The Three Most Modern Nativity Sets You've Ever Seen.

For the past few years I have been compiling my shopping picks for modern Christmas Decor (including Nativity Sets) on This Next.com.

The Hippest Christmas Nutcracker You'll Find This Year.

Last year, West Elm carried some cool modern versions of traditional nutcrackers that I posted on my list of hip christmas decor over at ThisNext, but not this year. But alas, no need to cry because this year CB2 has one of the hippest takes on a traditional nutcracker.



The Inked nutcracker is carved from white pine and painted red, white and black. He is tatted with "Naughty" on his right arm with an intricate montage of skull and candy cross bones. And the word "Nice" scripts his left arm in a cozy scene of fireplace logs and mistletoe.




The man in the big red suit has a permanent place in this nutcracker's heart in the form of "Santa Baby" etched on his chest. "Ho Ho Ho" banner decks out his handle. Cool.





dimensions: 4.75"Wx4.25"Dx16.25"H
details:
• White pine
• Silk screen print and painted details
• Wipe with clean dry cloth
• Made in China

$29.99 buy it here

A Holiday Video for Dog Lovers From Bergdorf Goodman and the Humane Society.

Bergdorf Goodman goes to the dogs this year for its annual holiday video. Inspired by this year’s theme of the department store's holiday windows, “Carnival of the Animals,” (all of which are shown later in this post) BG Films presents “Unleashed,” a story about some of New York's most charismatic canines as they invade the store in search of a perfect gift for their owner.




Guest star, Salty, (shown below) steals the show with a special performance that will warm hearts of all animal lovers.



The four minute, 19 second video in its entirety, Unleashed:


The video was directed by Theo Stanley of HARBOR Film Company, with Creative Direction and Concept by Aidan Kemp, Vice President and Creative Director, Bergdorf Goodman.

A look at their beautiful Christmas windows, The Carnival Of Animals, At Bergdorf Goodman's on Fifth Avenue in New York (Photographs by Ricky Zehavi):






Bergdorf Goodman is a dog friendly store and offers holiday treats for visiting pups in the second floor Shoe Salon.


To adopt a dog and learn more about the responsibilities of living with an animal, please contact the Humane Society of New York - an institution that has been helping animals since 1904.

Bergdorf Goodman
Humane Society of New York

Special Online Shopping Deals From Free Shipping To Discounts. Happy Thanksgiving.

For those of you who do your shopping for the holidays online, here's a collection of special online offers (coupon codes, free shipping, thanksgiving day sales and early specials for the holiday). Just click on the boxes below and start saving!

eBay & Toys for Tots use QR Codes to Window Shop for "Good" this Holiday.

Created by eBay's ad agency, Venables Bell & Partners, eBay and Toys for Tots have launched the GIVE-A-TOY STORE.



An interactive window display in New York (at 35th and Broadway) and San Francisco (at 117 Post St.) lets you donate a toy by scanning its tag (a QR code) with the eBay mobile app.





Once scanned, the animated toys come to life, encouraging passers-by to get into the holiday giving spirit.



It's a clever, engaging and cute way to be charitable this holiday season and to make many a child happy.

And, for those of you who can’t stop by in-person, you can donate some joy at ebay.com/giveatoystore.com

There is also a Facebook application called "Build a Toy."



Users donate by customizing one of the classic, virtual toys at Facebook.com/eBay. eBay will donate $1 for every toy customized, up to $50,000.

Toys for Tots
Ebay Give A Toy Store
Facebook.com/Ebay Build A Toy

CREDITS:
Client Name: eBay
Name of Ad: eBay Give-A-Toy Store
Agency: Venables Bell & Partners
Live Date: 11.11.11
Executive Creative Director: Paul Venables and Will McGinness
Creative Directors: Lee Einhorn, Tyler Hampton
Art Director: Brad Kayal
Copywriter: Kelly Diaz
Director of Interactive Production: Heather Wischmann
Interactive Producer: Elissa Polls
Print Producer: Jacqueline Fodor
Account Director: Anne Cummings
Account Supervisor: Lindsay Cole
Account Manager: Kim Claytor

(OUT-SOURCED BELOW)
Interactive Production: Brand New School East
Executive Creative Director: Jonathan Notaro
Interactive Director: Justin Bakse
Developer: Brian Tobin
Producer: Jeanette Etchebehere
Associate Producer: Joe Balint
Post Production: Brand New School West
Executive Creative Director: Jonathan Notaro
Director: Robert Bisi

Designers: Andy Bernet, Sakona Kong, Ed Laag, Angela Li, Waka Ichinose
CG Lead/VFX Supervisor: Marco Maldonado
3D Modeling: Andy Kim, Derrick Sesson
3D Animation: Hao Cui, Max Keane, Alfredo Ramirez, Derrick Sesson
2D Animation: Maithy Tran
3D Artists: Martin Furness, Andy Kim, Ryan Kirkwood
Storyboard Artist: Max Forward
Compositor: Ryan Kirkwood, Maithy Tran
Executive Producer: Jason Cohon
Producer: Jeanette Etchebehere

Media Company: Monster Media
Creative Producer: Radhames Almanzar
VP of Marketing & Client Services: Natalie Brokaw
Client Services Coordinator: Lindsey Fuller
Project Manager: Sloan Jenkins
SVP of Sales & Marketing: Tim O’Brien
Original Music: Jingle Punks
Sound Design: Brad Kayal, Chris Konovaliv