Author and radio host Diane Brandon has interpreted hundreds of dreams during her 40 years as a student of sleep research. 

"I feel that our unconscious, which is the source of most but not all of our dreams, is a wonderful inner ally that is trying to bring us to wholeness and balance," Brandon tell us.  

Brandon helped us compile a list of the 10 most common nightmares, or dreams with negative meanings, which we have only edited for clarity.  

10. Having a disease or health emergency

This nightmare could reflect a fear of an unknown thing suddenly having a negative impact on the dreamer’s life. It could also reflect an underlying fear of illness or of contracting a serious disease. It could also express a fear of not being able to enjoy life or that there’s something wrong (“ill” or “rotten”) in one’s life.

A nightmare about an illness could also be a way of telling the dreamer that he or she actually has an illness, even if consciously unaware of it.

Source: Diane Brandon

9. Being attacked or injured

This type of nightmare could reflect a fear of others, a fear of not fitting in, a literal fear of violence, or a fear of being figuratively “attacked" or criticized by others. It’s important to take into account the actual scenario and what’s going on in the dreamer’s life for meanings.

Source: Diane Brandon

8. Car trouble

This nightmare can reflect a feeling of not being able to move forward in life or even of one’s life being out of control.

Our car is frequently how we not only travel, but “get to places" in life.

Source: Diane Brandon

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This post originally appeared on The Fine Young Gentleman. 

How to wear a tuxedo?  A simple enough question, right?  The look is quite simple; some black here, some white there.  But to appropriately and properly pull it off there are numerous variables that deserve consideration.  Decisions have to be made on everything from shoes to collars.

As we all know, I am a fan of rules (but I am also a fan of breaking them).  And as is the case in the Rules Of Men’s Dress, there are some rules in black tie that should not be broken and some that are free to be broken, in good taste of course.  I receive countless inquiries from both friends and readers on how to wear a tuxedo so I feel it is prudent to centralize a list of basic and not so basic rules on how to wear a tuxedo.  The list is by no mean comprehensive or complete, it will be added to as appropriate.  But it should be sufficient to get any gentleman off to a suitable start.

1.  Thou shall only wear a self tied bow tie.  Long neck ties and pre-tied bow ties are perhaps the highest offense to black tie.  

2.  Thou shall avoid rental tuxedos as if they were the harbinger of death. Because, well, frankly they kind of are.

3.  Tuxedo, black tie and dinner jacket are basically all just different names for the same thing. That said, they will be used interchangeably going forward.

4.  Thou shall match the fabric of his bow tie to that of his lapels and stripe on his pants. But, for a bit of flair, a velvet bow tie can look great against satin or grosgrain lapels and pant stripes.

5.  If thou is wearing a single breasted jacket a cummerbund, waistcoat or vest shall be worn. The primary concern is to conceal the bit of white shirting fabric between your jacket button and waistband.

6.  Tuxedo/dinner jackets should only have one button when in single breasted form.

7.  A tuxedo jacket/dinner jacket shall never have notch lapels. They are not formal enough for a proper tuxedo. Peak lapels and shawl collars are the only acceptable options, whether single or double breasted.

8.  Thou shall wear a pocket square. White linen or cotton is ideal. Some gentlemen look dashing with a red or burgundy one, however.

9.  Thou shall not match one’s tuxedo or associated accessories with the attire of his date. It does not matter what your date says, the purpose of your tuxedo is not to match or compliment her dress.  Thou is meant to look stunning in one’s own right, changing one’s attire to suit her will only detract from the integrity of one’s tuxedo.

10.  Midnight blue tuxedos are making a comeback. Although I normally eschew trends, I will say that midnight blue tuxedos are bad ass.  Including the shawl collared one worn by Daniel Craig in Skyfall.

11.  A pleated front shirt is not necessary. Although they are more formal and traditional, often times a man looks best in a button up shirt with a classic spread collar shirt and French cuffs.

12.  Opera pumps (court shoes) are to be reserved for formal (white tie) attire. They are not appropriate for semi formal (black tie) attire.

13.  Patent leather shoes are acceptable for black tie, however, they shall be in lace up and not loafer form.

14.  If thou opts for calf skin shoes, they are to be well polished and free of brogues and medallions.  Many say that a well polished black cap toe is the ideal shoe to wear with a tuxedo.

15.  Belgian shoes and Prince Albert slippers are not appropriate at a club that you are not a member of/ do not have reciprocity at.  It would be presumptuous and rude to wear them.

16.  Belgian shoes and Prince Albert slippers are bad ass and the wearing of them is encouraged in appropriate settings like weddings and fundraisers.

17.  Bit loafers can be worn with a tuxedo. The same rules apply as with Prince Albert slippers, however, bit loafers are a bit more snarky (understatement).  And if you choose to wear them, do so wisely.  For when worn inappropriately it can be quite an offense.  It’s one of those ‘The first rule of Fight Club is you don’t talk about Fight Club’ type of things…

18.  Thou can wear a club bow tie in place of a black bow tie, as long as thou is a member of said club and preferably if the event is at said club.

19.  Thou can wear a button down shirt, however, the same statements apply as with bit loafers.

20.  Needlepoint cummerbunds are badass.

21.  Thou shall not wear a belt with a tuxedo. In fact, tuxedo pants should not have belt loops on them, ever.

22.  Thou shall wear suspenders with a tuxedo. However, in the event that pants stay up without suspenders they are not necessary.

23.  Thou shall not don pants with either cuffs or pleats with a tuxedo.

24.  Velvet jackets, smoking jackets and jacket of colors other than black and midnight blue (including tartans) should be worn with caution. They are of a lesser formality than the two traditional options.

25.  White or cream dinner jackets shall only be worn between memorial and labor days.  Unless one is in a warm weather or tropical climate. They are not appropriate for cold weather falls and winters, like what we have here in the Northeast.

26.  Solid black over the calf socks are the only appropriate hosiery for a man to wear with black tie.  If one must change things up, black over the calf socks with clocks can also be deemed appropriate.

27.  Studs are not necessary, however, they can look dashing. Gold, silver, mother of pearl, onyx are all suitable options.

28.  White and black suspenders are the most traditional choices.  However, they are an ideal medium for one to use to change things up a bit.  The women seem to love pink suspenders…

29.  Jacket pockets should be besom pockets, not flap pockets.  If a jacket has flap pockets, they can often be tucked in the pockets to look like besom pockets.

30.  Life is more fun in a tux.

31.  Thou shall carry himself in a courteous and respectful manner.  He shall also carry his liquor well.

32.  Semi-formal dress means black tie.  Formal dress means white tie.  Know your dress code definitions.  If you think the organizers of an event meant something else, do not be embarrassed to inquire; for it would be far more embarrassing to show up in the wrong attire.

Justin Jeffers is the editor of The Fine Young Gentleman.

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This is the Men's Apex Lite Jacket from The North Face.

Why We Love It: Every athlete should own this jacket. It acts as a second skin, with body-mapped ventilation and North Face's FlashDry technology that wicks sweat and moisture away from the skin, through the fabric, and eliminates it. This means the FlashDry fabric dries quicker and more efficiently, and will keep you from getting clammy in cold conditions.

Overall, it's designed to be breathable with enough protection for running in the winter. It's both wind- and water-resistant, and has reflective logos to keep you safe on the road.

Where To Buy: Available through The North Face website.

Cost: $130.

Want to nominate a cool product for Stuff We Love? Send an email to Megan Willett at mwillett@businessinsider.com with "Stuff We Love" in the subject line.

DON'T MISS:  Distill Your Own Booze With The HomeMade Gin Kit

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In 1979, Pope John Paul II toured Ireland in the yellow Ford Transit van that served as the Popemobile. Now, the old van is available for bachelor and bachelorette parties.

Paddy Dunning, an Irish businessman, came into possession of the defunct Popemobile when he acquired the Dublin Wax Museum a few years ago, according to The Telegraph. Sensing an opportunity, he gave the vehicle a $77,600 makeover, adding a Mercedes chassis.

According to the Irish Times, Dunning's suggested uses for the Popemobile include "hen and stag [nights], debs and photo calls."

As of today, the Wax Museum's web site does not mention hen and stag (meaning bachelor and bachelorette) parties, but suggests hiring the vehicle "for events such as photo calls, product launches, sports club transport, charity events, exhibitions, pilgrimages and weddings."

The revamped Popemobile will seat 15, including the seat from which Pope John Paul II once greeted the Irish crowds.

The hourly rate for rental is about $388.

SEE ALSO: Meet The Classy Booth Babes Of The Los Angeles Motor Show

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We got to check out Arianna's office during our tour of The Huffington Post. Here's where she spends her workdays—click on it to enlarge.

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There's been a recent renaissance in small living spaces.

New York City and San Francisco are moving forward with plans to build experimental "micro apartments," and a small tiny-house community has popped up on the outskirts of Washington D.C.

The idea of a "tiny home" is nothing new —Jay Shafer, founder the Tumblewood Tiny House Company, has been the face of the movement and a major advocate of the concept for more than a decade.

But their recent rise in popularity "could be seen as a denunciation of conspicuous consumption and a rejection of the idea that more is, well, more," writes The Washington Post's Emily Wax.

The homes, often with 200 square feet of living space or less, are brilliant examples of design. For such a small square footage, they can be surprisingly livable.

Shafer took sustainable culture blog *faircompanies inside his own tiny house. Click through to see what life is like in his 89-square-foot residence.

Jay Shafer is the founder of the Tumbleweed Tiny House Co. He's been designing tiny houses, and living in them, for more than a decade.

Source: *faircompanies

When he gave this tour in 2010, his 89-square-foot home-on-wheels was parked in Sebastopol, California.

Source: *faircompanies

"I started living small because it's so wasteful — a personal like me, with minimal needs — to live in a large house," Shafer said.

Source: *faircompanies

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Instead of trying to turn all of its 90 restaurants into destination eateries, luxury hotel chain Four Seasons is taking a different approach to promote its dining venues.

The company just launched a new website called Taste, which is basically a Pinterest knockoff that showcases restaurants, chefs, and recipes at the Four Seasons.

In one section called "1 Ingredient, 3 Ways," Four Season's chefs will create recipes centered around (what else?) specific ingredients, and visitors can then vote on which version they like best.

There's also a unique learning component featuring a flavor profile on the ingredient, what region it comes from, its taste, benefits, and the ways it can be prepared.

The company is banking on people discovering Taste not only through the Four Seasons' website, but through searches such as, "What can I make tonight with apples?" It sees the website as a useful tool, while also connecting visitors with its chefs, restaurants, and ultimately its brand, we learned at a launch event for the website at the Four Seasons New York this week.

In essence, the Four Seasons is building an interactive epicurean community that is also spreading its desired image as an food-oriented hotel, one website click at a time.

SEE ALSO:  The 10 Best All-Inclusive Hotels On The Planet

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Are you one of the millions of Americans who are taking a conservative approach to gift giving this holiday season?

Me too! And you know what? We aren’t alone.

Check out these great gift ideas >

The National Retail Federation’s holiday spending survey found that over 52% of holiday shoppers are scaling back on their holiday shopping for 2012, with most citing the economy as the main factor.

According to NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay, “More than half of Americans this holiday season will feel the impact of the economy and will compensate by doing what they’ve been doing for several years – looking for ways to cut any corners, comparative shop online and in stores more often, and even planning to travel less or not at all,” stated Shay.

Despite the recent shift towards better spending habits, consumers still plan on spending a good chunk of change on the holidays. According to NRF’s holiday consumer spending survey conducted by BIGinsight, the average consumer will spend $749.51 this holiday season, with gifts accounting for the largest portion of that figure.

That’s a lot of candy canes!

To all my dear family, friends, colleagues, and Secret Santa/White Elephant gift exchange recipients: I am not spending $750 on the holidays this year. In fact, I’m shooting for a figure more like $150.

I know how hard it is to stay on budget, especially during this time of year. It’s even harder to find holiday gifts that are unique, thoughtful, and inexpensive.

But, just because you are on a tight budget, doesn’t mean you have to go the predictable gift card route or risk cutting your fingertip off making a felt flower brooch for your sister-in-law (true story).

I’ve scoured the earth (ok, the Internet) high and low, and here are ten awesome holiday gifts that are $10 and under.

Theo Caramels by Theo Chocolate in Seattle, WA – $9

These fair trade, organic specialty caramels come in holiday flavors like gingersnap with milk chocolate (a peppery molasses caramel) and apple cider in dark chocolate (a fresh apple cider reduction and mulling spices).

Illustrated Stateside Tote by Madewell – $5

These totes feature fun state facts that have been translated into illustrations. State bird? Local delicacies? World-record-breaking pie eaters? Yup, they’re all here—on a sturdy canvas designed to be taken everywhere (12 state designs available).

5 Life Playbook by Dan Zadra — $10

(retails for $14.95 – use the code “Buy5″ for a $4.95 discount – expires 12/26/12)

Where will you be 5 years from today? This “playbook for life” features thought-provoking quotations and real-life examples to serve as both a spark and a road map for your life. It encourages you to celebrate and embrace the “want to’s,” the “choose to’s” and the “I can’t wait to’s” in your life.

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10. Detroit

Thanks to poor equity markets and an auto industry pummeled by the economic downturn, Detroit is still struggling to regain its pre-recession population of millionaires.

Still, the city saw enough growth to maintain a spot in the top 10. After losing 16% of millionaires in 2008, it's added just about 15% back. 

Growth in millionaires over time:

2007: 94,500
2008: 79,500
2009: 89,100
2010: 92,100
2011: 90,100

Source: Capgemini U.S. Metro Wealth Index

9. San Jose

Like Houston, a strong local industry performance helped move San Jose from the No. 10 spot to No. 9 this year around.

Since the recession, it's added more than 20,000 millionaires to its ranks, representing a nearly 30% surge.

Growth in millionaires over time:

2007: 80,700
2008: 69,500
2009: 86,500
2010: 88,800
2011: 90,700

Source: Capgemini U.S. Metro Wealth Index

8. Houston

Houston was one of the only cities on this year's list to see significant growth in high net worth individuals between 2010 and 2011, when millionaires grew by 2.1 percent.

Jean Lassignardie, chief sales and marketing officer at Capgemini chalks it up to "good performance of major local industries." 

Growth in millionaires over time:

2007: 86,700
2008: 68,400
2009: 88,200
2010: 96,700
2011: 98,500

Source: Capgemini U.S. Metro Wealth Index

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Ski season is around the corner, and if you're planning to hit the slopes, you'll want to stock up on some crucial items.

From goggles with GPS to helmet cameras to heated ski gloves and socks, we've found the coolest ski gear on the market.

Oakley Airwave Ski Goggles will track your location and performance.

This season, Oakley came out with perhaps the coolest ski goggles ever.

The Airwave goggles have GPS and sensors that can track your location and performance while skiing, along with maps, buddy tracking, music playlist control and more.

Learn more about what the goggles can do at Oakley.

Price:$600

The Warmawear Heated Ski Gloves For Touchscreen Devices will keep your hands warm while allowing you to text.

These Warmawear gloves have a heater that will keep your hands warm for up to two hours—just press the button and the gloves' heater will switch on or off.

The gloves also have small finger spots so that you can use a touchscreen device without taking the gloves off.

Price:$76.50

The Giro Seam Helmet will keep you safe and make you look like a pro.

If you don't already have a ski helmet, get one. All of the pros wear helmets and donning a goofy hat is almost as bad as wearing blue jeans on the slopes.

The Giro Seam helmet is lightweight, well-ventilated, and stylish.

Price: $80

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An American woman stranded in a freezing storm survived six days in the wilderness by eating tomatoes and snow, and sheltering in a hollowed-out tree, as her boyfriend died trying to find help.

Paula Lane, 46, and her boyfriend Roderick Clifton, 44, were reported missing after their Jeep Cherokee got stuck on a dirt road in the Sierra Nevada mountains on Nov 29.

A search involving a helicopter failed to locate them but Miss Lane, a mother of twin 11-year-old boys, was eventually found by her brother Gary, who had refused to give up looking.

He discovered her crawling through the snow as he searched for her in a rented digger.

Miss Lane's older sister, Linda Hathaway, told reporters at a hospital in Carson City, Nevada: "We couldn't stop him (Gary,) we just let him do what he had to do. He had a feeling. They have a special bond, they really do.

"Last night, I gave her the biggest kiss I could without hurting her. My sister may be little, but she's mighty. She is a survivor and she loves life. God was looking over her.

"All I can tell you, is she wants to get better so she can get home to her babies. It's been a rough haul, waiting all those days, trying to know if she'd made it or not."

Miss Lane was suffering from mild frostbite on her toes and was malnourished, but doctors said her condition was remarkably good after nearly a week in the mountains.

According to Undersheriff Robert Levy in Alpine County, California, Mr Clifton had been trying out the four-wheel-drive on a 1989 Jeep Cherokee he had just bought, and drove around a locked gate blocking a dirt road in an area with no mobile phone reception.

Such roads had been closed that day by the US Forest Service ahead of an expected storm.

The Jeep got stuck in mud near a lake in the frigid Hope Valley and the couple spent the night inside the vehicle.

The following morning Mr Clifton attempted to walk to a highway six miles away but did not reach it.

Miss Lane, from Gardnerville, Nevada, stayed with the vehicle for four days before eventually attempted to crawl to safety, taking shelter in a hollow tree along the way.

She ate tomatoes that the couple had with them in the Jeep.

Miss Lane later told emergency services that she had come across Mr Clifton's body while making her way down the dirt road. It was recovered by searchers on snowmobiles.

Dr Vijay Maiya said: "Once she found out her loved one wasn't coming back she knew she couldn't stay in the truck and attempted to then go and find help on her own.

"She realised after she left that she couldn't make it, so she had a blanket and tomatoes and stayed in a hollowed tree until rescued. She was lucky.

"She is currently in stable condition and recovering nicely. She has a long road ahead of her, both physically and emotionally."

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Dec. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Billionaire Carlos Slim’s America Movil SAB has brought its Telcel brand, Mexico’s biggest wireless carrier, to the U.S. to offer plans with unlimited calls south of the border.

Telcel America is selling prepaid mobile-phone plans for $60 a month with unlimited voice, text and data nationwide, plus calls to Mexican landlines and mobile phones, according to its website. The carrier offers smartphones from Samsung Electronics Co. and Google Inc.’s Motorola unit, or customers can use their own devices.

America Movil is seeking to capitalize on recognition for its Telcel brand among a growing U.S. demographic with roots in Mexico, where Telcel has 70 percent of wireless subscribers. People of Mexican origin increased 54 percent to 31.8 million in 2010 from 2000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Slim’s company had 21.6 million wireless subscribers in the U.S. at the end of September, out of a total of 256 million across the Western Hemisphere. In the U.S., the company doesn’t own its own network, reselling minutes from AT&T Inc., Verizon Wireless and others. Its wireless brands in the U.S. include TracFone, SafeLink, Net10 and Straight Talk.

The company acquired Simple Mobile Inc., a U.S. wireless reseller, for $118 million in June.

Mexico is America Movil’s largest market, with 69.2 million wireless subscribers. The company doesn’t offer an unlimited package in Mexico like Telcel America’s $60 a month plan, even for contract subscribers.

An America Movil press official had no immediate comment on the new plan.

--Editors: Niamh Ring, Nick Turner

To contact the reporter on this story: Crayton Harrison in Mexico City at tharrison5@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Nick Turner at nturner7@bloomberg.net

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This article by Hua Ti on Economic Observer was translated by WorldCrunch and syndicated here.

Read the article in the original language.

All rights reserved ©Worldcrunch - in partnership with ECONOMIC OBSERVER

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The beginning of Hanukkah is only a couple days from now — do you know where your chanukiyah, the nine-branch menorah, is?

Using the Hanukkah menorah your grandparents used may be a family tradition, but do-it-yourself, arty, or high-tech menorahs have the same symbolism.

Here are a few interesting ones found around the internet.

1. LED Hanukkah Menorah Kit

Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories posted their first LED Menorah project back in 2006.

A microcontroller keeps the LEDs in order, so that each time you turn it on, the correct configuration of lights of that day of Hanukkah are displayed  — as long as you start on the right date.

So many people were interested that they started making kits for sale, which have been improved and updated over the years.

But if you want to provide your own parts, the code is open source and available through the Evil Mad Scientist Wiki.

2. Star Trek Menorah

Once you have the parts and the instructions, your own imagination can make your homemade menorah special and even reflect your personal interests.

Joyce and Kaufman made this Star Trek menorah with the above-mentioned LED kit and character heads from PEZ dispensers.

3. Recycled Circuit Board Menorah

If you like the LED idea but don’t want to make your own, this LED menorah from Zion Judaica also lights sequentially and runs on batteries.

Environmentally-friendly, too, as it’s constructed of recycled circuit board! And since it is sold through Amazon, they have instructions on how to get it shipped by December 25th. Heh.

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Artist Henry Leutwyler has been collaborating with the New York City Ballet for four years, even receiving an unprecedented all-access backstage pass this past winter to photograph the dancers.

From classes to rehearsals, opening to closing nights, Leutwyler was allowed to photograph the unguarded moments of the over 90 dancers in the company.

Now that his new book BALLET has been released and his images are on display at the New York's Foley Gallery, we can finally peek behind the red velvet curtain, too.

Founded in 1948, the New York City Ballet is the most famous ballet company in America.

It performs a total of 65 ballets each year.

Source: New York City Ballet

It's the only ballet company in the country to have its own permanent costume shop.

Source: New York City Ballet

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With the success of Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2012, we'd wager that a lot of shoppers have gotten a head start on their holiday buying.

But since it's only the first week in December, there's still time to find the perfect gifts at the best prices for all those on your holiday gift list.

Just don't wait too long to make your online purchases, as there are some potential risks involved in procrastinating just a little too much.

Beyond the challenge of finding the right gift and staying within your budget, you'll want the assurance that it'll arrive in time for the holidays.

Many merchants, of course, take great care to expedite their processes during the holiday season, and there are numerous others that offer a special Christmas guarantee, which may include refunds for orders that don't arrive in time. But not all retailers are that reliable.

There are a few types of stores (and a handful of retailers in particular) whose shipping policies are likely to cut it close to Christmas. If you're interested in purchasing from any of these retailers below, you should place your order this week, otherwise you'll run the risk of your gifts not arriving in time for the holiday.

But, as we get closer to Christmas and your purchases become more last-minute, it's smart to avoid these stores entirely. So, who made the naughty list?

Stores with Slow Shipping

We mention these stores with the side note that many of them might in fact feature shipping guarantees. However, they're also periodic offenders of extremely late delivery, so we feel that it's still worth keeping in mind what the potential processing and shipping delays might be. After all, a store might guarantee a refund if an order is late, but that does you little good if you have nothing to give on December 25.

First up is Kohl's, which is notoriously guilty of slow processing; according to our own staff experiences, it can take a week between a "Thank you for your Kohls.com order" email and the subsequent "Your Kohls.com order is ready to be shipped" message. Sometimes orders are processed more quickly than this, but the erratic nature of delivery time makes us nervous when buying with a hard deadline.

Meritline is also on the slow shipper list, and although we don't expect you to buy, say, a data cable for your loved ones as a gift, some of the store's quirky goods — like these USB Heated Warmer Gloves ($3.99 with free shipping) — make for nifty, inexpensive stocking stuffers. Unfortunately, most items require two to three weeks for delivery, while even the items marked 1-week delivery can take a while to arrive.

Additionally, according to STELLAService (a company that measures retailer customer service), the slowest shippers in the past six months have consistently been Target, Overstock, Dell, and HSN. STELLAService data shows that each averages about a 6-day turnaround, from placing the order to receiving it.

But, one of the most frequently-named and disappointing retailers amongst our own readers and staff is Best Buy, as many have complained about the store's processing and shipping policies. Our Editor in Chief checked his numerous past orders and discovered that Best Buy usually takes five days to process an order, upon which you can tack on the days its actually in transit.

(Some of our writers have experienced even longer processing times.) Another writer evaluated three recent orders and discovered that on average, they took two weeks to arrive.

Merchants with Slow Ship-to-Store

Some folks find it easier to either avoid potential shipping costs or missing their UPS guy by having their items sent directly to a local brick-and-mortar store. But even in-store deliveries can be delayed. JCPenney's jcp.com Catalogue Desk orders can be shipped to affiliated, non-JCP locations for convenience, but this can also introduce different processes that vary by store.

Chances are high that smaller stores have a less streamlined method for processing site-to-store orders, which may explain the numerous complaints we've received about items arriving late, or not being on the premises at all when they should be. Payless Shoes orders shipped to a store for pickup, too, often take a full 14 days for delivery.

Walmart is another big retailer that offers a free ship-to-store option. However, it can be tedious since shoppers can only pick up their orders when the customer service desk is staffed. Store hours vary, but for some locations, the hours are the normal 9 to 5, which means customers will have a hard time picking up orders after work. There's also the risk of in-store pickup deliveries taking up to a week to arrive.

Flash Sale and Daily Deal Sites

Many flash sale sites don't actually possess the items they're selling; Lot 18, for example, takes orders from its users, but the wine itself is packaged and shipped by each specific winery. This often contributes to a lengthy processing time and slow delivery.

Numerous flash stores, as well, like Fab, Rue La La, and daily deal sites like DailySteals.com and 1 Sale A Day clearly state that shipping for some items may take several weeks, but sometimes their wares are still positioned as holiday options. Pay close attention to whether your selected gift will actually be available for delivery before Christmas and note that there are often no expedited shipping options available.

Stores That Specialize in Personalization

Merchants like RedEnvelope, Pottery Barn, and L.L. Bean are popular holidays shops because of their gift-friendly personalized items. But not only does this customization add an extra and sometimes time-consuming step (which some of our readers have lamented), it also introduces a more significant chance of encountering an error that cannot be fixed in time for the holiday.

A store may fix an item with a misspelled name free of charge, but not without tacking on a few extra weeks to your gift-giving timeline.

Retailers with a Tendency to Cancel Orders

A cancelled order can upset any shopper, no matter the time of year, but it's especially annoying when the store doesn't notify the customer in a timely fashion. Not only is there a loss of time spent finding the original deal, but there's even less time to find a replacement.

Last year, Best Buy cancelled hundreds of orders just weeks before Christmas, and though the retailer did offer refunds and credits, a number of shoppers refuse to take that same risk again.

In fact, Best Buy has again cancelled some Black Friday 2012 orders, but it has done so in a timely fashion this year. Yet it's likely that this doesn't change consumers' past experiences, as many customers remain wary of shopping with Best Buy again. Toys "R" Us and Fry's also cancelled orders after Black Friday weekend, and the dealnews staff has had issues in general with Shoebuy, newegg, Reebok, and Kate Spade.

Questionable Sellers

When DeepDiscount's parent company Infinity Resources had its Better Business Bureau accreditation revoked in 2010, dealnews stopped listing its wares. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that consumers have stopped shopping there... or at other questionable online stores.

And not having an accreditation doesn't stop resellers from offering their goods on eBay, etsy, and the like, either. We wholly advise skipping the sale from a merchant without a BBB listing, and to be aware of seller-specific processing and shipping guidelines, as many can take up to 30 days to process and ship.

All in all, we want our readers to enjoy their holiday shopping as much as they can. To keep the anxiety down, we again remind all you love-to-shop-last-minute gift-givers not only to be leery of flash sale sites and personalized items, but to think twice about ordering from stores with slow shipping and a history of canceling orders. If you must do any last-minute gift buying, you can always shop in-store with printable coupon in-hand.

SEE ALSO: 50 must-have holiday gifts for $50 or less >

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Good excuses for a December break, from migrating butterflies in Mexico to Santa spotting in Lapland.

Edinburgh - for Hogmanay

No city parties quite like Edinburgh on New Year’s Eve.

It’s very much a public event and easy to feel part of it.

Events get going on December 30 with a torchlit procession and an opening party in Revolution Square starting at 5pm, and continue until January 2. Full details of timings and tickets are on www.edinburghshogmanay.org.

For other things to do in Edinburgh, and suggested places to stay, see our expert guide to the city.

Vienna - for New Year

Edinburgh does New Year in style, but not quite the style of Vienna with its spectacular balls, concerts, operas and operettas.

The most useful guide to the different events, including details of how to book tickets to one of the balls, is found at the tourist board website.

Germany - for the festive spirit

No country does Christmas markets quite like Germany, from the sausage and gluwein, to the toys and picturesque settings, and the majority have already opened their doors.

The best places to go are Nuremberg, one of Europe's most enchanting medieval cities, Munich, or — for something more contemporary — Berlin.

Berlin city break guide

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So you’ve got a label-loving lady in your life, but you’re terrified that her high-end taste will leave you penniless this holiday.

Relax. It’s easy to suit her style without breaking the bank.

With this fashion-friendly gift guide, she can wear her heart—or whom she hearts—on her sleeve for less!

Tory Burch: Logo Thong Flip Flops

Women adore Tory. Her brand has built a cult-like following over the last decade thanks to her pretty-in-prep style.

Though the signature Tory Burch ballet flats are a little (read: a lot) out of our price range, you can still score the eponymous T logo with these adorably chic Logo Thong Flip Flops ($50) at Saks Fifth Avenue in your choice of black-and-white or winter teal.

(Until December 31, save up to 40 percent off select designer styles with Saks Fifth Avenue coupons.)

Marc by Marc Jacobs: The Jacobs Tote

This one’s in the bag. Coming in at a mere $35, the Jacobs Tote is the perfect little cotton-canvas carryall.

And it aptly represents Marc Jacobs’ stylishly quirky sense of humor by simply stating, “Jacobs by Marc Jacobs for Marc by Marc Jacobs in collaboration with Marc Jacobs for Marc by Marc Jacobs.”

(Get free shipping on all orders of $150 or more with Marc Jacobs coupons.)

Jonathan Adler: Carnaby Acid Palm Mug

Home decor and furniture designer Jonathan Adler offers a bevy of great gifts under $50 this season.

He’s best known for his ceramic work, so why not warm her heart—and home—with the cheeky Squirrel Match Strike ($42)?

You could also opt for the neon-chic Carnaby Acid Palm Mug ($18).

Since it’s under $20, you could buy two and still be on budget. (Spy these Jonathan Adler coupons before you check out.)

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A cheese grater without any holes, a tennis racket with two heads and a golf club twisted into a loop are some of the items on sale at the surreal Erratum boutique, which opens at the Paradise Row gallery in London tomorrow.

The project is the work of artist Jeremy Hutchison, who has invited workers from factories across China, India, Poland, Turkey and Pakistan to insert an error into one of the everyday items they typically produce in bulk and send him their results.

The malformed objects have a disturbing, eerie quality, suggesting an alternative reality, a jarring aberration in the polished, homogeneous world of mass-produced goods. They also hint at a possible form of artificial evolution, each mistake suggesting a potential success, a mutation that could evolve to serve a future race.

Hutchison was inspired by allegations last year about the working conditions in Apple's Foxconn factory, including a story from one worker who said he would deliberately drop a spanner on the floor so that he could have a few seconds of rest while picking it up.

"I became fascinated by this idea of an intentional human error to break the tedium of mass-production," says the artist. "I wanted to see what would happen if you commissioned this kind of intentional mistake into the smooth logic of a hyperefficient globalised machine."

Hutchison went online and discovered Alibaba, the global production portal, and began sending thousands of emails to manufacturers across the world, requesting a version of what they produced, rendered useless by a human error.

The resulting products, from leadless pencils to double-heeled stilettos, will go on sale as limited edition works in the luxury boutique, as well as via the Erratum online store– alongside photos of supermodels crashing down flights of stairs, as if following an encounter with one of the mutant objects.

"The endgame of luxury is when things slide into obsolescence: true luxury has no function," says Hutchison. "It is not something to be used or understood. It is a feeling: beyond sense, beyond logic, beyond utility. It is an ethic of perfect dysfunctionality."

Having launched the project in London, the hub of global consumption, he is keen to take it overseas, to China, Russia and India. "We're still used to this colonialist paradigm of things being made in China and consumed here," he says. But, as the copy of Vogue China resting on the gallery's coffee table suggests, "things are no longer quite that simple".

This article originally appeared on guardian.co.uk

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Do you have a politically obsessive person on your list this year?

Whether they prefer the neutral "Happy Holidays" or are a frontline soldier in the War on Christmas, we've scoured the internet to find the best presents for the political junkie in your life.

Heat-activated Global Warming mug

The Unemployed Philosophers Guild has a number of great products for the politically involved.

If you're buying for an environmentalist, you've got to check out this mug.

When it's empty, there's a standard map of the world.

When you pour in hot liquid, the seas rise and show a post-climate change map. 

Unemployed Philosophers Guild: $15

"Political Party In My Pants" Silk Panties

Are you in a relationship with a partisan hack?

Get them these innovative undergarments, from Etsy. 

SoloJones/Etsy: $25.00

(GOP Version)

BONUS: Ron Paul Thong — $10

A life-size poster of their favorite vice presidential candidate

This six-foot-two, life-sized poster of 2012 Republican vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan is a tasteful addition to any Republican's wall. 

As product reviewer mkayreagan puts it: "Quality is excellent, sturdy enough to hold til 2016."

Amazon: $39

See Also: Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, Joe Biden

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