Marking a century of extravagant holiday giving, this year’s collection features six Fantasy Gifts priced above A$144,000, alongside a look back at some of the most outrageous offerings from decades past.
For as long as I can remember, the arrival of the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book has been one of my favorite holiday traditions. I’ve never expected to buy any of its extravagant Fantasy Gifts, but I’ve always loved seeing what the retailer creates each year. Some have been wonderfully absurd, others surprisingly imaginative and a few so expensive it’s hard to believe anyone bought them. That’s always been part of the fun. This year, as the Christmas Book celebrates its 100th anniversary, I found myself looking back at some of its most unforgettable offerings.
The 2026 catalog includes six Fantasy Gifts, each costing more than A$144,000. Some highlights are a private electric boat and lesson with a champion wakesurfer, a jewelry commission inspired by Coco Chanel and a fragrance experience in Alsace with Lalique crystal and a two-Michelin-starred chef. The priciest gift is a six-day trip for two through Venice, Florence and Milan, offering rare access to the Buccellati family and a chance to create a unique jewel.
Each Fantasy Gift includes a charitable contribution to The Heart of Neiman Marcus Foundation, which supports youth empowerment, belonging, and sustainability. Donations range from A$7,200 to A$14,400 per purchase. A A$21,600 experience placing your favorite family recipe on Neiman Marcus restaurant menus goes further by donating all proceeds to the foundation.
The Fantasy Gifts first appeared in 1959 and quickly became a yearly tradition, famous for their unique choices as much as the items themselves. This year marks the 100th anniversary during a period of major change for Neiman Marcus. The company’s parent came out of bankruptcy in June 2026 and now has new owners Exemplar Luxury Group. Even with all these changes, the Fantasy Gifts remain one of the store’s most famous traditions, making this anniversary a great moment to remember some of the most unusual things Neiman Marcus has offered.
A History Of Million-Dollar Gifts
The Fantasy Gifts I notice most are the ones that look almost too outrageous to exist, but there they are, ready for someone to buy. In 1996, for example, the catalog listed a miniature rock-and-roll stage made from 18-karat gold, diamonds, and mother-of-pearl for A$2.3 million. That year, you could also pick up a custom Airstream trailer packed with antique rugs, oil paintings, and a fancy interior for A$281,000.
This kind of over-the-top gift has been around for a long time. Back in 1959, one of the first Fantasy Gifts was a live Black Angus steer, delivered to your door, along with a mahogany and silver roast beef cart. In 1968, the catalog offered “His and Her Jaguars”: a Brazilian jaguar-fur coat with mink trim for her, and a Jaguar car for him. The crazy thing is, the coat actually cost more than the car. Fast forward to 2014, and someone bought a A$216,000 motorcycle trip with Keanu Reeves and Gard Hollinger, which included two days of riding with them and taking home the first custom chopper from their motorcycle company.
For 2026, several Fantasy Gifts go beyond acquiring something extraordinary. Buyers are invited into private workshops, studios, and family businesses to meet the people who create their gifts. Some of these encounters would be nearly impossible to arrange, even for those used to buying whatever they want.
“Fantasy Gifts have always celebrated the power of imagination to spark wonder and inspire a sense of possibility. From unexpected collaborations to delightfully unconventional creations, each year’s collection invites us to rethink what a gift can be,” Cheryl Han, chief marketing and digital officer at Exemplar Luxury Group, tells me. “As the Holiday Book celebrates its 100th anniversary, this year’s gifts reflect the spirit that has always set Neiman Marcus apart: a willingness to dream bigger, surprise people, and make the holidays a little more extraordinary.”
Tour Italy With The Buccellati Family And Design Your Own One-Of-A-Kind Jewel (A$1.24 million)
This year’s most lavish Fantasy Gift is a six-day trip for two through Venice, Florence and Milan with the Buccellati family. At the end of the journey, you’ll design a one-of-a-kind jewel with Andrea Buccellati, the brand’s creative director and honorary president (see example top). Throughout the trip, you’ll get a rare, inside look at a family business famous for its detailed hand engraving and delicate goldwork.
In Venice, Maria Cristina Buccellati greets guests and shares her family’s artistic heritage. The trip features a stop in Burano, a Venetian island known for its lace, which has inspired Buccellati’s openwork designs. In Florence, Luca Buccellati, who works with VIP clients, takes guests to cultural sites and art treasures that are usually off-limits. The journey wraps up in Milan, where guests tour the workshops, watch goldsmiths at work, and then work with Andrea to choose stones and design their own piece.
The A$1.24 million price includes luxury hotels, Michelin-starred meals, private museum tours, and helicopter rides between cities. These perks are impressive, but what makes this experience special is the chance to spend time with the Buccellati family, watch their artisans at work, and help create a piece of jewelry that is yours alone.
Coco Chanel’s Legendary Maltese Cross Cuffs, Reimagined Just For You (A$742,000)
The story of the second-most-expensive gift begins in Venice during the 1925–26 social season. Composer Cole Porter introduced Coco Chanel to Fulco di Verdura, a young Sicilian aristocrat who would become her jewelry designer. Together, they designed the bold Maltese Cross cuffs, blending gold, enamel, and colored gemstones. These cuffs became a signature of Chanel’s style.
For A$742,000, the buyer and a guest can visit Verdura’s Fifth Avenue salon in New York for a private viewing of more than 100 original pieces from the company’s historic collection. They will see the Maltese Cross cuffs designed for Chanel in 1933, then have a fitting for a new pair made with emeralds, sapphires, diamonds, and pearls. The new cuffs will be crafted in Verdura’s Italian workshops from 18-karat gold and enamel, with the buyer choosing the gemstone arrangement.
The New York experience also includes dinner at Orso and producer house seats for two Broadway shows chosen by the guests. The finished cuffs will arrive from Italy a few months later. Rather than buying an antique, the buyer receives a modern version of one of the most famous pieces in twentieth-century fashion jewelry, along with a visit to the house’s archives.
The Electric Surf Boat That Comes With Your Own World Champion Skimboarder and Pro Wakesurfer (A$662,000)
A standout among the Fantasy Gifts is a custom 23-foot electric wake boat, which comes with a private day of instruction from world champion skimboarder and pro wakesurfer Austin Keen. Priced at A$662,000, the package features the Arc Sport from California-based Arc. The boat seats up to 15 people and includes a ballast system so you can adjust the wake for different riders.
Buyers can choose the exterior color and customize the interior before delivery. The package also includes a day with Keen to learn how to use the boat and get better at wakesurfing. You’ll receive two custom boards, personalized onboarding, and merchandise for up to ten guests. The Arc Sport features joystick docking, built-in cameras, rider profiles, and wireless software updates. Its electric motor means you won’t have to deal with gasoline fumes or loud engine noise like traditional wake boats. Of all the six-figure gifts, this one might be the easiest to enjoy every weekend.
“It’s the coolest experience I’ve had on a wake boat, and it’s only getting better,” says Keen in a statement. The boat will also feature in upcoming episodes of his Celebrity Surf Series, where he teaches athletes, musicians, and creators how to ride.
Go Behind The Scenes At Lucasfilm And Create Your Own Star Wars Lightsabers (A$263,000)
As the original Star Wars film nears its 50th anniversary in 2027, Neiman Marcus is giving four fans a unique chance to visit the studios behind the iconic franchise. For A$263,000, guests get behind-the-scenes access to Lucasfilm and Industrial Light & Magic at One Letterman in San Francisco’s Presidio, where they can see how artists and visual-effects experts bring the movies to life.
During the visit, guests will have a private session to design two custom lightsabers and receive a unique lightsaber hilt prop replica from the second season of the Disney+ series Ahsoka. This replica will be signed by Dave Filoni, who is Lucasfilm’s president and chief creative officer. The package also includes four VIP tickets to a future Star Wars world premiere and its afterparty, plus a tour of an active Lucasfilm production.
While Star Wars has inspired decades of toys, memorabilia, and collectibles, what makes this gift special isn’t just the lightsabers. It’s the rare opportunity to visit the studios, meet the creative team behind the films, and attend a premiere that’s usually only for those who work on the movies.
The World’s Most Extravagant Game Of Foosball, Courtesy Of Dolce & Gabbana (A$259,000)
Dolce & Gabbana’s A$259,000 foosball table stands out as perhaps the most eye-catching Fantasy Gift in this year’s collection. Made for Neiman Marcus, the Carretto Siciliano table features lively decorations inspired by Sicily’s traditional painted horse-drawn carts, which once carried farm goods and were decorated with scenes from history, religion, and local stories.
The table is made from solid wood and covered with hand-painted Sicilian designs under a shiny acrylic finish. The glass playing field shows Carretto figures, and the table is finished with double-chromed steel rods, colorful wooden knobs, polished aluminum accents, and tapered iron legs. While it works as a foosball table, its detailed surface makes it seem more fitting as the centerpiece of a Mediterranean villa than in a busy game room. The idea of someone playing foosball on a A$259,000 table is part of what makes it such a memorable gift in the Christmas catalog.
French Fragrance Experience With Saujet And Discover The World Of Lalique Crystal (A$166,000)
This year’s most affordable six-figure gift offers two guests a two-night stay in Alsace, France, at Villa René Lalique. Once home to the famous glass artist who transformed perfume bottles into decorative pieces, the villa now hosts a A$166,000 experience created by fragrance brand Saujet and Lalique. The package includes private access to perfumery, crystal making, and fine dining.
Thomas Saujet, the founder of Saujet, and master perfumer Yann Vasnier will lead a private class about the ingredients and creative process behind the Lumière d’Azur collection. Silvio Denz, chairman of Lalique, will lead a private tour of the Musée Lalique and the brand’s artistic history. Dinner will be prepared by two-Michelin-starred chef Paul Stradner, paired with wines from Denz’s own cellar. The buyer also gets the exclusive Saujet Crystal Trunk, which holds ten first-edition fragrances in handcrafted Lalique crystal bottles.
The Alsatian countryside setting brings everything together in a relaxed way, without the flash of a Hollywood event or the high cost of private air travel. The buyer will take home a rare set of fragrances, but the real highlight is meeting the perfumer and the people who create the crystal bottles.
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