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☖ Forums → Discussion Forum → The cost of Christmas
The cost of Christmas
2009-12-29, 11:19 AM #1
I bet you're all enjoying the heightened economic activity of the season, but don't you wish Christmas had more graphs?

It's that time of year to consult the Christmas Price Index! You may have seen this, since 1984 the PNC Financial Services has been measuring the cost of buying each gift in the 12 Days of Christmas carol. More specifically,
  • The one pear tree comes from a local Philadelphia nursery
  • One partridge, two turtle dove, and three French hen prices are determined by the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden
  • The price of four canaries at Petco is used for the calling bird
  • Gordon Jewelers sets the cost of the FIVE GOLD RINGS
  • The six geese and seven swans prices are set by the National Aviary in Pittsburgh
  • The eight maids are assumed to be unskilled laborers earning the Federal Minimum Wage
  • A Philadelphia dance company provides estimates for the salary of nine ladies dancing
  • The Philadelphia Ballet sets the salary for the ten leaping lords
  • The going-rate for the eleven pipers and twelve drummers is that of a Pennsylvania musicians' union

[http://dol.sd.gov/lmic/pdfs_and_other_files/lbartdec08graph1.gif]

This year, the total cost is $87,403 up 1.83% since last year. The most expensive item is the services of the nine dancing ladies at $5,473 per performance, closely followed by the seven swans at $5,250 - expensive because of a volatile supply and demand.

If you were thinking of ordering these online, you'd pay an additional $10,000 for shipping costs for the birds.

While interesting and amusing, it also reflects the growth of the service sector in the US market, as the price of labour has increased but the price of goods has largely fallen (with the exception of the gold rings).
"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. " - Bertrand Russell
The Triumph of Stupidity in Mortals and Others 1931-1935
2009-12-29, 11:23 AM #2
I love graphs - but can we see this in pie chart form? :D
2009-12-29, 11:23 AM #3
What dropped in price so much in 1995 to cause that huge dip?
2009-12-29, 11:30 AM #4
Originally posted by Darth:
What dropped in price so much in 1995 to cause that huge dip?


The volatile cost of swans. And the impact of the internet, probably.
"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. " - Bertrand Russell
The Triumph of Stupidity in Mortals and Others 1931-1935
2009-12-29, 12:09 PM #5
A friend of mine told me a story in which is mother drop kicked a swan. :huh:
Bassoon, n. A brazen instrument into which a fool blows out his brains.
2009-12-29, 7:20 PM #6
I wish there was a way to rate posts, instead of me just saying "wow, that was +5 cool".

I love visual displays of oddball information.
2009-12-29, 10:00 PM #7
This has amused me.

I approve!
Code to the left of him, code to the right of him, code in front of him compil'd and thundered. Programm'd at with shot and $SHELL. Boldly he typed and well. Into the jaws of C. Into the mouth of PERL. Debug'd the 0x258.
2009-12-29, 10:02 PM #8
Originally posted by Lord Kuat:
I wish there was a way to rate posts, instead of me just saying "wow, that was +5 cool".

I love visual displays of oddball information.


We can have a goldmine and a gas chamber too!
2009-12-30, 2:38 PM #9
Originally posted by Lord Kuat:
I wish there was a way to rate posts, instead of me just saying "wow, that was +5 cool".

I love visual displays of oddball information.


There was a way to rate threads. It was used so little that I removed it, as it was more of a distraction than anything.
2009-12-30, 3:24 PM #10
And it would probably get abused if you could down rate.
2009-12-30, 3:33 PM #11
SA can handle it, I think Massassi is a bit more mature and close-knit.
2009-12-30, 3:54 PM #12
[http://12.media.tumblr.com/l10R1s7AAn3i0dnbuTWKDkDFo1_500.png]
If you think the waiters are rude, you should see the manager.
2009-12-30, 5:16 PM #13
Originally posted by Tibby:
SA can handle it, I think Massassi is a bit more mature and close-knit.


There's a thread in the Forum of ****** that begs to differ.
the idiot is the person who follows the idiot and your not following me your insulting me your following the path of a idiot so that makes you the idiot - LC Tusken
2010-01-04, 4:43 PM #14
I discovered this amusing and relevant reinterpretation of said song from The Socialist Party of North Carolina

Originally posted by Melvin Little:
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me an impoverished society of established plutocracy.

On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me the working class consciousness that something is wrong, and an impoverished society of established plutocracy.

On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me the rise of the trade union movement, the working class consciousness that something is wrong, and an impoverished society of established plutocracy.

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me the writings of Karl Marx as well as the social gospel of the progressive faction of the Jewish and Christian faith, the rise of the trade union movement, the working class consciousness that something is wrong, and an impoverished society of established plutocracy.

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me the establishment of a social-democratic or labor-party, the writings of Karl Marx as well as the social gospel of the progressive faction of the Jewish and Christian faith, the rise of the trade union movement, the working class consciousness that something is wrong, and an impoverished society of established plutocracy.

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me the rise of the current Socialist (Second) International, the establishment of a social-democratic or labor-party, the writings of Karl Marx as well as the social gospel of the progressive faction of the Jewish and Christian faith, the rise of the trade union movement, the working class consciousness that something is wrong, and an impoverished society of established plutocracy.

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me the masses joining the movement (and scaring the various liberal-parties), the rise of the current Socialist (Second) International, the establishment of a social-democratic or labor-party, the writings of Karl Marx as well as the social gospel of the progressive faction of the Jewish and Christian faith, the rise of the trade union movement, the working class consciousness that something is wrong, and an impoverished society of established plutocracy.

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me the defeat of fascism and principled opposition to authoritarian communism, the masses joining the movement (and scaring the various liberal-parties), the rise of the current Socialist (Second) International, the establishment of a social-democratic or labor-party, the writings of Karl Marx as well as the social gospel of the progressive faction of the Jewish and Christian faith, the rise of the trade union movement, the working class consciousness that something is wrong, and an impoverished society of established plutocracy.

On the 9th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me the electoral victory of the various social-democratic or labor-parties, the defeat of fascism and principled opposition to authoritarian communism, the masses joining the movement (and scaring the various liberal-parties), the rise of the current Socialist (Second) International, the establishment of a social-democratic or labor-party, the writings of Karl Marx as well as the social gospel of the progressive faction of the Jewish and Christian faith, the rise of the trade union movement, the working class consciousness that something is wrong, and an impoverished society of established plutocracy.

On the 10th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me the establishment of the mixed economy welfare state/socialized medicine/public services, the electoral victory of the various social-democratic or labor-parties, the defeat of fascism and principled opposition to authoritarian communism, the masses joining the movement (and scaring the various liberal-parties), the rise of the current Socialist (Second) International, the establishment of a social-democratic or labor-party, the writings of Karl Marx as well as the social gospel of the progressive faction of the Jewish and Christian faith, the rise of the trade union movement, the working class consciousness that something is wrong, and an impoverished society of established plutocracy.

On the 11th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me civil liberties reforms such as abolition of the death penalty as well as opposition to racism, anti-Semitism, sexism, and homophobia, the establishment of the mixed economy welfare state/socialized medicine/public services, the electoral victory of the various social-democratic or labor-parties, the defeat of fascism and principled opposition to authoritarian communism, the masses joining the movement (and scaring the various liberal-parties), the rise of the current Socialist (Second) International, the establishment of a social-democratic or labor-party, the writings of Karl Marx as well as the social gospel of the progressive faction of the Jewish and Christian faith, the rise of the trade union movement, the working class consciousness that something is wrong, and an impoverished society of established plutocracy.

On the 12th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me the various leftist governments across the world that opposes the right-wing agenda of the George W. Bush Administration's attempt of being the global schoolyard bully, civil liberties reforms such as abolition of the death penalty as well as opposition to racism, anti Semitism, sexism, and homophobia, the establishment of the mixed economy welfare state/socialized medicine/public services, the electoral victory of the various social-democratic or labor-parties, the defeat of fascism and principled opposition to authoritarian communism, the masses joining the movement (and scaring the various liberal-parties), the rise of the current Socialist (Second) International, the establishment of a social-democratic or labor-party, the writings of Karl Marx as well as the social gospel of the progressive faction of the Jewish and Christian faith, the rise of the trade union movement, the working class consciousness that something is wrong, and an impoverished society of established plutocracy..


Now this 12 days sounds a lot better than just receiving a ****load of birds every day.
"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. " - Bertrand Russell
The Triumph of Stupidity in Mortals and Others 1931-1935
2010-01-05, 7:15 AM #15
Originally posted by Michael MacFarlane:
[http://12.media.tumblr.com/l10R1s7AAn3i0dnbuTWKDkDFo1_500.png]


I need to start watching that show again. I stopped after season 2. (And shame on my because I have season 3 sitting right here in my DVD rack.)
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