Twelve Days

Every year a bank in Pittsburgh tabulates the cost of purchasing the items of the Twelve Days of Christmas, this year the total comes to $66,334, an increase from the $65,264 the items would have cost last year.

What I found to be particularly interesting is the difference between the cost of the nine ladies dancing verses the eight maids-a-milking. Each dancer is paid around $488.89 where as one maid-a-milking earns the sum of $5.15. The article continues describing how skilled work has steadily increased in wages where as the unskilled labor of a milkmaid has remained low over the years.

Also touched upon is the declining US dollar when comparing the cost of three French hens, last year they totaled $15 now the trio comes to $45.

Why do you think giving the Twelve Days has increased $1070 over one year?

The article can be found at Yahoo! via the following:
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041129/ap_on_bi_ge/twelve_days_cost