Were you one of those adventurous shoppers camping out overnight for lines at Best Buy, Walmart or Circuit City on Thanksgiving night trying to beat the Black Friday rush, or perhaps you got up before the paper boy delivered papers to hit the pavement in search of those Christmas treasures? Me I was sound asleep. Regardless when you started shopping, or if you have even started, it's doubtful any of us are trying to secure the gifts in the age old Christmas classic, "The Twelve Days of Christmas". In case you are, better pull out your wallet and credit cards.
According to the AP the price of the gifts listed in the famous Christmas carol have risen to over $78,000! In case you are wondering there are a total of 364 items in the song. 12 drummers drumming, etc., repeated for 12 days can get pricey. According to the annual PNC Christmas Price Index the cost is up 4% from last year's $75,122.
PNC calculates that buying each item in the song for just one day would cost $19,507. This year's minimum wage increase hiked the price of the "eight maids a milking" from $41 to $47, but according to Jim Dunigan of PNC Wealth Management the maids hadn't had a pay increase since 1997. The "five golden rings" still tops the list at $395.
Perhaps our quest for the "perfect" gift for someone special has neglected an even more costly and treasured gift-----the gift of self! The gift of presence (time) seems to be far more valuable and costly today than ever before. Yet, most of us spend a great deal of that time shopping to give things to people we dearly love, but spend less meaningful time with them once the gift has been opened. Perhaps we ought to consider giving fewer gifts and more of ourselves to those we love this Christmas. Call it cliche', trite, traditional, or old fashioned, but I really don't need another shirt, pair of slippers or an electronic gadget that has one more remote to add to the basket of them I'm still figuring out how to use. However, I would love to just spend an afternoon with my wife, kids, parents, siblings and other family who I rarely get to see. Now that is a most treasured gift!
Amazing that God gave first and all without Best Buy, Walmart, Circuit City, or any other retailer. And He gave the gift of presence. His presence! His Son, Jesus Christ! You can't top that with a Wii, or shiny new car. As we march through the stores this holiday season, may we all pause to reflect, remember, anticipate and look forward to God's gift of Advent, Jesus Christ! Okay, so where in the world do you go to find seven swans?
For more on this Christmas carol and others go to: http://www.carols.org.uk/the_twelve_days_of_christmas.htm
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