Popular Economics.

Byline: Josephine Valle-Sison

"... On the third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me... three French hens, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree!"

If one were to live by this classic Christmas carol, how much does Christmas cost to one's true love?

PNC Wealth Management in the US has been estimating the cost of the items in the song "Twelve Days of Christmas" in a whimsical Christmas Price Index. For this year, owing to the weak economy, the cost of Christmas as reflected in the PNC Christmas Price Index increased by a modest 1.8% compared to last year.

According to the 26th annual survey, the price tag of Christmas is estimated at …