Virtual Christmas Gifts

Finances are tighter than ever, with this recession, and with the financial savings and honeymoon budget goals and all. But this year, I would like to wish myself a very Merry Christmas with the following virtual Christmas gifts (since noone else will buy these for me):

Liveaboard Trip in Palau (Price: $2300/person - Big Blue Explorer)

First and foremost among my virtual gifts to myself would be a scuba liveaboard trip to Palau (see above). The price is $2300/person for 7 days aboard the cheapest liveaboard in Palau, the Big Blue Explorer. This includes up to 5 dives/day, all meals and even transportation from the airport. Why Palau you might ask? It is considered one of the best places to dive in the world, and certainly one of the most varied places to dive, featuring a jellyfish lake, WWII wrecks, coral reefs, sharks and all. Furthermore, there are tons of above land attractions: one of the most famous WWII battle sites was on the Palau island of Peliliu, and some of the most exotic South Pacific culture can be experienced on the neighboring island of Yap.

Resistance 2 (Price: $71.99 from OnSale.com)

Resistance 2, is a violent, "first-person-shooter" game. Based on the prequel with the same name, this new game is supposedly badder than the first. The game's name, by the way, is a double entendre. There is the resistance against malevolent aliens attacking Earth, but there is also the resistance that the protaganist, Nathan Hale, has against the alien virus, which prevents him from completely transforming into an alien species, but allows him to obtain some of the alien's super-human strength. We have spent many an hour, without eating, or going to the bathroom, playing the former game. I am up for the challenge of playing the sequel.

La Furla Handbags (Price: $408.87 from zappos.com)

I do have a girly-girl side. And I do espouse somewhat to the philosophy that a very high-quality handbag goes a long way to dressing up a person. I could literally wear sweats, Uggs and either of the above handbags and NOT look like a baglady. Look at the luxurious leather, and the perfect proportions. (Sigh.) My purses get trashed after one year, and money spent on a handbag, however, would not be a dollar well spent.

Trench Coat Like the Burberry Ivybridge Trench (Price: $1,295 from burberry.com)

I have been searching for a while for a basic trench coat, much like the one pictured above. The joy is in the search as much as in the usage, and the Burberry trench coat, is one of those investment items that you can wear forever. However, the price is prohibitive. So I have been eyeing a much less expensive version by Soia & Kyo, below. Still debating, however. It doesn't look as classic as the original Burberry.

Soia & Kyo Black Trench (Price: $119 - 50% off at Nordstroms.com )