Should you be worried? Whaddunutz? Is the Pope Italian? Of course not. We are here for you, as always, with yet another edition of the Official Certified Peter B. 2008 Holiday Gift Guide. The Peter B. Gift Guide is the only one you’ll ever need. Read it. Carry it. Never go near Neiman’s without it. Pay attention. This is important.
Remember, it’s the thought that counts, but it’s the price that matters. The holidays are about caring, sharing and causing major financial damage to yourself. When you hear people say, “Give ’til it hurts,” they’re talking about the holidays.
If Christmas doesn’t hurt until May, late April at least, you’re doing it wrong. How much should you spend? It’s a simple formula: If you can afford something, it’s not the right gift. But let’s be sensible. Economic conditions being what they are, Christmas this year comes down to two words: control and restraint.
In these uncertain times, conserving your cash is critical. That means charge everything, with every card, to the limit. If you have accounts with a cash advance, pull that out too. There’s no sense leaving that money there until you need the experimental surgery or they’re foreclosing on your house only to have to pay the transaction fee again.
Yes, the incredible, perfect angel in your life may deserve the $37,000 Hermes crocodile Birkin bag with the palladium hardware. That is not the issue.
Until the credit crunch is over and we see if there are any car companies left and what the Senate seat from Illinois goes for, the Shimmer evening bag from Judith Leiber for $2,695 may be the best you can do.
Seriously though, don’t worry about how much you’re spending. With a few more half-trillion dollar bailouts from Washington, every American man, woman and child should be covered one way or another before they’re done.
