From a Betta fish brooch to a “dragon’s trove” of zircon eggs, here are seven pieces that’ve stuck with Associate Editor Lauren McLemore.
Neiman Marcus Unwraps Its Christmas ‘Fantasy Gifts’
Among them are a tennis majors tour with U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens and an in-home candy bar stocked with a million sweets.

New York—Neiman Marcus has unwrapped its 2018 Christmas Book chock-full of gifts for the holiday season, including its ultra-decadent “Fantasy Gifts.”
This year, the gifts strike a balance between total indulgence and self-improvement.
Exemplifying a bit of both of these categories is the “Wonders & Wellness Experience in the Indian Subcontinent,” a once-in-a-lifetime luxurious trip through India, Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives hosted by bespoke travel organizer Black Tomato.
The journey will see a traveler and three of her or his friends explore secret spots in the Taj Mahal, enjoy a private tiger safari and visit the Mount Everest Base Camp, to name a few of the trip’s highlights.
And this isn’t a backpacking expedition. The tour will be conducted by private jet, yacht and helicopter rides, with accommodation in five-star, award-winning hotels and glamorous safari lodges.
The wellness aspect of the experience will involve visits with yoga masters, naturopathy experts, Hindu priests and monks. The experience, of which a limited number are available, is available for $630,000, with up to $45,000 going Neiman Marcus’ charitable foundation, the company said.
If one’s idea of indulgence falls on the sweeter side, the “Custom In-Home Candy Bar with One Million Pieces of Sugarfina Candy” is sure to satisfy the craving.
The $325,000 experience ($10,000 of which goes to the charitable The Heart of Neiman Marcus Foundation) includes a first-class trip for four to the Italian Riviera with a stay at the Belmond Hotel Splendido in Cinque Terre.
Then, guests will visit the Sugarfina factory in Genoa, touring the factory with its founders and even crafting their own custom candy flavors.
Back at home, a candy bar will be installed in the giftee’s home, as she or he will need somewhere to store their constant shipment of Sugarfina candy, including their custom flavors, over the next three years, amounting to roughly 1 million pieces of candy.
Back on the wellness side of the spectrum, Neiman Marcus has concocted a gift that any tennis fan would die to receive.
The “Tennis Majors Tour with Sloane Stephens” will see one recipient attend a week of each of the four tennis major championships, and they won’t be sitting just anywhere. Instead, they will be Stephens’ personal guest, sitting in the player’s box with her friends and family, staying in players-only hotels and gaining a behind-the-scenes look at the tennis tour.
Starting the
Neiman Marcus’ “Fantasy Gifts” notwithstanding, of the 2018 Christmas Book’s 823 holiday gifts, almost half are priced under $250, with several under $20, the retailer noted.
Fine jewelry is included in the book from brands like Margot McKinney, Roberto Coin, Piaget and Suzanne Kalan, among others.
The most expensive item, the 74-foot Neiman Marcus Edition Serenity Solar Yacht, caps things off at a cool $7.1 million.
See the book in its entirety on NeimanMarcus.com.
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