December 2009 Comment:
Given gold's persistently climbing price from year to year for the past decade, Santa can be imagined saying with a sigh, "Go buy it yourself!"

And frankly, from an investment standpoint, that's not a bad idea at all -- gold outshines its Christmas peers (not to mention much on Wall Street, too.)

'12 Days of Christmas' will cost you $87,403
Partridge, pear tree prices decline, but gold surge pushes up index

Nov 30, 2009 (Associated Press) -- Making one's true love happy will cost a whopping $87,403 this year, a small increase from last year, according to the latest cost analysis of the items in the carol "The Twelve Days of Christmas."

That's the grand total for the single partridge in a pear tree to the 12 drummers drumming, purchased repeatedly as the song suggests, according to the annual "Christmas Price Index" compiled by PNC Wealth Management.

Jim Dunigan, managing executive of investment for PNC Wealth Management, which has been calculating the cost of Christmas since 1984, attributed the modest increase to lower energy costs and fewer wage increases.

The price is up a mere $794, or less than 1 percent, from $86,609 last year. [...] It's the smallest increase since 2002, when the cost actually decreased, according to PNC. The main driver behind the higher cost is that the price of gold has increased 43 percent, bringing the five gold rings up $150 to $500.

PNC Financial Services Group Inc. checks jewelry stores, dance companies, pet stores and other sources to compile the list.

While it is done humorously, PNC said its index mirrors real economic trends. Besides putting out the list for fun, PNC makes it available to teachers across the country to teach economic trends.

While it's unlikely anyone would buy the items, Dunigan said one item is likely to please.

"We don't necessarily suggest picking just one, but it's hard to believe that gold rings wouldn't lead the list on a year-to-year basis," Dunigan said.

Long before you find that you've run out of vacant fingers, toes, ears and noses to accommodate those rings, get more gold for your buck with a focus on gold coins and bullion!