12 Days of Christmas - Hit by Inflation!

Jesus talked about our treasure and how we regard it in Matthew chapter 6 in the Sermon on the Mount:
19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  We can ask ourselves, how do we view our money?   Do we think of our financial resources as completely ours, to be spent in the way we want.   Or do we regard our money as belonging to God, and He has directed a use for 90%, after we give the first 10%, the firstfruits, to Him.   How we look at that important topic will determine so much about how we use what He has given to us.   And, especially this time of year, we have to be so careful to spend our dollars in a way that would be pleasing to Him - if we incur massive debt during the holidays, we can find ourselves in a less-than-optimal position after the first of the year.   Whether your an individual, a family, or a government - God's way is best:  honor Him with our finances, and don't spend more than you make!

Proverbs 3 encourages us to be wise and responsible stewards for the resources that God has given to us:
9 Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

Well, now that the whole 12-12-12 frenzy is over, we can settle into more serious business concerning the number 12 - that would be the "12 Days of Christmas".   The story is told that the song originated among Catholic youth, who were taught the catechism in England during a time when it was a crime to practice their faith.  The authenticity of that story is up for debate, although you could make the case that it could be a useful tool to teach elements of the Christian faith.    Some say it came from England, others attribute it to France.

It does make for good conversation and consideration.   For instance, have you thought about how much the 12 gifts could actually cost - and remember, according to the song, you have 12 packages of gifts - so that means 12 partridges, 22 turtle doves, and, of course, 40 golden rings!

According to FoxNews.com, the cost of buying all 364 items repeated throughout the timeless holiday carol has gone up 6.1 percent since last year, according to the annual Christmas Price Index compiled by PNC Wealth Management. And the new retail cost of $107,300 really hurts in the biggest U.S. cities, where state and local sales tax adds on as much as 9.5 percent.

The financial services company tracks the items - including gold rings (up big), swans (more expensive than you think) and maids a-milking (at minimum wage) as part of its Christmas price index. But it does not include sales tax.

The price of a pear tree is $189.99, an 11.8 percent jump from last year's $169.99. Five gold rings jumped 16.3 percent this year, to $750, and three French hens are now $165, instead of $150.
The $15 partridge is the cheapest item, and swans the most expensive, at $1,000 each.

Six items mentioned in the song haven't gone up in price: maids-a-milking, ladies dancing, lords-a-leaping, calling birds, turtle doves and the partridge. The eight maids-a-milking still cost just $58. Twelve drummers drumming ($2,775.50) and eleven pipers piping ($2,562) might also be considered relative bargains compared to seven swans, which will set you back $7,000. Nine ladies dancing will cost you $6,294.03.

A PNC spokesman said the 2011 drought caused the prices of some birds to soar, partly because of corn and other feed costs.

Oh, the cost of celebrating Christmas in the current economy!   Between the gifts and the decorations, the special events throughout the season, the gasoline to go to cantata practice or take kids to various performances - the cost of Christmas is not always merry and bright.   And, families are suffering this year, so you want to make sure that you are charitable this season.

Have you looked back at all you spent during the holidays, taken a deep breath in January, and then wondered how you're going to dig out from the Christmas spending spree.   Well, I could offer maybe one suggestion, that you'll hear so many financial experts talk about - yes, a spending plan, a budget.   You could even put money aside each month of the year - take your Christmas expenses and divide by 12.   You remember the old Christmas Club, when you would save at a local bank for Christmas gifts - same principle, and you could do it yourself.

We honor God through the way we care for His money, as a steward - we want to spend it well, and it's important that we control our spending, and make sure that we set aside money for giving to honor the One who gave His life.