The '12 Days of Christmas' will cost you around 7% more this year.

A cool $1,000 staring right at you.

If you're looking for something to buy for that difficult person on your holiday shopping list, there's always the list from the '12 Days of Christmas.'

Based on a purchase of one set of everything mentioned lyrically in the song--from partridges in pear trees to leapin' lords--you'll spend $27,393, according to PNC Wealth Management. That's an increase of 7.7%.

But if you'd like to buy the entire list as many times as the lyrics repeat, it'll set you back $114,651, or just an increase of 6.9%.

The increase is largely due to the nine ladies dancing and ten lords leaping, whose prices have increased 20% and 10%, respectively.

Most expensive? Swans. They go for $1,000 a pop. The cheapest? Maids a'milking. They're a bargain at $58, based on the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hr.

If poverty stricken farm hands don't warm the cockles of your heart on Christmas day, nothing will.




photo: Scientific American