Conspicuous consumption is conspicuous by its absence at Neiman-Marcus this Christmas.

Perhaps it’s post-financial traumatic stress disorder, but the American department store famed for its annual splurge season catalogue seems to have had a wobbly kneejerk reaction and come over all faintly frugal.  Spokespruikers for the Dallas-based spendorama have been recorded for austerity, scattering sound bites about ‘challenging financial times’. And the highest price tags in their fantasy gift section are about half of previous years.

Of course that leaves a fair margin when the high bar has often been over the half-million mark – for must-have items like sections of turf from the Dallas Cowboys home ground. Which suggests that they’re using the term ‘grass’ in its internationally ratified drug code context, or that water restrictions in Texas make a flourishing patch of lawn marginally less affordable than an oil paddock.

But fear not, committed shopaholics – and those of us not yet committed but already undergoing retail therapy. While they might purport to be recoiling in horror from clinically insane prices, the Neiman-Marcus version of sticker shock treatment still has the air of needing at least some serious counselling.

No scraps of that hallowed home turf, nor any glint of the pink diamond encrusted phones or other similarly useful gift suggestions of previous years. But ladies and gentlemen, may we present the 2009 must-have: the $25,000 Cupcake Car.

Part transport, part fancy dress and part proof that perhaps the wheel wasn’t such a brilliant idea after all, this is the brightest spot in 2009’s disturbingly sensible catalogue.  It’s not the only car they’re offering. There’s also a $105,000 supercharged Jaguar XJ in a limited edition of 50. But it sold out within hours.  And there are other transport options: the world’s fastest electric motorcycle for $75,000 or the pair of ICON A5 Sports Aircraft (and pilot training for two) that are this year’s version of their traditional ‘his and hers’ gift.

And there are other attempts at coupling extreme silliness with an inflated price-tag – apart from the fashion section, we mean – such as the $12,000 Sustainable Design Art Chandelier. A construction by artist Michelle Brand who astoundingly “discovered that if she placed a cut just right, the natural shape of a flower appeared out of the base of a plastic soda bottle”. Looks pretty, but obviously there’ll be a barrage of copyright and plagiarism writs from your local kindy.

But the Cupcake Car takes the… err, cake.   You can order the vehicle and matching hat decorated in your favourite toppings and flavours. And the wood, metal and fabric construction is apparently approved by Weight Watchers.   It’s neck-snapping speed of 10km/h is delivered from a heavy-duty battery and 24-volt electric motor that shows Neiman-Marcus is up with the latest trends in the auto industry.

Or perhaps Kath and Kim’s conquest of American television was so complete that the store is convinced muffin-tops are a fashion statement.