It does not matter what holiday you celebrate this is a busy time of year for everybody. Whether you are going to holiday parties or entertaining visiting family members or working extra hours nobody has enough time to get everything done that is on their list. Sometimes the person who needs the perfect present is you, and often what we really need is not another cashmere scarf but an extra pair of hands.

How about treating yourself to a little luxury this season? Let Papyrus wrap your gifts for you. There are over 170 branches of Papyrus both in the continental United States as well as stores abroad in Canada and Hong Kong. Started in 1950 by Marcel and Margrit Schurman the company features retail stores that carry high quality products in an inviting setting. What many people may not be aware of is that the retail locations offer a gift wrapping service.

A consumer can enter with an unwrapped gift, choose a wrapping paper by the sheet from the display wall, and the store's staff will carefully wrap the present for you. They also have on hand boxes of varying sizes, rolls of gift wrap for extra-large presents, as well as a variety of ribbons and cards. As one might expect this does not end up being an inexpensive venture. You pay for all the products you need at the store and then there is a gift wrapping service fee added for the labor involved in the process.

Call your local store to see what they charge for the service but to give you an idea I was told that the sheets of seasonal themed wrapping paper cost between $4.95 - $5.95 per sheet and that the service charge for the average sized shirt box would be about $5.00 (provided I brought my own box).

It is unfortunate that holiday tipping causes so many people anxiety. We all want to be generous but need help figuring out who to tip and how much or what to give.

The golden rule seems to be that cash is king. That being said, a small gift demonstrating that you know people's likes and dislikes is a nice touch, usually best appreciated when given in addition to cash inside a card. Don't give liquor or chocolates unless you know it is a favorite item of the recipient. If you don't like to give cash there are now gift cards for everything under the sun including, Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts, gas stations, local restaurants, town parking meters and more.

There are people like your nanny, housekeeper, driver or dog walker that you may depend on everyday. In this instance a holiday tip more closely resembles a corporate bonus. Depending on their length of service, cash or a gift equal to one or two weeks of salary is the minimum and can be significantly more if they are a long term employee.

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To be filed under bling with a capital B or even lite-brite gone luxe; Gemstone Creative has come up with a concept to provide bespoke mosaic artwork to those who have cash to burn.

To be fair, the art of making mosaics has been around for centuries and has always had a tradition of patron sponsorship. Taking their inspiration from the Moors, the Mughai Emperors and the powerful Byzantines, whose completed mosaics often contained precious stones and gold leaf, Gemstone Creative's bejeweled mosaic concept does not seem quite so outlandish. The roots of the idea can be found in historic practices around the globe.

The London based company is the brainchild of Mark Hirschel and Sarah Stultman who have assembled talented individuals in the fields of mosaic art and jewelry setting to be able to bring this unique concept to the marketplace. The artists including, Adrian Firth, Tessa Hunkin and Claire Milner are classically trained, have their art in private collections and in international shows such as the London Art Fair. The pieces can be fashioned from diamonds of various colors, rubies, emeralds, sapphires as well as a selection of semi-precious stones such as peridot, and amethysts. They make a promise to consumers to use only ethically sourced stones in their mosaics. For the most part, if you can dream it up the artists can make it happen, although the company does need to be able to acquire the correct volume of stones for your piece.

So how much does all of this cost? Well it does depend on the size of the piece, as well as the market price of the stones and setting you choose. As an example, an 8inch x 8inch piece will contain at least 2,600 stones while a larger piece measuring 24inch x 24inch would contain over 22,000 individual stones. As an estimate one can figure on the smaller portraits starting at £25,000 and easily surpassing the £1 million mark if a piece is made entirely of diamonds and set in platinum. It is no wonder the company states in its press release that the portraits are the "ultimate luxury possession".

If your pockets aren't as deep and you like the concept they will also make pieces out of Swarovski Crystals that start at a much more reasonable £2,750.

Who better to capture the carnal beauty of some of the most stunning women around than Ellen von Unwerth . She has been one of the world's premier fashion photographers for many years and Taschen is publishing a collection of her photographs. A former model, before stepping behind the lens, she worked in front of it for 10 years and it shows in the sensuality she elicits from her own subjects. Her photos have been featured in the editorial pages of Vogue, Interview and Vanity Fair and she has been hired to create many advertising campaigns for some of the biggest names in fashion from Chanel to Guess and Victoria's Secret. Her work has also been shown in numerous exhibitions internationally including at MoMA in Queens.

This collector's edition features sexy photographs of Claudia Schiffer, Kate Moss, Eva Mendes, Lindsay Lohan,and too many more to list. The images are in both black and white as well as color and present a very different impression of women as sensual beings than the stereotypical "men's" magazine. While the photographs often feature their subjects nude or in lingerie the women are never objectified but rather seem to be expressing some aspect of their own femininity. Many images are previously unpublished and have been part of the photographer's personal archive for the past 15 years.

The limited edition series of 1,500 numbered and signed copies is a 482 page hardcover book in a clam shell box and retails for $700. Taschen will also be releasing 100 Art Editions which include one of two silver gelatin photographic prints by Ellen von Unwerth and will retail for $1,800 each. Pictured above we see a sample of Ellen Von Unwerth's work featured in the book, a photograph of Claudia Schiffer, titled: TEDDY London 2006.

For the first time in over a hundred years, we get an inside view of how Dunhill manufactures its beautiful leather goods. Never before has Dunhill shown the outside world how the world class craftsman create their products. In this clip we get to see a portion of the film demonstrating the making of Dunhill's Double Document Case.

While we have always admired the finished product, watching the craftsmen at work makes it all that more interesting. It happens in the Walthamstow workshop and all by hand. Each leather artisan is responsible for the construction of a piece from start to finish and includes a stamped card with their name on it inside the finished product. The sense of personal pride taken by the master craftsmen translates into the highest quality and standard of work for Dunhill.

From the consumer's perspective, watching the skills and techniques involved helps one understand the price tag of over 1,800 British Pounds Sterling for this special bag. The company has a hundred and sixteen years of experience and the same processes that were used in the beginning are still being employed in the crafting of their leather goods today. Anyone who has an interest in fine products should find this glimpse, albeit orchestrated for film, into the manufacturing process at Dunhill fascinating.

Sometimes there exists the mistaken notion that do-it-yourselfers are not interested in luxury products. Made by hand, no longer only implies a cost cutting measure and no where is this more evident than in the products available to home knitters. What better way to give yourself a gift than to use the finest fibers available on the market.

The fine fiber yarns available both through specialty shops and the Internet offer a range of products for those who don't care if the raw materials cost more than the average finished sweater one might find in a high-end retail store.

We've previously written about String, a knitting store with branches in New York and Greenwich, which now offers customers its exclusive Cashinetta yarn. This chunky 100% cashmere yarn is available in 7 colors and each 160 yard ball of yarn sells for $180 a piece.

Other entries in the luxury yarn market include products from, Windy Valley Muskox, a family farm located in Alaska. The company is devoted to providing knitters with unusual high quality yarns from exotic animals. There is pure Qiviut, which is from the fine undercoat of the Muskox and sells for $90 per 218 yard ball. According to the manufacturer this rare fiber is considered warmer than wool and finer than cashmere. This unusual fiber is also hypoallergenic and will not shrink. They also offer Vicuna another rare fiber from the almost extinct ancestor of the modern day alpaca. The Vicuna lives only in the upper regions of the Andes Mountains and the methods of obtaining the fiber under strict regulation by the Peruvian government to protect the remaining animals.. Vicuna yarn, only available in its natural cinnamon color, is offered for $300 per 214 yard ball of yarn.

Tanglewood Fiber Creations offers hand-spun and hand dyed cashmere through local knitting stores and on-line retailers. One aspect of their unique natural cashmere is that the great natural variety is seen in individual skeins and is priced accordingly. The hand dyed cashmere is offered knittingcentral.com for prices ranging from $144 to $180 for various sized balls of yarn. They also offer hand spun yarn that has been laced with vintage beads, again by hand, for the knitter who likes the combination of the natural textured cashmere and a little sparkle. Knitting Central sells 50 yard balls for $189 on-line or at their store in Westport, Connecticut.

It can be the moment that every parent, or doting grandparent, dreads. You ask that special child in your life what they want for Christmas, Hanukkah or their birthday and they look at you with utter seriousness and say a gorilla. They of course want a real one.

Maybe they fancy a giraffe or a polar bear, and you bemoan all those hours that you insisted they watch nature shows instead of cartoons. While their friends will be satisfied with SpongeBob or Dora themed plastic toys, your little angel wants an entire ecosystem of animals in their bedroom. The worst part about it is that they honestly believe that you can fulfill their wishes.

Now with the help of Piutre, who manufactures elegant, lifelike, and some life-sized stuffed animals, you can give that special someone the next best thing. Each animal is sewn, shaped and finished entirely by hand in Italy. Originally designed by Riccardo Chiavetta, a master toy artisan, these stuffed animals are made to resemble as much as possible their real life counter parts. For example a sitting polar bear measures 71" inches high and horses and ponies range from 79" inches to 53" inches in height. An artist is responsible for each individual piece from start to finish and this careful attention detail includes lifelike noses and eyes on all of the creatures. The collection is incredibly diverse featuring cats, dogs (over 40 different breeds), farm animals, all sorts of bears and wild animals.

The prices are as high as the quality and the larger life size animals tend to be in the low to mid five figure range with some species going for much more as the 79" Indian Elephant would set you back $8,500. Puppies and kittens are priced at less eye popping levels in and around the $100 mark.

So when that little girl in your life looks you in the eye and requests a pony, there is a way to say yes.

There are many elements that contribute to the perfect holiday meal. A beautifully set table, good wine, the guests and for many families, the beef rib roast has become part of the tradition. It can be daunting to figure out how to select, and cook a good roast.

Really the first step to a good meal is to start with the best ingredients. This is just as important with meat as it is with fresh fruits and vegetables. Lobel's of New York is an old fashioned family owned butcher shop that has been serving the city with the finest meat for over 50 years. They along with other purveyors such as Dean and Deluca, recently winning the Luxist Reader's Choice Award for Best Online Gourmet Food, have made it easy to have quality meat delivered to your doorstep.

Not only will Lobel's send you the perfect piece of meat but they have many suggestions on their web-site to help you pick and prepare the perfect roast. Their tips include:

• To estimate the size of roast you will need by weight, rather than number of ribs, as the size of the eye varies and will affect the final size of your roast. They suggest 1 -1 1/4lbs per person. (see Lobel's chart here)
• To think ahead about the size of your roasting pan. An average dry-aged beef rib bone is approximately 2 inches in length. Do the math ahead of time to make sure your roast will fit in your pan.
• Bring the roast to room temperature before roasting.
• To use an instant read thermometer to test for doneness but to not poke your roast full of holes! You want to keep the juices in the meat. Wait until you are close to the estimated cooking time before you start to test. (see Lobel's chart here)
• Let your roast sit for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Lobel's offers several types of rib roasts, including Dry-Aged Waygu bone-in roasts which range in price from $359.98 for a 4lb roast to $1259.98 for a 14lb roast that comes with complementary horseradish and cream sauce. The USDA Prime Dry-Aged roasts run from $115.98 to $405.98 for the same sizes.

Dean and Deluca will ship you either a frozen or fresh 5 bone 9.9lb rib roast for $275.00 from their exclusive supplier Brandt Beef. A perfectly cooked version is pictured above.

This past summer Taschen released Moonfire the comprehensive photographic essay with text originally written by Norman Mailer to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 moon landing. For the holiday season they are releasing the Lunar Rock Edition which allows regular people to own a piece of the moon, for a price!

It is incredibly rare for an average person to have access to lunar rock. Most lunar meteorites are in the possession of scientific institutions and museum collections. Given that there are only about 70 known meteorites with a combined weight of 55 kilograms, it makes lunar rocks more valuable than diamonds, a truly rare substance on Earth.

Each of the 12 special editions come with an individual piece of lunar rock . The rock and the book are presented in a case designed by Marc Newson one of the most influential living designers of our time. His work commands the highest prices and has broken the record for auction prices paid for current designers, most notably in April 2009 when Lockheed lounge sold for $1.825 million in London.

The book itself is a fascinating compilation of photographs of what has been called the most historic event of the 20th century. The photographs have been culled from the archives of Life magazine, NASA and are paired with text by Norman Mailer. There is also an archival quality numbered photographic print signed by Buzz Aldrin included with the book.

The final 12 lunar rock editions are on sale for 60,000 Euros and come with an authenticated and documented piece of lunar rock which varies in size, color and density.

Lunar Rock edition 1,969 features a piece found in Morocco that weighs in at 348 grams and is one of the largest meteorites to be found on earth that has not been cut into smaller portions for scientific research. The purchaser of this ultimate edition will also receive an invitation to a private dinner with Buzz Aldrin in Los Angeles. The price of this unique edition will set you back almost as much as a trip to the moon itself costing 480,000 Euros!

If you'd like to see it all in person, the Lunar Rock Edition of Norman Mailer's Moonfire is being exhibited at the Taschen booth during Art Basel in Miami from December 2-5, 2009. Otherwise you can head over to the Taschen web-site for an in depth look at the book and its photos.

Every once in a while a design pairing is initiated that really works. It is no surprise that the new collection Mulberry has unveiled for Mac products falls into this category. Mulberry Creative Director, Emma Hill, is a Mac user herself and in a press release stated that she is "thrilled to launch our first collection for a whole host of Apple products including the MacBook, iphone and iPod." Consumers most likely will be excited as well when they see the marriage of Mulberry craftsmanship and practical solutions to keeping one's electronics protected without losing anything in the style department.

The collection features nine pieces including MacBook and MacBook Pro bags and sleeves as well as cross-bags for the iPhone or iPod touch. They have kept the exteriors of some of the most iconic Mulberry designs, including the Bayswater for women and the Brynmore for men, and adapted the interiors with features such as padding, pockets and headphone access. Some of the smaller items in the collection feature a bold smugged leopard print while the larger bags sport Mulberry's classic natural leathers.

Prices range from $250 - $1195 and the bags are currently in stores and available online after December 1st. It is not startling to see good creative ideas for accessories from Emma Hill who has previously worked her magic with Calvin Klein, Marc Jacobs and The Gap. Those of you who are Mac aficionados still traipsing around with a ratty backpack or generic black shoulder bag should definitely look twice at this collection. Quite possibly it is time for an upgrade that has nothing to do with the software on your computer.