first compiled its annual Christmas shopping list in 1984.
That is the cost of buying the items on Main Street, shopping malls or wherever you would find 10 lords-a-leaping. If you purchase online, add another $15,285.86 for shipping and handling.
But wait. There’s more.
The task began as a way to fill time during "the traditionally light holiday weeks," the corporation said, explaining that it was the brainchild of a former chief economist. Since 1986, Rebekah McCahan, a vice president for investment strategies, has led "the team" in adding up the cost of the gifts. Her helpers are two other corporate vice presidents, James P. Dunigan and E. William Stone.
To compile the list, they shop around. The National Aviary in Pittsburgh estimated the cost of two turtle doves and seven swans-a-swimming. A national game-bird supplier provided the price of the partridge, a waterfowl farm the six geese-a-laying, a hatchery the three French hens, and a national pet chain the four calling birds (canaries).
The Cinnaminson Nurseries in New Jersey priced the pear tree, while a national jewelry firm provided the cost of five gold rings (14-carat, of course). A modern dance troupe in Philadelphia, PHILADANCO, offered the price of nine ladies dancing.
The cost of the eight maids-a-milking was calculated at minimum wage.
If you thought Christmas shopping was frantic enough, you haven’t even started with the days in the song, originally written in 1780 as a chant.
The 12 days begins Christmas morning and ends Jan. 5 on the eve of the eve of the Feast of the Epiphany.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.