The CPI was started in 1984 and surveys the cost of the gifts given by True Love in the song "Twelve days of Christmas". In 1984 the cost was USD 12,673.56.
James Dunigan, managing executive of investments for PNC Wealth Management said:
"This year's jump in the PNC CPI can be attributed to rising gold commodity prices, represented by the Five Gold Rings which went up by 30 percent, in addition to higher costs for wages and benefits impacting some entertainers"
PNC goes on to say:
"The PNC CPI's surge is in marked contrast to the [US] government's CPI, which grew a mere 1.1 percent, illustrating the difference in size of the two baskets of goods and services."
Whilst the milkmaid's minimum wage did not increase "the prices for birds flew higher in this year's index, in part due to the costs of feed as well as the availability and demand for certain feathered friends that amplified several prices. The Two Turtle Doves increased 78.6 percent to $100 and the Three French hens surged 233 percent to $150. The Partridge in a Pear Tree is up 1.3 percent to $161. But the partridge alone was up 20 percent to $12 and the pear tree is identical to a year ago at $149."
The full tab for True Love who gifts all of the 364 items according to the song's verses is USD 96,824. Shopping on the internet only makes matters worse. True Love will have to pay USD 34,336 compared with USD 23,439 for just one purchase of the items - USD 11,000 more than this year's traditional index:
"In general, Internet prices are higher than their non-Internet counterparts because of shipping costs for birds and the convenience factor of shopping online" Dunigan said.
But that is mere pennies compared to the items that True Love has to buy in an updated version of the song composed and presented by the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre (The 12 Days Of Christmas - Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre - YouTube
https://youtu.be/uPMDoKpgKGA)
This is a difficult calculation to make as there are regional differences, for example house prices. Also, what car is True Love prepared to buy? A rock bottom of the market second hand banger or a Lamborghini? How much would assorted bling cost, assuming that True Love did not aim a brick at a jeweller's windows? And it's probably best not to enquire too deeply as to how much the lap dancers or a knighthood would cost. Nevertheless, after lengthy discussions with colleagues, who wish to remain anonymous, we have come up with the cost of the modern True Love's Christmas:
One gifting of the items listed in the 'Socks' video: GBP 258,132 or USD 407,920
Gifting of all the items according to all of the verses: GBP 1,055,646 or USD 1,668,214
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