Secrets of A Christmas Story

Fantasy gifts for 2011 unveiled in 'Christmas Book'

(NEWSER) - It’s that time of year again: time for Neiman Marcus to say, “Recession? What recession?” and urge you to purchase a $250,000 mahogany speedboat for your beloved this Christmas. Yes, the Christmas Book was unveiled yesterday. To really get into the holiday spirit, read on for the highlights, via AP :

• $1 million: A cool mil will get you a fountain, apparently with water that dances to music, installed in your home.
• $420,000: Private jet tour of European flower shows.

Six signs that the holiday season has gotten too impatient

(NEWSER) - It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas ... even though we're not yet past Thanksgiving. The Week pores through local papers to find six tales of Christmas coming too early this year:

• It's never too early for eggnog lattes: In Seattle , at least one Starbucks started selling seasonal drinks right after Halloween.
• It could, however, be too early for Christmas trees: In South Dakota , trees were already being sold this week—will they even make it all the way to Christmas?

Keep the inner spoiled brat at bay with these tips

(NEWSER) - With buildup for the holiday season at fever pitch by Halloween, it’s easy to see how kids are set up for disappointment when it comes time to open gifts. From Julie King and Joanna Faber , some tips to keep the inner spoiled brat at bay, not to mention avoid serious parental embarrassment:

• Talk about disappointment beforehand. Give the kids examples from your life, and figure out polite reactions to that ugly sweater from Aunt Pearl.

Online schemes take advantage of the holiday spirit

(NEWSER) - The holiday season brings out the best in online scammers. CNET runs down common schemes to beware of, courtesy of McAfee:

• Fake delivery invoices: They look like legit emails from UPS, Federal Express, and the like, asking for address confirmation and credit card info to ensure delivery.
• Holiday e-cards: Make sure you know the site before opening. This is a great way to get malware and all manners of unwanted advertising.
• Charity phishing: Again, appearances are deceiving, even if the email looks like it's from a real charity.

Recession killing to holiday cheer

(NEWSER) - If you dress up as Santa Claus for extra holiday holly, you may need a miracle on 34th Street to make it through Christmas. The recession has spread to the North Pole, reports the Boston Globe, as Santas-for-hire find less work due to scaled-back Christmas party budgets and report rising costs for everything from dry cleaning that red suit to candy canes. More»