Neiman 'Fantasy Gift' Pricetags Plummet to Mere $250K

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.

Welcome back, ridiculous $1 million-plus offerings!

(NEWSER) - Well, the economy must be getting better: Neiman Marcus has returned to the practice of putting $1 million-and-higher items in its annual Christmas catalog. Specifically, you can have Dale Chihuly transform your swimming pool into a work of art for $1.5 million. Last year, such items were bumped from the catalog in favor of slightly more budget-friendly fare ... like a $250,000 two-seater plane. More»

Construction toy sales booming, but then you have to build them

(NEWSER) - Toys that required assembly were once an end in themselves, and their elaborate instructions made the process fun. These days, parents shopping for their kids don’t have much of a choice. “Toys do have more parts today,” a store owner tells the New York Times . Shipping flat and not assembling at the factory “keeps the costs down. It’s the Ikea model.” But even parents who appreciate the savings have that distinct Ikea feeling when they open the box. "Just looking at the Lego packages makes me cringe," says one. More»

Yuletide economics dissected

(NEWSER) - Christmas is coming, and the "voluntary December calamity" of destruction of billions of dollars in value is under way, writes George Will. People will splurge on gifts their relatives and friends don't want or need, and the discrepancy between the cost of the present and its value to the recipient adds up to wasted billions, Will writes in the Washington Post . More»

Stores launch summer promotions to snag holiday dollars early

(NEWSER) - It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in malls across the country as stores angle for some extremely early holiday dollars, the Wall Street Journal reports. Retailers like Toys'R'US, Sears and Kmart have dragged Santa away from his summer break and launched July Christmas promotions, hoping to boost sales with a touch of festive spirit and help recession-hit consumers spread out their holiday spending. More»