It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Mrs. BA has a rule that you are not allowed to discuss Thanksgiving plans until Columbus Day and no talk about Christmas until Veterans Day. As a result, we have discussed our Thanksgiving plans and it looks like we will be home for that holiday. Christmas plans are only a murmur at this point, but they are likely to involve a trip to New York to see my father and hopefully, my brother, who will make the trip from Maine for a few days.

Well, folks, today is October 25 and Christmas is but two short months away. (You've already noticed the decorations in the stores, right? That started in September, but don't get me started.) The economy is still struggling and people are already bargain hunting for what to buy this year. If you have survived the economic downturn and have a little extra folding money, the Annual Neiman Marcus Christmas Book is out (and even that shows some signs of belt tightening). But there are still those luxury gifts. Feel free to reward the Brave Astronaut in your life.

• Customized Cupcake Car - put on your matching hat, slip under the muffin top of your Cupcake Car, and let the world figure itself out for awhile. Get (or give) the sheer, joyful chaos of a gift that is mind-blowing, triple-dog-dare, double-infinity forever cool. Make the kids or grandkids literally squeal with joy. Bring it to work and buzz the breakroom. Crash parades! Putter about the ‘hood. Ever had a crowd of kids chasing after you just for the crazy gleeful heck of it? (No worries, the top speed is a comfy-safe 7 mph.) What’s it made of? A 24-volt electric motor, a heavy-duty battery, sheet metal, wire, fabric, wood . . . and mad genius. Launched at Burning Man as a cooperative art car project, the Cupcake Car sprang from the fevered mind of Bay Area artist Lisa Pongrace and her less-rules-more-laughs posse of artists and techno geeks. Yours will be tricked out with your favorite topping, so start thinking flavors. Price $25,000.00
• Algonquin Round Table Experience - Imagine hosting the brightest minds of modern literature, journalism, and the arts. An exclusive private dinner party of fine food, engaging wit, and sparkling conversation at New York City’s legendary, literary Algonquin Hotel. You and a guest will be part of an extraordinary gathering drawn from this impressive array of literati (possible attendees: Christopher Buckley, Roz Chast, Delia Ephron, Nora Ephron, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Malcolm Gladwell, Adam Gopnik, John Lithgow, Anna Deavere Smith, George Stephanopoulos, Ali Wentworth). This evening promises to be one for the books. Price $200,000.00
• Hall Artisan Wine and Art Experience - Kathryn and Craig Hall have spent the past 15 years perfecting precision winemaking using artisan standards, small-vine viticulture, and Earth-friendly practices. For wine and art aficionados, we offer a unique immersion into the art of great winemaking. You and a guest can learn organic, artisan winemaking firsthand, tour the estates, enjoy tastings of exclusive private vintages—and have the singular chance to create your own personal vintage in a private blending session led by HALL Winemaker Steve Leveque. There’s also a personal tour of the Halls’ world-class contemporary art collection with Kathryn as your guide, and in the evening, Kathryn will host a private gourmet dinner and wine event at the winery’s breathtaking Rutherford Estate cave. Your luxury accommodations at the Auberge Resorts Calistoga Ranch will include activities customized for you and your guest. The best part: after your custom blend has aged in French oak barrels, your personal cuvée will be bottled and delivered to you. Available separately: an exclusive selection of handcrafted Cabernet Sauvignons from the Halls’ personal collection, not available to the general public. Price $20,000.00
• The 2010 Jaguar XJL Supercharged Neiman Marcus Edition - Unveiled to the world this summer, the Jaguar XJ flagship line has been totally re-imagined from the ground up—and is the star of the international auto industry. Presenting the heart-racing mix of next-generation engineering and world-class luxury that is ours exclusively: the 2010 Jaguar XJL Supercharged Neiman Marcus Edition. The challenge: Only 50 will ever exist. The reward: One of them could be yours. Let’s start with the all-new frame. It is pressure cast from aluminum and magnesium to give the XJL a strong, light architecture that improves fuel efficiency and structural rigidity. The new panoramic safety-glass roof provides a tremendous sense of spaciousness in the cabin and an amazing view for every trip. The powertrain? A new third-generation supercharged 5-liter V8 that delivers 470 horsepower. The Jaguar Sequential ShiftTM six-speed ZF automatic transmission adapts to its driver, with wheel-mounted shift paddles and Sport, Standard, and Winter modes. So, let’s give you a taste of the intuitive technology. Instead of dull dials, there’s an interactive 12.3" high-def screen to display all the pertinent info in your line of vision. An integrated navigation and entertainment system is at your fingertips to access audio, Bluetooth, hard-drive based GPS navigation, and climate control systems via touch screen or by speaking your commands into the Interactive Voice system. There’s a media hub with docks for MP3 players and USB devices, a Bowers & Wilkins 1,200-watt premium sound system with Dolby ProLogic IIx Surround Sound and an aural-inspiring 20 speakers throughout the cabin. Let’s see: massaging front seats, electric sun blind, heated steering wheel, four-zone climate control, integrated security system—we could go on forever. Our Neiman Marcus edition also features an exclusive Celestial Black metallic paint outside and the NM nameplate on the custom interior intaglio, of course. Dazzling 20" double-10 spoke polished alloy wheels complete the exterior. Inside, there’s a custom interior of butter-soft navy and ivory leather and Zebrano matte wood accents. Other refined details of our automotive masterpiece include illuminated tread plates and trunk finisher. We’ll even throw in a five-piece set of matching Jaguar luggage, in navy blue leather. Did we already mention that only 50 will ever exist? Just checking. MSRP $105,000.00
• Maker's Mark Master Distiller Experience - Any whiskey aficionado will tell you it is perfection in amber. Maker's Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is handmade in small quantities of just 19 barrels, each batch distilled and aged with the same exacting standards the Samuels family has passed down for seven generations. As Master Distillers for a day, you and a friend will have an all-access VIP experience like no other, with Master Distiller Kevin Smith as your host. You will participate in the unique whiskey-making process step by step, for an insider’s look at how every detail makes every glass a special occasion. This gift experience includes a two-bottle memento of the rarest Maker’s Mark bottles ever: Two golden bottles will be etched with your likeness and dipped in gold wax with 24-kt. gold flecks. You’ll also get to hand dip six of your own 375ml Maker’s Mark bottles in signature red wax and take them home. The experience includes luxury accommodations in Louisville and a gourmet dinner hosted by Bill Samuels, Jr. (the top dog at Maker’s Mark). Price $7,500.00 [the bargain of the luxury gifts!]