The price of geese is skyrocketing. Milkmaids, drummers and pipers are demanding higher wages. Fears of inflation are driving the price of gold rings up.

For true loves, it all adds up to the most expensive Christmas ever.

That’s according to the PNC Christmas Price Index, an annual tongue-in-cheek look at the cost of the gifts outlined in the classic holiday song “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” According to PNC Wealth Management, the cost of those 12 gifts will come to a combined $19,507 this year, a 3.1 percent increase over 2006. Folks who repeat all of the verses of the song will receive 364 gifts from their true loves. PNC estimates the combined cost of those gifts will hit $78,100 this year, up from $75,122 in 2006.

“Increased commodities prices, concerns about the value of the dollar and the first minimum wage increase in 10 years were major factors in the increases,” said James Dunigan, PNC’s managing executive of investments.

Guess I’ll stick with fruitcake.