Image ©Neiman Marcus

Tis the season once again, and with it comes the annual analysis of the most expensive holiday gifts available! With much-loved publications like Harper’s Bazaar and the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book to thumb/click through, there is no shortage of staggering price tags and baubles to check out this year. Let’s take a look at some of the expensive fare we have seen thus far:

• A $3.2 million smackaroo couture dog collar by Amour Amour tipping the scale at a whopping 52 carats and laden with 1,600 individual sparklers.
• A pair of $230,000 solid gold ladies high heels, for the well-heeled types. Created by Christopher Michael Shellis, this pair features 2,200 diamonds but costs less than the dog collar.
• The $345,000 robot servant will be more adept to your adult needs but will cost far more than the child’s play versions. The minds at Hammacher Schlemmer claim the robot is controlled via a wireless remote while the operator enjoys the stationary life. Sadly, this is true.
• Experiences seem to be the popular route for the Neiman Marcus book this year, with some of the following offerings standing out: A $90,000 ride into the atmosphere in a pressurized space balloon from World Views, a $150,000 tour of Florence and Venice with Italian jewelry designer Ippolita Rostagno (for 4 guests over 7 days), and an $80,000 lunch and personal styling with legend Iris Apfel of the fashion industry (this one comes with a trunk brimming with accessories).
• The disappointment this year was the car selection for the Neiman Marcus book…a special-edition 50^th anniversary Mustang convertible for $95,000. Yawn.

Photo courtesy of Neiman Marcus 

If the price tags for these holiday gift ideas seem a touch decadent, you can always opt for a $300-$500 card from the Gilded Age instead…no, that is not a gift card—it is just a greeting card with some gold and bling that the recipient cannot even wear. Share your favorite extreme gift item for this year!

Bottom line: A LaFerrari would have suited just fine, Santa.

Post by Imagine Lifestyles Luxury Rentals