The Best 2011 Holiday Gift Guides

While I spend much of my time in desperate pursuit of many of the things featured on this space, I realize that it is the holidays. And the spirit of the holidays is to give rather than to receive. Because there's nothing like watching a loved one's reaction when you give them that perfectly thoughtful present. With a mere 2 weeks remaining until Christmas, I'm realizing that I need to start this giving thing, stat. Thankfully, there are dozens of handy Holiday Gift Guides out there to help us all with this whole process. Here are some of my favorites: The New York Times 2011 Holiday Gift Guide; CNET 2011 Holiday Gift Guide; Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide 2011; Martha Stewart's 2011 Holiday Gift Guide; Green Gift Guide 2011 from TreeHugger.com. OR, you could do it the old fashioned way and come up with thoughtful gifts on your own. Yeah, good luck with that...

the neiman marcus fantasy gift guide

Every year Neiman Marcus publishes it's Christmas Book, which ranges from the ordinary luxury indulgences to some "schwing"-worthy fantasy gifts that'll put you back anywhere between four to seven figures. Among these are a NM Edition Hacker Craft Speedboat ($250,000), a Private Tour of the International Flower Show ($420,000), and the steal of the lot - a Johnnie Walker Private Scotch Tasting ($5,000). If you ask me, I'm wishing for the jolly fat one to bring me the Ferrari FF, bespoke for Neiman Marcus, pictured here. Only 10 are being manufactured specially for Neiman Marcus & outside of the car itself, the gift package comes with Ferrari's complimentary 7 year maintenance plan, matching custom luggage set to go with the soft touch semi-aniline leather interior, and automatic enrollment into the 2012 Ferrari Winter Driving Experience in Aspen, Colorado. And at $395,000, I'm hoping that handsome pooch comes with the car.