Washington - The rich can stop holding their breath: This year's Neiman Marcus Christmas catalogue has arrived full of attractive fantasy gifts.
Let the holiday shopping spree begin for people who have everything - except maybe a submarine for two. Imagine that gift wrapped and tucked under the Christmas tree. At 1.4 million dollars (979,000 euros), with leather seats, a panorama window and air- conditioning, it's enough to make Captain Nemo turn pale.
Not personal enough? How about a cell phone decorated in diamonds in a red gold setting. The dazzling phone won't work under water, but its 73,000 dollar price tag ensures that every conversation on land is worthwhile.
These are just two examples of gifts offered in the Dallas, Texas- based luxury department store catalogue, which Neiman Marcus began publishing in 1926. Then it was a 16-page booklet intended as a Christmas card to the store's best customers.
Early versions featured comparably modest gifts, but at the time they nevertheless were exquisite. Now the Christmas Book as it is known arrives weeks ahead of Christmas, giving well-heeled shoppers plenty of time to browse the illustrious gift ideas.
And the gifts seem to get fancier and more expensive every year. From windmills over golden toy trains and complete bowling alleys to a ride in a spaceship and a private performance by Elton John. And Neiman Marcus says there are buyers for all the gifts offered in the catalogue.
This year is the store's centennial year, so the Christmas Book 2007 more than ever before is not for stingy shoppers. While the submarine, described as an under-the-sea dream machine with a two-day training course included, promises adventures in waters up to 300 metres deep, another gift sends the recipient skyward.
It is an ultra-light aircraft, but, of course, not just any, rather the one used by naturalist and pilot Francisco Gutierrez in 2005 to accompany the annual migration of the endangered monarch butterfly from Canada to Mexico.
Gutierrez flew more than 6,500 miles in the ultra-light, which is painted like a monarch, to draw attention to the plight of the butterflies. The aircraft can be acquired for 80,000 dollars. Included in the price is a chance to participate in Gutierrez's next migration tour, which might be reason enough to give the recipient butterflies in his stomach.
Gardeners also can hope to receive something from this year's catalogue. Who knows what might be awaiting them in their own back yard on Christmas morning. Perhaps it will be a work of art made of 15 different living plants arranged in a dragon topiary.
The green monster measures 30 metres and has gold-leafed claws, horns, teeth and fins, red blown-glass eyes and appears to protrude from the neatly trimmed lawn. Only thing to fear is the price: starting at 30,000 dollars.
But that's nothing compared with a gift idea for one's sweetheart, and it's not pralines. Neiman Marcus is offering 'his and her' painted portraits by Brazilian Vik Muniz, known for using practically anything to create art.
This time he will paint the portraits in chocolate syrup. Making them even more tasty is the fact that he will donate the profits to a charity supporting underprivileged youths in Brazil. The price of the artwork is 110,000 dollars.
The just-released Christmas Book also has something for friends of classical music: a private concert by the world-famous Kirov Orchestra. The Nutcracker Suite, Tchaikovsky's Piano Concert Number 1 and other Tchaikovsky pieces are on tap for the recipient, who can invite 499 of his closest friends to the exclusive concert in his home town.
And to ensure that afterward no-one thinks it was just a dream, the concert piano will be left behind after being autographed by all the artists. With so much offered in this gift, the 1.59 million dollar price tag certainly will be music to the giver's ears.
In addition to all its extravagances, the Christmas Book also has items that ordinary mortals can afford. People of lesser means will find fully six pages of the 160-page catalogue dedicated to gifts under 100 dollars.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
USA
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