Halloween is a week from Friday, Thanksgiving is around the corner and before you know it, Christmas will be here.

Have you started thinking about your Christmas shopping?

You can bet there will be lots of stories on the various networks about how people are cutting back on their spending this holiday season, because of the problems on Wall Street and the recession that’s either pending or here, depending upon which expert is talking.

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But even in tough times, people like to do something special for their children or other loved ones at Christmas.

For those with deeper pockets than most, the luxury retailer Neiman Marcus recently published its annual Christmas catalog of gifts, perhaps the adult version of the old Sears’ toy catalog so many of us pored over as children.

Neiman Marcus targets affluent shoppers, the very affluent as evidenced by offerings like the stable of 12 to 15 Thoroughbred horses you can buy for $10 million, and have them stabled, trained and managed by Three Chimneys Farm in Versailles, Ky., soon to be the home of the racing phenom, Big Brown.

An Associated Press story I saw about the catalog wondered if anyone would “pony up” for that item?

The store is also offering a limited edition BMW sedan, at $160,000.

There’s a collection that includes every Top 100 record from 1955 to 1990, though I’m not sure where you’ll find a record player to play them. It’s just $275,000.

And there’s a backyard golf course that is designed especially for you by golfing legend Jack Nicklaus, that begins at just $1 million.

I checked out the catalog online and found a number of other wow-gifts including:

• A limited edition “Fighter” motorcycle made by the Confederate Motorcycle Co. They say only 45 have been made, and you can have one for $110,000.

• How about a Dallas Cowboy end zone ... the real one? They’re doing away with Texas stadium, so for just $500,000, you get the end zone mat that says “Cowboys,” all 530 square yards of it. You also get to attend the last game at the stadium, have your picture made with owner Jerry Jones and get a VIP package to attend the opening of the new stadium. And Jones and the Cowboys will donate the entire purchase price to the Salvation Army.

• Give your honey a life-sized replica of him or her, or even of yourself? It’s all made of out Lego bricks, and custom-made for you for just $60,000.

• For $110,000, you can play in a real game with the Harlem Globetrotters. You get a uniform and playing time with the team in one of its performances.

• You can get an authentic ring, made by hand centuries ago in medieval or Renaissance times. For example, there’s a 15th century signet ring, or a 16th century Western European ring. Prices run $25,000-$45,000.

Now for sure we always want to promote shopping with our area merchants first, but if you can’t find that Dallas Cowboy end zone mat, or a local artist who can make you a life-sized replica out of Lego bricks, and that’s the only thing you know your honey wants, you may want to check the Neiman Marcus Christmas catalog.

WILL CHAPMAN is publisher of The Daily Iberian.