Those of us that signed into one of our retirement accounts this past year only to find it utterly gutted are probably not looking into the four digit price tag range for gifts to give our loved ones this holiday season—we’re just trying to keep our heads above water. But realism is only so much fun. What are some of the more decadent, indulgent—or to put it another way generous—gift ideas that have crossed my inbox in recent months. Here are a few that came to mind today.

Hommage is a men’s-only skincare line that’s already in the celeb-frequented spas and hotels of the world. The brand just introduced its emollient Relieve, a water-resistant, melt-proof, lightly scented (amber, sandalwood and tobacco flower) oil-gel for the time-challenged man who needs a spa quality shave ($40). If you want to impress a dude, nab the travel shave kit for $100 or pony up for the manly $400 Chicago shave set at Barney’s or the Trump Spa here in Chicago.

Bottle service may have gone out of style in 2009, but there’s nothing to prevent you from bringing a flashy bottle home. Belvedere introduced its new line of Polish vodka this year, Belvedere Silver, which comes in a ridiculously handsome silver bottle. This is the kind of Warholian decadence you want to prop up the pop art portion of your art book shelf.

True decadence is enjoyed on the side of a snow-covered mountain. Burton’s high-tech gear, in particular, will keep the techy and snowboarding obsessed awake at night.

The Method ($1499.95) is like the concept car of the Burton showboard line, with a half-dozen new technologies applied to make it an unbelievably light, slick, fast and strong board. You’d look silly riding this rocket without a proper Burton jacket— the military-inspired 2L Gore-Tex Maestro Jacket ($749.95) is built to last more than a season or two. It has a friggin’ lifetime warranty.

There’s nothing quite as indulgent as luxury travel—and Abercrombie & Kent can design an itinerary that’ll give your special someone something to talk about at cocktail parties for the rest of their life and then some. A&K put together a wine lover’s Signature South Africa trip that ranges from Cape Town to the Cap Winelands and includes four nights on safari—twelve days in all for $5850. If that sounds too mellow, they’re doing an Extreme Adventure trip in South Africa and Botswana that includes racecar track driving, jet fighter piloting, shark cage diving and live game viewing for $11,950 for twelve days. That’s extreme decadence right there.

Holiday get-togethers are in full swing but after indulging in more than a few drinks, the last thing you want to do is squeeze yourself onto a crowded CTA bus or drop your last $20 on cab fare home. Miller Lite Free Rides picks up where being chauffeured by your mother left off: Starting tomorrow night from 8pm to midnight, and continuing every Saturday through December 26 (plus New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day), the behemoth beer brand will offer free doubledecker bus service with stops in booze meccas such as the Loop, River North, Old Town, Lincoln Park and Wrigleyville. Miller says the free rides are intended to remind Chicago consumers to celebrate the season responsibly and to prevent drunk driving: We can raise a glass to that but there’s also much to be said for sequestering all the drunks on one big party vehicle. Let the sober folks have their lurching cabs and overstuffed buses. For route and schedule information, call 800-FREE RIDES (1-800-373-3743); text the word “RIDE” to 44636; or visit MillerLiteFreeRides.com.

There are approximately 158 Art & Design exhibitions and events happening this weekend, including opening receptions for “Jim Lutes: Half-Ass Rapture” at Valerie Carberry Gallery and “Party Crashers” at Concertina Gallery. Check out our listings if you don’t want to miss anything, and preview this weekend’s receptions in the image gallery above.

Here are selected events that didn’t make it into print. Unless otherwise noted, they’re free.

Tonight (Friday 20) in the Loop, SAIC’s Holiday Art Sale of student work continues until 7pm at the SAIC’s MacLean Center Ballroom, 112 S Michigan Ave. The sale’s also open Saturday 21, 10am–5pm.

In River West, Woman Made Gallery opens three shows tonight (Friday 20), 6–9pm: “Cross Pollination,” which highlights encaustic works; “Family Album,” curated by the Museum of Contemporary Photography’s Karen Irvine, and Laurel Delaney’s solo show “Myth–Illogical.”

Joseph Piccillo unveils graphite and charcoal drawings at River North’s Perimeter Gallery tonight (Friday 20), 5–8pm.

The Center on Halsted in Boystown hosts a reception for “Pate Conaway” tonight (Friday 20), 6:30–9:30pm ($5 suggested donation).

In Bridgeport, Co-Prosperity Sphere presents “Super Bad Ass” in conjunction with the Select Media Festival. (Friday 20, 7pm–1am. Free before 9pm, $8 afterward.)

Saturday 21 in Pilsen, illustrator Craig Hansen and designer Chris May of Program Studio celebrate the launch of their book Reflection Passed at Golden Age from 7–11pm.

In Logan Square, HungryMan Gallery debuts the photo show “Creator/Curator” Saturday 21, 6–11pm.

In Wicker Park, the new alternative gallery Parking Space hosts a reception for its second show, “The Twenty-First,” and barbara&barbara gallery commemorates its first anniversary with “Self Portraits.” Both events are Saturday 21, 7–11pm.

As someone who (heresy alert!) has always had reservations about Hiroshima Mon Amour and Last Year at Marienbad, I was blindsided by Alain Resnais’s extremely hard-to-see Je T’Aime, Je T’Aime (1968), which screens at the Siskel this weekend. The movie reworks the same themes of lost love and fragmented memory as the other two films, but in a more prosaic style that only increases its power. A failed suicide (Claude Rich) is recruited to test a time-travel device; he’s set to go back one year, but he becomes, as Kurt Vonnegut would dub it in 1969, unstuck. Unlike Resnais’s flashier earlier films, it simply cuts from one scene to the next, utilizing the film medium’s inherent capacity for time travel to make its point. The chronology is shuffled; the movie sometimes jumps back half a beat or repeats footage, but every moment gets equal weight. (Not to cite another film school text, but I was reminded of Stan Brakhage’s “Window Water Baby Moving.”)

It’s been suggested that Je T’Aime, Je T’Aime provided a blueprint for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, a connection almost impossible not to draw while watching it. In its structural freefall, it also holds the DNA for Shane Carruth’s Primer (a.k.a. the should-have-been cult film of the last decade), and the biomorphic time machine resembles the game pods of David Cronenberg’s eXistenZ. Indeed, this may be one of the most influential films you’ve never seen. Simultaneously a love story and a mystery, Je T’Aime, Je T’Aime is nearly impossible to parse on one viewing. You’ll have two chances: Tomorrow at 3pm and Monday at 6pm.

TOC’s own Jake Malooley spoke live last night with a presenter on BBC 5 about Oprah’s imminent departure from broadcast television. Best moment: When they asked Jake if Oprah might go into politics and become a U.S. ambassador, he said no, because she’d have to take too big of a pay cut. Listen to the segment above.

Our local rep tells me that Fox won’t have a print of Avatar ready until after the Chicago Film Critics Association’s voting deadline. This is consistent with what Indiewire’s Anne Thompson reported nine days ago, which is that no one anywhere will see the film before December 10. By holiday-movie standards, that’s actually a pretty ominous sign: If it turns out to be true, it means the movie won’t be in contention for the National Board of Review’s awards, the Golden Globes (see calendar) and many critics’ best lists. Obviously, this is no ordinary film, and it’s easy to believe that James Cameron will be futzing with his putatively revolutionary technology until someone drags him away from his keyboard. But it’s harder to believe that Fox won’t shove a rough version at awards groups, as New Line did in 2005 with The New World. (New Line actually released the first cut for a New York/L.A. run in December before rolling out a shorter version in January, which meant that only the early one was eligible for the Oscars.) It’s true that the reaction to the Avatar footage shown in August was, as this video makes clear, not super-duper positive. But on two occasions Cameron has made hits out of what were, in their respective times, the most expensive movies ever made, Terminator 2 and Titanic. He’s also been underestimated before—remember, advance buzz suggested that Titanic would be a disaster. I’m still guardedly optimistic.

Black Francis, Kim Deal, Joey Santiago and David Lovering were an alternative nation sensation on their first go ’round as the Pixies—during the days when you had to stay up to 1am to catch one of their videos. As a reunited cult act, they’ve been bigtime—a touchstone band for an influential musical era. The group defined the loud-quiet-loud aesthetic on its Surfer Rosa album. Last night, the band played the first of three nights at the Aragon. For a visual taste of what you missed, or what you might see tonight, check out the photo gallery above.

Photos: Andrew Nawrocki

Friday 20
If chocolate carries as much weight as wine, check out le Flour’s Chocolate Tasting class. Learn the history, varieties and how to taste. Be prepared to journal and get your chocolate fill. 6701 N Olmsted (leflour.com, make your reservation: 773-631-1400). 6–10pm, $25 (adults only).

Organic School Project is hosting its Fall Harvest Dinner/Fundraiser. G0 and enjoy the seasonal fare prepared by chefs from Rockit, Foodlife and Goose Island. Kick off the season right. Leslie Hall, 1111 N Wells St (purchase tickets). 6–8pm, $40.

The Beaujolais Nouveau is out. Get your fill at Brasserie Jo. Order it by the glass ($8) or the bottle ($39) while you enjoy the chef’s special beef bourguignon pairing. 59 W Hubbard (brasseriejo.com, 312-595-0800).

Saturday 21
La Madia is promoting lazy Saturday afternoons by hosting a Wine and Cheese Class. Sit back and enjoy lunch (pizza and salad) while you learn about holiday entertaining, wine and cheese (you get to eat/drink the wine and cheese too). After all that relaxing, who wants to throw a holiday party anyway? 59 W Grand Ave (dinelamadia.com, call to make your reservation: 312-329-0400). 11am–1pm, $30.

Center on Halsted (serves as a catalyst for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities that links and provides community resources, and enriches life experiences) is hosting a Potluck Thanksgiving Party. Show up with our favorite appetizer or dessert and learn more about their programs. 3656 N Halsted (centeronhalsted.org, call for reservations: 773-472-6469). 3–6pm, FREE.

If you are hitting up the 18th Annual Lights Festival with the kids, head over to Osteria Via Stato for dinner. The restaurant is serving up The Famous Italian Dinner Party menu (aka family style). Kids will dine for half the price. 620 N State (osteriaviastato.com, 312-642-8450). 5–9:30pm. $24.95–$38.95 (full price).

Know the ins and out of beer? How about the ABCs? Check out The Globe Pub’s Beer: A-Z event. Bar-goers will actually taste one beer for every letter of the alphabet while learning some beer basics from Eric Hobbs of Goose Island Brewery. Just make sure you can still say your ABCs at the end of the night. 934 W Irving Park Rd (purchase tickets). 6–9pm, $40.

Take the kids to visit the pickle tree at The Berghoff. In honor of the Bavaria-American tradition, kids can look for the pickle ornament on the holiday tree. Kids who spot it, win a root beer float (and a year of good luck). And you thought we were joking. 17 W Adams (312-427-3170).

If you’re o.k. with sketchy details, a shocker of a dinner and BYOB, then X-marx is for you. Check out this underground dining experience at a place unknown (that is until you sign up).  We do know there will be seven(+) courses, but that’s all we got. (purchase tickets) 7–11pm, $95.

Stop by the Hotel InterContinental and warm up at the Lights Festival with some hot chocolate ($1) or roasted chestnuts ($4). Corner of Illinois St and Michigan Ave. noon–6pm.

One last Lights Festival stop before the end of the night: FREE cupcakes at more. Enough said. 1 E Delaware Pl (312-951-0001). 7–9pm.

Sunday 22
Hosting Thanksgiving…not a clue where to begin? Check out A New Dawn’s class at Whole Foods. They’ll point you in the right direction (demos, tastings, BYOB). 1550 N Kingsbury (purchase tickets). 6:30pm, $45.

Learning how to make pasta sounds like a perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon (note: Bears play at night). Make reservations for the how-to class at Quartino. A Sunday with pasta tasting, wine and a new cookbook in hand who needs football anyway? 626 N State (reservations required: 312-698-5000). 1–2:30pm, $24.95.

Need some brioche? Learn how to make it yourself. Head over to le Flour for the tutorial. Best use: French Toast 6701  Olmsted (make reservations: 773-631-1400).  2–4pm, $25.

Upgrade the lousy movie popcorn and soda to a prix-fixe wine dinner at BIN 36. The movie: Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? Dinner and a movie just got way better.  339 N Dearborn (call for reservations: 312-755-9463). 6pm, $48.

There are two things Gina Howie is passionate about: pastry and brunch. She and Brooke Dailey, a friend she met in pastry school, have devoted themselves to the pastry passion since 2007 at Lovely: A Bake Shop; now the pair have added Howie’s husband—and fellow French Pastry School alum—Bob Hartwig to the team and gotten serious about the brunch at Bakin’ and Eggs, a BYOB, breakfast-all-day spot in Lakeview. But there’s something else the group is incredibly passionate about, and that’s bacon: You’ll find it in the expected places (a breakfast BLT, a caramelized-onion-bacon-blue-cheese frittata) and some less-expected ones (mixed into waffle batter, baked into mac and cheese, pictured). The truly passionate will head for the maxed-out “bacon flight”—a showcase of five bacons, ranging from honey to jalapeño.

3120 N Lincoln Ave (773-525-7005). Mon–Sat 7am–5pm; Sun 8am–4pm.

Chicago Magazine’s Dish reported last week that the peripatetic Goose Island chef and consultant John Manion, who was brought in January to upgrade the brewpub’s menu, would be leaving to get things into shape over at Branch 27. Goose owner John Hall told Dish that Manion would be replaced by an internal candidate, and this morning, Goose PR announced that the company has chosen Andrew Hroza, who has worked at Goose for “several years,” and is a chef and certified Cicerone (beer sommelier), as the replacement. Hroza catered for rockers like Van Halen and Prince before coming to Goose Island, and he’ll be assisted in the kitchen by sous chef Matt Andorka. Last night was Manion’s farewell Thanksgiving-themed dinner, but the kitchen promises things aren’t slowing down: Tonight’s special is housemade goat sausage with pickled Brussels sprouts.