The 'Happy-new-year-inflation-markup' Syndrome

"Happy New Year everyone!!!" "May you get whatever it is you wish for.." "3......2....1.....0....Hurraayyyy!!" And then the day comes around and you go to the kiosk to buy a carton of milk, and when you go to pay for it, you suddenly hear the price and you think you might have a hearing problem; so you ask the kiosk owner to repeat the price to you, and then lo and behold the price is 50 cents over the price you were used to paying for it. And then you throw it back and go to the supermarket and you find out that the price has been marked-up there as well. The day continues on and you get awe struck at some of the things that you were normally used to paying and that now, the same people that wished you a 'happy-new-year' actually 'Yipiekaiyed' you up the butt with their 'markup-boot.'
What's their excuse, you say? "Well, it's a new year...so we have to follow the percentage spikes, and in order to leverage our businesses to meet the growing expenses that the government puts on us we have to shoot up our prices, etc, etc..." But what gets me the most out this yearly phenomenon is that Greece tends to raise the bar on what they feel should be the proper gradient for the inflationary percentage. Every aspect of business, both public and private, alter their prices to meet their own demands and not those of the populace. Tourism tends to suffer as a result, which causes foreigners to get hoodwinked into these price waves; and this causes Greece's reputation to worsen. But, who's to care? As long as the rich and powerful continue getting more mighty and the middle/lower classes become extinct(forcing some to flee like refugees), they feel they've got nothing to lose since they're(the government) part of the elite class of people who make the rules bend in their favor.
I recall going to the metro to go to work, and as I approached the ticket counter to pay for my ticket I overheard the person in front of me angrily shout at the guy for the 20 cent markup. And as he calmed his nerves he jokingly asked him(the ticket issuer), "I'm assuming this markup will mean that you guys will be getting paid more this year - right?" And the guy issuing the tickets laughed and said, "yeah, if only it were like that." "What a load of cr&p," I muttered to myself that morning; and on my way to work I reflected on what the guy had said and how unfair it is when you compare the compensation you receive from work. Anyway...enough of my whining.