December 2006 President's Message
Patricia Moran
 Dear Colleagues,
December is the busiest month of the year and more so for fundraisers. As we prepare for the New Year, we are busy closing gifts and receipting the end-of-year rush of charitable giving. I hope you will enjoy the holiday season—a special time to renew our bonds with family and friends.
As busy as you are with gift receipting and gift giving, I thought you might enjoy learning about the True Cost of Christmas. Each year at the start of the holiday season, PNC1 calculates the cost of Christmas. For 22 years, the Christmas Price Index provides a perspective on the events and news that has shaped our economy during the year. The Christmas Index is the total cost of items gifted by a “true love” who repeats all of the song’s verses. As we close out 2006, I wanted to share with you the findings of this year’s Index.
| |
2005 |
2006 |
| One Partridge in a Pear Tree |
$104.99 |
$144.99 |
| Two Turtle Doves |
40.00 |
40.00 |
| Three French Hens |
45.00 |
45.00 |
| Four Calling Birds |
399.96 |
479.96 |
| Five Golden Rings |
325.00 |
325.00 |
| Six Geese-a-Laying |
300.00 |
300.00 |
| Seven Swans-a-Swimming |
4,200.00 |
4,200.00 |
| Eight Maids-a-Milking |
41.20 |
41.20 |
| Nine Ladies Dancing |
4,576.14 |
4,759.19 |
| Ten Lords-a-Leaping |
4,039.08 |
4,160.25 |
| Eleven Pipers Piping |
2,053.20 |
2,124.00 |
| Twelve Drummers Drumming |
2,224.30 |
2,301.00 |
| Total Christmas Price Index |
$18,348.87 |
$18,920.59 |
Speaking for the board of directors of the Greater New York Chapter of Association of Fundraising Professionals, I wish you all the happy things this very special holiday brings and best wishes for 2007.
Patricia A. Moran, CFRE
Fordham University
This message is part of this month’s newsletter, which is available online. Please click here to read Fundraising News.
1The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (www.pnc.com) is one of the nation’s largest diversified financial services organizations providing retail and business banking; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management; asset management and global fund services. |
