christmas

Dempsey & Carroll's Holiday Cards Collection

If you have yet to order your personalized holiday cards, it's time to get cracking! But when your friends and family receive a card from Dempsey & Carroll's beautiful and classy holiday collection, you will be forgiven for being a bit behind schedule. Luckily, D&C offers rush service (15 days from day of order) for $100.

The stationer's collection of 65 designs range in price from about $500 - $3,900 for boxes of 50 - 500 cards and envelopes, although some styles start at a minimum of 100 cards and envelopes. Select a greeting (or write your own), ink, and typestyle. You can have D&C make you an engraving plate for an additional charge, or send along your own.

You also can get non-personalized holiday cards. These are ready to ship right now; prices range from $50 - $75 for a set of 10 cards and 10 envelopes.

View the gallery for a few of the customizable options.

Gallery: Dempsey & Carroll's Holidays Cards Collection - Customizable

Tags: Christmas, Christmas cards, Dempsey Carroll, greeting cards, holiday, holiday cards, holidays, personalized

NYC Street Vendor Hawks $900 Christmas Trees

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Holiday Guides

NYC Street Vendor Hawks $900 Christmas Trees

The Daily News reported that a lot in the heart of SoHo is selling jumbo-sized Christmas trees at prices to match. Scott Lechner, 53, charges as much as $900 for trees he ships from the Blue Mountains in North Carolina to his temporary business on Sixth Avenue and Spring Street. "A regular tree is beautiful, but one of our jumbos is majestic," Lechner says in the News. "It's not just a tree, it's an experience. And it's worth every penny."

Not all the trees are as much as $900. A 12-foot Fraser fir retails for about $400; it's a 17-footer that goes for $900. Lechner claims his clients have been celebrities, a Facebook executive, and SoHo residents. He notes that his prices are high because the trees come to his lot within 96 hours of being cut. But the News reports -- fueling the fire in the battle of the boroughs -- that the same types of trees can be found at a fraction of the price in Brooklyn.

The question that still nags at me is this: Who in New York has space for a 17-foot tree? I mean, obviously not counting the celebs, execs, and SoHo folks. I guess they all own two-floor apartments where the lower-level apartment ceiling has been removed, or the elusive brownstone.

Tags: Christmas, Christmas tree, Christmas trees, holiday, holidays, New York, New York City, SoHo

Harrods 'Vintage Collection' Christmas Hamper

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

When it comes to Christmas few put together more appealing packages of edible necessities than Harrods. This year they have the usual variety of small to large hampers available but their top offering that's new for 2010 is the Vintage Collection. Inspired by their "Vintage Christmas" theme this year the hamper includes four bottles of wine/champagne plus a ham, salami, foie gras, smoked salmon, caviar, two cheeses, cocktail blinis, biscuits, and an olive wood board. It's not the most expensive hamper they've put together (i.e. last year's $7,500 Holiday Hamper) but if you like the idea of classic, tried and true goods you can't go wrong with a classic combination like this. £450

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Tags: christmas, christmas hamper, hamper, harrods, holiday shopping

Vera Wang Holiday Cards

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Shopping

One of my favorite things to shop for at Christmastime is beautiful new holiday cards to send out to my friends and family (although finding time to write in and stamp them all is another matter). Vera Wang has captured the spirit of the holidays with a combination of traditional and contemporary images created with classic letterpress and engraving techniques that bring out the rich detailing, colors, and textures that she's known for. And in addition to the ready-to-send Christmas designs there are also several versions with slots for inserting family photos and other personalizations. $254-$456/box of 50

Gallery: Vera Wang Holiday Cards

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Tags: christmas, christmas cards, holiday cards, holiday shopping, vera wang

Mini Gifts can Make for a Big Christmas

by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets, Luxury Cars & Autos

Mini drivers are known to love their Mini things, so the funky British brand has unleashed a bundle of holiday bounty to please. The limited edition Internet radio by German firm sonoro – a Mini-fied take on sonoro's 'elements W' radio – is a tiny box bedecked in Eclipse Gray metallic and "bonnet" stripes. The control is aluminum, the OLED display can be dimmed, and among the 18,000 stations it commands are four Mini Sounds channels: Space, United, International and Cross. It comes with a remote, an iPod dock, can receive media from a computer and, if you had more mundane uses in mind, yes, it can be an alarm clock with sleep and snooze.

The fiberglass and synthetic Mini Jet helmet with polycarbonate visor is probably not to be used when piloting your actual jet, but when you take control of your Piaggio this could save the day with more bonnet stripes and a Union Jack. When off the scooter you can don the Mini Badges Lapeer Hat with earflaps, and your other end gets to make do with Mini Countryman Boots.

Even though it can tell the difference between day and night, a chrome Mini cuckoo clock, even as cute as it is, will probably test the patience of any Mini-phile. And in the "I know you drive a Minis but I don't know anything else about you," there's a MINI Calendar by Wolfgang Block or an 8GB Mini USB stick. There's a passel of other gifts for various genders and ages in the photos below, or peep them all at www.MINI.com/shop.

Gallery: Mini for Christmas

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Tags: accessories, christmas, gifts, lifestyle, mini, sonoro

A Guide to Finding the Christmas Tree of Your Dreams

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Holiday Guides

Real or artificial? Frasier Fir or Scotch Pine? When it comes to picking out the perfect Christmas tree the little details matter and there are more options now than ever before. Overwhelmed, confused, or just plain frustrated? Read our handy guide on Christmas tree basics and you'll be putting up the tree of your dreams in no time flat.

Real or Artificial?
The first thing you need to decide is whether you want a real tree or an artificial one. Today's artificial trees look and feel very realistic, are convenient to unpack and setup year after year, and come in a variety of shapes and sizes (including colored and pre-lit) so you can get exactly the look you want with minimal effort. Artificial trees also never drop needles or need to be watered. Real Christmas trees on the other hand do require more daily upkeep but they also smell great, create a certain ambiance with their unique and natural character, and offer the richly traditional experience of going out to the lot or tree farm to be picked out fresh year after year.

Size and Shape
Tall and skinny, short and fat, pencil or upside-down, the size and shape of your Christmas tree will have a great impact on how it looks in your home. Plan where the tree will go and take measurements of the space to make keeping track of size and scale easier when you're out shopping. Also think about your decorating style: do you like trees where ornaments dangle freely and lights twinkle through or do you prefer tight, dense branches where ornaments drape along the outside? Pyramid-shaped trees (Frasier Fir, Noble Fir, Douglas Fir) are generally taller and more open while cone-shaped ones (Scotch Pine, Norway Spruce) are of a shorter, denser persuasion. Other options include tall and narrow pencil trees (usually artificial), which have a contemporary look and are perfect for tight spaces, and of course the ever-curious upside-down tree that's specially designed to use minimal floor space.

Tags: christmas, christmas tree, decor-pedia

Continue reading “A Guide to Finding the Christmas Tree of Your Dreams”

Ballantine's Christmas Reserve

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Hunting a gift for a whisky lover never presents the challenge it does for any other recipient, and the holiday season makes for a great time to bring your friends and family a bottle of the good stuff. Ballantine's, however, is taking it a step further with its new Christmas Reserve.

The special blend packs yuletide aromas such as sweet wood, dried fruit and cinnamon, and comes in a special bottle and white box with a snowflake motif. Ballantine's Christmas Reserve hits European markets this month, and is slated to become a seasonal offering for years to come.

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Tags: ballantine, ballantines, ballantines christmas reserve, blended scotch, bottles to bring, christmas, christmas reserve, scotch, whisky

Christmas in the White House: Presidential Trees Throughout the Years

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor

Beautifully decorated Christmas Trees are a longstanding tradition in the White House. The first known decorated, indoor Christmas Tree was displayed in the Yellow Oval Room during the Benjamin Harrison administration.

Jacqueline Kennedy launched the tradition of thematic Christmases in the White House in which the First Family chooses a motif in which to highlight. In 1961, First Lady Kennedy chose to decorate the White House Christmas Tree with a "Nutcracker" theme derived from the Tchaikovsky ballet. The tree was decorated with toys, birds and angels (see gallery).

Themes for White House Christmas Trees throughout the years have ranged from the Regan's theme of Mother Goose theme in 1986 to "Home for the Holidays", which was the Bush theme in 2001 (see above).

This year, the Obama's Official White House Christmas Tree is a beautiful Douglas Fir from Shepardston, West Virginia (see gallery). According to the National Christmas Tree Association, the Blue Room Christmas Tree was officially presented to First Lady Michelle Obama by Christmas Tree growers Eric and Gloria Sundback. The Sundbacks earned this honor by winning the National Christmas Tree Association's (NCTA) national Christmas Tree contest held in August 2009 in Chattanooga, Tenn., and becoming Grand Champions.

While there are typically several Christmas Trees on display throughout the White House during the holiday season, the one located in the Blue Room is traditionally the "official" tree. Members of the National Christmas Tree Association have presented the official White House Christmas Tree for display in the Blue Room since 1966. For decorating ideas, see "Tips for Decorating your Christmas Tree".

Gallery: White House Christmas Trees Through the Years

Tags: christmas, christmas tree, president, president bush, PresidentObama, white house

$1.5 Monaco Grand Prix Gift Package With Custom Supercar

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Luxury Cars & Autos, Wings, Events, Sports, Holiday Guides, Wealth

Last month we reported that the glossy chronicle of the filthy rich Robb Report is offering the world's most expensive Christmas gift this year - a matching custom private jet and megayacht set costing $500 million. The profligate publication has a few more eye-popping offerings as part of its Ultimate Gift Guide, a seasonal smorgasbord of over-the-top exclusives. Among the most enticing is a $1.5 million Monaco Grand Prix gift package, consisting of the following: a VIP experience at the 2010 Monaco Grand Prix F1 races in May; round-trip private jet travel from North America to Nice, France, and helicopter transfer from Nice to Monte Carlo for a party of four; five nights' accommodation in the top-floor suite at the luxe Monte Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort; privileges aboard a private 170-ft. yacht that will provide a prime vantage of, and tender service to, four days of racing and activities; and last but not least a custom Spyker C8 Aileron Spyder (above) "as a keepsake".

Tags: Christmas, Formula 1, Formula1, France, holiday 2009, Holiday2009, Monaco, Monaco Grand Prix, MonacoGrandPrix, Monte Carlo, Monte Carlo Bay Hotel Resort, MonteCarlo, MonteCarloBayHotelResort, private jet, PrivateJet, racing, Robb Report, RobbReport, Spyker, yacht

This Year's Holiday Shopping Lesson: Lux Goes Online

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

The web isn't just for bargains. Some of the top luxury lifestyle brands in the world are turning to the internet to beef up their sales -- a must in a market where brick-and-mortar is lagging in the all-important holiday season. Giorgio Armani and Valentino Fashion Group, which have generally steered clear of the prolies shopping online, are changing their attitudes, as they have had to cope with the most severe recession in seventy years. Roberto Cavalli and Salvatore Ferragamo have joined the fray, too, both opening online stores in the past month.

In addition to younger buyers who are more comfortable skipping the store, a sense of "luxury shame" is causing many to turn to the web. The anonymity, once reserved for porn purchases, allows customers to indulge in big-ticket buys without having to endure looks of envy (or worse). If you need proof that luxury spending is going digital, take a look at Italy. This year, online sales of Italian luxury products are expected to surge 42 percent to $500 million, according to a study by Politecnico. Last year, it fell six percent for the luxury goods industry as a whole. In Italy, around 14 percent of holiday shopping will occur ont eh web, according to Deloitte's 2009 Christmas Survey.

The luxury industry's online endeavors are not limited to traditional stores, though Stefano Sassi, Valentino's CEO, notes that the startup costs are lower and that "There's a very interesting margin on e-commerce" as a result. Armani has launched applications for smartphones, including the iPhone and Blackberry and has launched a Christmas website.

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Tags: armani, BlackBerry, Christmas, christmas shopping, ChristmasShopping, Giorgio Armani, GiorgioArmani, holiday, Holiday season, holiday shopping, holidays, HolidaySeason, HolidayShopping, iphone, luxury, online retail, online retailers, online retailing, OnlineRetail, OnlineRetailers, OnlineRetailing, roberto cavalli, RobertoCavalli, salvatore ferragamo, SalvatoreFerragamo, Valentino

Dream of Italy at Christmas -- and Every Day in 2010

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Italy is one of those countries that seems to get a grip on the imagination and just doesn't let go. Kathy McCabe, publisher of the well-regarded travel newsletter Dream of Italy, says that 40% of her subscribers have been to Italy six or more times -- and they keep finding reasons to return.

Now, McCabe and her contributors have so much information to share that the monthly newsletter is overflowing. Starting in 2010, the site is launching a daily newsletter, "Italian Day Dreams", which will cover Italian food, wine, travel and lifestyle. "Italian Day Dreams" will be free, while an annual subscription to the monthly newsletter costs $99 if you receive it on paper, and $79 if you receive it online.

Sign up for the daily email and you'll also get a sumptuous gift: Christmas in Italy, a 35 page ebook filled with all you need to know about spending the holiday in a country that really knows how to celebrate, and I mean for an entire month -- the festivities start December 6th, with La festa di San Nicola (the feast of St. Nicholas) and continue through January 6th, L'Epifania, or Epiphany, which marks the arrival of the the three wise men to visit the baby Jesus.

Tags: christmas, ebook, holiday traditions, HolidayTraditions, italy, newsletter, travel, travel guide, travel tips, TravelGuide, TravelTips

9½-Foot Swarovski Star To Adorn Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events

9½-Foot Swarovski Star To Adorn Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

Too much Swarovski is never enough, especially during the holidays, when we all want sparkle. And during the holidays in New York City, the most popular sparkle can be found at Rockefeller Center, where each year gaggles of locals as well as tourists stop by to view the Christmas tree, which has been topped by a Swarovski star each year since 2004.

This year's star is 9½ feet in diameter, 1½ feet in depth, weighs a whopping 550 pounds, and comprises 25,000 crystals with 1,000,000 facets. The star is high-tech and low-cost (energy-wise): It has enhancements such as a new cutting-edge computerized lighting system and energy-efficient LED bulbs. The star's 12 rays are outfitted with 720 bulbs on 3,000 feet of wire to create a twinkling effect through customized light sequencing programmed by a complex computer system.

Rockefeller Center officially began the Tree Lighting Ceremony in 1933, when a Christmas tree was erected in front of the then-RCA Building and covered with 700 lights. This is the first year, however, that the Swarovski star will feature dynamic light movement. A team of nine artisans and engineers spent three months (1,200 hours) installing, programming, and testing the star to ensure the effects would withstand the challenging winter weather conditions 76 feet above Rockefeller Center.

A replica of the Swarovski Star will be on display in Rockefeller Center to allow visitors to get a closer view of the detailing and craftsmanship. Swarovski is even offering a selection of star-themed holiday jewelry and ornaments on sale at the Swarovski holiday kiosk at Rockefeller Center, at Swarovski boutiques nationwide, and online.

The 77th Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting Ceremony will be held on Wednesday, December 2, from 7-9 p.m. The ceremony will be televised live, locally on WNBC-TV from 7-8 p.m. and nationally on NBC from 8-9 p.m. Spectators can view the lighted tree each day from 5:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.; all day (24 hours) on Christmas Day; and from 5:30 a.m. - 9 p.m. on New Year's Eve. The last day to view the tree is January 7, 2010.

Sources: LuxuryLaunches.com and PR Newswire

Tags: Christmas, holiday, New York, New York City, NewYork, NewYorkCity, NYC, Swarovski, swarovski crystals, SwarovskiCrystals

Queen Elizabeth Plans Frugal Holiday Season

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wealth

No Christmas gifts for the Queen of England? CBS News says that in an effort to show solidarity with the recession-stricken people of her land, Queen Elizabeth II has let it known that she and her husband Prince Philip do not require gifts this year. The Queen has had some financial struggles of her own this year, forced to cut costs and ask for additional money from the British government for the upkeep of the royal castles. According to Forbes, the monarch has a fortune of $450 million which sounds like a lot but that number is down $200 million from recent years.

The royal family generally spends Christmas at Sandringham Estate, the Queen's country manor in Norfolk, England, a few days before Christmas. The Royals generally don't splash out on fancy gifts anyway but the Queen is taking extra precautions requesting that any potential gifts be donated to local charities and hospitals instead. The Queen has also been reusing more of her wardrobe and has instructed family members to cut back.

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Tags: christmas, holidays, queen elizabeth, queen elizabeth 2, queen elizabeth ii, QueenElizabeth, QueenElizabeth2, QueenElizabethIi

Neiman Marcus Unveils 2009 Christmas Book

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Spirits, Luxury Cars & Autos, Wine, Wings

Neiman Marcus just unveiled the 2009 edition of the renowned Christmas Book, offering customers the ultimate in cutting-edge, dream-fulfilling gifts. First published in 1926 as a 16-page booklet, the Christmas Book was initially intended as a Christmas card to the store's best customers and evolved into a legendary source for alluring and mystical gifts. Among the highlights of this year's catalog:

His & Hers Gift Package, $250,000: An ICON A5 sport aircraft with custom trailer and sport pilot license training for two. The ICON A5 is from a world-class team of engineers and designers who helped create the groundbreaking Virgin Global Flyer, and features an amphibious hull and landing gear to take off and land just as easily on water as on land.

Algonquin Round Table Experience, $200,000: Exclusive dinner party at NYC's legendary Algonquin Hotel (above) with guests including Christopher Buckley, Roz Chast, Nora Ephron, Malcolm Gladwell, Henry Louis Gates Jr., Adam Gopnik, John Lithgow, Anna Deavere Smith and George Stephanopoulos. Proceeds to benefit First Book, the 2009 Christmas Book Charity.

2010 Jaguar XJL Supercharged Neiman Marcus Edition, $105,000: Limited to only 50 examples, the bespoke version of Jag's new flagship features a supercharged 5-liter V8 that delivering 470 hp, a custom interior of butter-soft navy and ivory leather and Zebrano matte wood accents, and includes a five-piece set of matching Jaguar luggage in navy blue leather.

HALL Artisan Wine and Art Experience, $20,000: Learn organic, artisan winemaking firsthand, tour the estates in Napa and the art collection, and have the opportunity to create your own personal vintage in a private blending session with HALL's Winemaker with a custom vintage bottled for you. Includes accommodations at Auberge and a private dinner party with Ambassador Kathryn Hall.

Maker's Mark Master Distiller Experience, $7,500: All-access, VIP experience with Maker's Mark Master Distiller, Kevin Smith. Spend a day making whiskey, step by step and take home two bottles of the rarest Maker's Mark – golden bottles etched with your likeness and dipped in gold wax with 24-kt gold flecks. Includes luxury accommodations in Louisville and a gourmet dinner hosted by Bill Samuels, the 7th generation of Maker's Mark.

Get In The Christmas Spirit With AOL Radio's 10 Best Christmas Songs.

Tags: Algonquin Hotel, AlgonquinHotel, catalog, Christmas, gifts, ICON A5, IconA5, Jaguar, Makers Mark, MakersMark, Neiman Marcus, Neiman Marcus Christmas Book, NeimanMarcus, NeimanMarcusChristmasBook

Madonna's Christmas Tipple, 24K Silver Wine

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine, Celebrity Shopping

If you are at Madonna's Christmas table you'll be drinking metal this year. The Telegraph reports that Madonna has spent £5,000 (around $7,400) on wine laced with silver for Christmas. She ordered 25 bottles of the 24k Silver wine from Artesanos del Vino in Valencia, Spain. The 24K wine is made by mixing a liquor containing silver dust into a sparkling rosé. There is also a 24K Gold version.Madonna is reportedly spending Christmas in England this year with ex-husband Guy Ritchie and her three children.

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Tags: 24K silver, 24kSilver, christmas, madonna, wine

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