'Twelve days of Christmas' up almost 11%

Bah humbug!

Given the economic downturn, even the most romantic might balk at the $86,609 price tag for the items in the carol "The Twelve Days of Christmas."

That's this year's cost, according to the annual "Christmas Price Index" compiled by PNC Financial Services Group Inc., which tallies the single partridge in a pear tree to the 12 drummers drumming, purchased repeatedly as the song suggests.

The price is up $8,508 or 10.9 percent, from $78,100 last year.

"True loves may take it on the chin for a peck on the cheek," said Jim Dunigan, managing executive of investment for PNC Wealth Management, which has been calculating the cost of Christmas since 1984.

In this tight economy, what's a romantic to do?