Neiman Marcus Presents The 86th Edition Of Its Legendary Christmas Book

DALLAS, Oct. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2012 Christmas Book was unveiled today by luxury retailer Neiman Marcus in Dallas. The 86^th edition of this legendary book continues Neiman Marcus's unmatched tradition of offering its customers a selection of spectacular and unique holiday gifts sure to make even their wildest dreams come true.

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The arrival of the Christmas Book is considered by many to mark the official start of the holiday shopping season. This year's edition of the Christmas Book carries on the Neiman Marcus tradition of presenting a refined selection of items across a broad range of categories for everyone on your holiday shopping list. With a new collection of fantasy gifts certain to satisfy even the most indulgent appetite, the Christmas Book features exceptional and distinctive gifts and experiences, including a Heritage Hen Mini Farm, a Bulleit Woody Tailgate Trailer, a Casa Dragones Private Dinner for 10 and a Pinel & Pinel Arcade PS Trunk. This year's featured car is a 2013 Neiman Marcus Edition McLaren 12C Spider.

The "His & Hers" fantasy gift tradition continues this year with the Van Cleef & Arpels "Poetic Wish" watches and trip.

First published in 1926 as a 16-page booklet, the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book was initially intended as a Christmas card to the store's best customers. Building on tradition through the years, the book has maintained its personal touch while evolving into a legendary source for alluring and mystical gifts.

The 2012 Christmas Book features an interactive component for each of the fantasy gifts.  A free NM ACTION! app can be downloaded from the iTunes app store or NeimanMarcus.com.  A reader can then snap a photo of the cover or a fantasy gift page and the image will instantly come to life, uploading a video or more detailed information. 

All nine of the fantasy gifts offered in the Christmas Book feature a unique charitable component. The 2012 featured charities include The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, PEDIGREE Foundation, Pajama Program, Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County, The Watermill Center, The Bocuse d'Or USA Foundation, The Norman Mailer Center, amfAR™ and Big Brothers Big Sisters.

"This year's collection of fantasy gifts is a spectacular array of more of what our valued customers have grown to love and anticipate year after year," said John Koryl, President of Neiman Marcus Direct.  "Once again there is something for everyone – from the luxury watch collector, to the video game aficionado, to the secret backyard farmer – and it can all be viewed online at www.neimanmarcus.com."

Among the selection of fantasy gifts in the 2012 Christmas Book are some exceptional items, including:

"HIS & HERS" 2012
VAN CLEEF & ARPELS "POETC WISH" WATCHES & TRIP
A tale of love found and lost inspired the "Poetic Wish" watches from Van Cleef & Arpels. Mini works of art on the outside and exemplary displays of technical watchmaking behind the dial, these masterpieces are in need of their own happily ever after. The buyer lucky enough to purchase these watches will also receive two business-class tickets to Paris and Geneva to tour the Van Cleef & Arpels boutique, atelier, and watchmaking workshops. Neiman Marcus will donate $10,000 for each His & Hers 2012 gift sold to The Norman Mailer Center, which supports writers who challenge readers' perspectives on the world around them.  (starting at $1,090,000; page 74)

HERITAGE HEN MINI FARM
This Versailles-inspired Le Petite Trianon house is the poshest hen house ever imagined! The custom-made multilevel dwelling features a nesting area, a "living room" for nighttime roosting, a broody room, a library filled with chicken and gardening books for visitors of the human kind, and, of course, an elegant chandelier. The environment suits your specially chosen flock well as you notice the fresh eggs awaiting morning collection and nearby, you pick fresh vegetables or herbs from your custom-built raised gardens. For every Heritage Hen Mini Farm purchase, NM will donate $3,000 to The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, a nonprofit organization that protects genetic diversity through the conservation and promotion of endangered breeds.
($100,000; pages 64-65)

PINEL & PINEL ARCADE PS TRUNK
The ultimate gaming toy for the man or woman who has everything, the custom-made Pinel & Pinel Arcade PS Trunk is all you need for an evening of high-adrenaline entertainment. Encased in luxurious calfskin, this trunk furnishes you with Formula 1™ racing seats with Thrustmaster T500 RS Force Wheel, a selection of 24 PlayStation®3 games, Bluetooth® wireless music system, motion-detection camera, 2 SingStar® microphones, and much more. An evening might also begin with a little karaoke sing-off blasting through the unparalleled 1800-watt sound system. For every purchase, NM will donate $3,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters, the nation's mentoring leader in changing children's lives for the better, forever.
($90,000; page 66)

ANNIE: THE MUSICAL WALK-ON ROLE
The lucky buyer of this exclusive gift will be taking the stage in one of theater's most beloved plays, ANNIE: The Musical, to help the adorably good-natured orphan and her canine companion teach the world that perseverance and unwavering hope can change lives. After your curtain call, you'll sit down with one of the show's producers for a celebratory five-star meal. The proceeds of this gift will be split equally between PEDIGREE Foundation, whose mission is to help dogs in need find loving homes by providing grants to shelters and dog rescues, and Pajama Program, which provides new pajamas and books to children in need, many waiting to be adopted.
($30,000; page 67)

BULLEIT WOODY TAILGATE TRAILER
Tailgating will never be the same now that your Bulleit Frontier Whiskey Woody-Tailgate Trailer is on the scene. Designed by interior designer Brad Ford, it's impressive on the outside, but what's on the inside truly astounds: sleek leather furnishings and details from Moore & Giles, rich wood finishings (handcrafted from reclaimed Bulleit Bourbon casks), elegant glassware, and a top-notch entertainment system, including a flat-screen TV, Blu-ray Disc™ player, and a state-of-the-art sound system, plus a one-year supply of Bulleit Bourbon and Bulleit Rye. Bulleit To Go, a second gift offered by Bulleit Frontier Whiskey, includes a limited-edition handcrafted flask, a bottle of Bulleit Bourbon signed by founder Tom Bulleit, and a leather-bound edition of The PDT Cocktail Book: The Complete Bartender's Guide from the Celebrated Speakeasy. Ten percent of the proceeds from the purchase of the Bulleit Woody Party Trailer or Bulleit to Go will benefit amfAR™, The Foundation for AIDS Research. (Bulleit Woody Tailgate Trailer, $150,000; page 68; Bulleit Handcrafted Flask, $1,500; information available online only)

JETLEV R200
Finally, technology has caught up with your fantasy about jetpack flight! One part sci-fi, three parts British secret service agent, and 100 percent pure adrenaline rush, your water-propelled jetpack is about to send you soaring. Your JetLev package includes jetpack, boat unit in NM Exclusive color with graphics, hose/control cable assembly, jetpack stand, 2 helmet radios, 2 FRS radios, remote throttle-control transmitter, CFI 1 Pilot Certification Training & Safety course. For every JetLev R200 sold, Neiman Marcus will donate $2,500 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County, an organization that helps young people, especially those who need them most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
($99,500; page 69)

"SNOWY OWL" BY ROBERT WILSON
In his Video Portraits series, artist Robert Wilson features animals and people who appear static, as if portrayed within a painting. But the viewer is caught off guard when the subject unexpectedly breathes, blinks, or shifts. This modern riff on the eighteenth-century tableaux vivant beautifully pushes the boundaries between reality and imagination. The purchase of a "Snowy Owl" benefits the Watermill Center, an interdisciplinary laboratory for performance art and a unique environment for young and emerging artists to explore new ideas. The limited edition 42"H x 24"W artist's proof is hand-numbered and –signed and available in 20 different color combinations.
($70,000; page 72)

PRIVATE DINNER FOR 10
Nine of your favorite guests will gather at your home where you'll play host to an epic culinary event! Four of the culinary world's most notable chefs—Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller, Jerome Bocuse, and Richard Rosendale—will arrive to prepare a feast. And, they're bringing Bertha Gonzalez, the world's first female Maestra Tequilera, to kick off the evening with a Casa Dragones tequila tasting. Senora Gonzalez is even providing the party favors: personalized, engraved crystal bottles of the sipping spirit for each of the diners. This gastronomic adventure is limited to one NM customer. All proceeds will benefit the Bocuse d'Or USA Foundation, an organization dedicated to inspiring culinary excellence in young professionals.
($250,000; page 73)

THE 2013 NEIMAN MARCUS EDITION MCLAREN 12C SPIDER
Your Neiman Marcus Edition 2013 McLaren 12C Spider—one of just 12 made—is heralded as the most technologically advanced supercar ever. With a push of a button, the butterfly wing-like doors open. You hit the big silver button and the 616 horse-powered V8 twin turbo engine begins to purr behind your seat. It's all here—everything that makes a McLaren so coveted: the carbon-fiber composite chassis and Formula 1™ "brake steer, Seamless-Shift gearbox technology, and active aerodynamics. This car offers heart-pounding racecar performance. The incredible rush of hitting 60 mph in 3.2 seconds is exhilarating! The 2013 Neiman Marcus Edition McLaren 12C Spider in Volcano Red includes limited-edition features and a McLaren luggage set. Plus, you'll receive a business-class trip to England for a VIP dinner with McLaren Chairman Ron Dennis and a tour of the McLaren Technology Center (February 6–8, 2013). For each sale, NM will donate $3,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters, the nation's mentoring leader in changing children's lives for the better, forever. Reserve your 2013 Neiman Marcus Edition McLaren 12C Spider by calling 1-888-756-0775, beginning promptly at noon EDT on October 24, 2012. ($354,000; pages 70-71)

SOURCE The Neiman Marcus Group