Here is a little seasonal tidbit underlining a very practical reason for making this holiday season (& every gifting occasion, for that matter) a "Handmade Affair".
Thank you to The Press-Enterprise , a California based online newspaper, for the following vital information.
The Real Cost of Cheer For The 12 Days of Christmas
The holiday song "The
Twelve Days of Christmas" presents a daunting shopping list for a "true
love" trying to impress the object of his or her affection ... to deliver the cavalcade of gifts,
the rock-bottom price would be about $9,800 (taxes not included). And for someone who really wants to make an impression (perhaps by
providing a pond to accommodate those 7 swans a-swimming), the cost
can soar to more than $27,000. 
Here is an itemized list of the gifts described in the song, complete with prices 1. A Partridge In A Pear Tree
costs $62.99 - $104.99, depending on the tree size. A pear tree
from Parkview Nursery in Riverside, CA costs $27.99 for a 5-gallon
container or $69.99 for a 15-gallon container. Christie Price, manager
of Magnolia Bird Farm in Riverside, CA says a partridge will cost you $35.
2. Two turtle doves, also available at Magnolia Bird Farm, will cost you $20 for a pair. 3.
There are several kinds of French hens, but Marans hens run about $40
each at Ham & Eggs Ranch in Norco, CA, according to owner Celeste
Tittle. For 3 French Hens, figure $120. 4. "Calling birds" actually began as "colly" or "collie" birds, meaning
blackbirds. More specifically, "colly" refers to black as coal. The
song refers to the European blackbird. Frank Miser, owner of Magnolia
Bird Farm, said the closest bird he'd have to the blackbird would be
the European gold finch, which runs $40-$50 each. For 4 Calling Birds, a minimum of $160. 5.
One golden ring will run you about $70, according to Larry Zeidel,
owner of Canyon Crest Jewelers in Riverside, CA. But he'd cut you a break
if you wanted to follow the song. "If you got 5 of them, then I
would give you a discount," Zeidel said, citing the possible new price
as $55 per ring. So 5 Golden Rings would cost at least $275. 6. Six Geese A-Laying
- on a plate, that is - will run about $4.99 a pound at Jensen's
Fine Foods locations, said Mike Clayton, the meat & seafood manager
at the Jensen's in Palm Springs, CA. A majority of ready-to-cook geese
weigh between 10 - 14 pounds, according to RoastGoose.com, so 6
geese would cost between $299.40 - $419.16. 7. Seven Swans A-Swimming cost $2,800 shipped by Knox Swan & Dog of Illinois. Owner Bob
Knox says 1-year-old mute swans need a 20-ft-diameter pond.
Don't have one? Waterscape Garden Designs of Temecula, CA can build it for $15,000-$17,000, according to owner Gloria Gaut. 8.
Should eight maids decide to become dairy workers & do some milking,
their salaries would average $2,100 each per month, according to the
CA Department of Food & Agriculture Dairy Marketing Branch in
Sacramento. That works out to about $840 for 8 Maids A-Milking for a day. 9. For 9 Ladies Dancing,
you can book 9 of the California Riverside Ballet's top dancers for
$45 per hour, according to past president & board member Kathie
Westly. So for $405 per hour, your 12 days of Christmas will have nine
of the best dancers California has to offer. 10. Apparently, 10 Lords A-Leapin'
refers to the 10 Commandments. You can't put a price on that, but we've
done the next best thing. A trip to Lakers-Suns game in Los Angeles to see 10 big men shooting & leaping on the
basketball court will cost a minimum of $327.80 for a family of
four. 11. Wayne Hinton, executive
director of the Riverside County Philharmonic, says professional
orchestra musicians usually get paid $150 each for a 2½-hour private
engagement. So 11 Pipers Piping will set you back $1,650. 12. Dream of the islands on Christmas morning with 12 Drummers Drumming
on steel drums. A three-hour performance by AND Productions, based in Los Angeles, will run
$2,850.
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