This Christmas, Santa isn't so much coming to town as inviting you to his town. At the newly minted Santa's Resort Kakslauttanen, close to the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland, guests are greeted by the big man himself and plied with hot beverages and gingerbread (served by elves, natch). Accommodations in this winter wonderland include 40 log cabins, a snow igloo, and--our personal favorite--20 glass igloos (another 33 are coming in 2012) specially designed for viewing the northern lights while you're snuggled up all toasty in bed.

If you can drag yourself away, there's also the chance to steam in the world's largest smoke sauna, hitch a ride on a reindeer-drawn sleigh, or kick back with eggnog in the Glass Kota, a traditional Lapland tepee. Lead the way, Donner and Blitzen.

Photo: Courtesy of Santa's Resort Kakslauttanen

Time is a-tickin', folks. You've got 18 shopping days to find the perfect gift for the globe-trotters in your life. You could agonize over luggage tags and portable pillows (snooze). Or you could spare yourself the trouble and buy everyone a Mougin & Piquard for J.Crew watch ($425).

Top-of-the-line timepiece purveyor Tourneau has teamed up with J.Crew to revive the 1920s watch brand. The vintage styling evokes pilots' watches, with an outer dial for the minutes and an inner one for the hour. And the font lends the face a hint of Parisian cool. It's a timeless way to keep time. And it's number one on our holiday wish list (hint, hint, Mr. Claus).

Photo: Courtesy of J.Crew

Dashing through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh? It's not just the stuff of Christmas carols. On the hip travel company Black Tomato's new Swedish Lapland tour, it's your mode of transportation.

After a food tour of Stockholm, you'll kick it Santa-style under the Northern Lights, sleep in a mod tree house in an enchanted forest, and fly (literally) over the icy wilderness of Lulea in a hovercraft. Reindeer meatballs are on the menu, but having a nibble of Santa's little helpers could land you on the naughty list. Consider yourself warned.

Photo: Courtesy of Black Tomato