On the Twelfth Day …

It is on Epiphany, the 12th day of Christmas, that “my true love sent to me, 12 drummers drumming, 11 pipers piping, ten lords a’leaping” and so forth. The gifts described in the song would cost $107,300 since by the twelfth day 364 presents would have been delivered, according to PNC Wealth Management’s annual "Christmas Price Index." The recipient would have to rent a storage unit and a lake to contain the bounty, notes Scott Meslow at This Week. The 42 total swans given (six per day for seven days) are the most expensive gift at $1,000 each or $42,000. The tab dips slightly if you agree with Mike Bergin of the 10,000 Birds website that the "five golden rings" are ring-necked pheasants, not jewelry (the recipient ends up with 40 of them as well as 40 maids a’milking). He also says it’s not "four calling birds," but actually "four colly birds" (and a total of 36 of them by the end of the song) – blackbirds.