Afraid your family or friends will get you the wrong thing for Christmas? Suggest a gift certificate from The Big Little Railroad Shop. Then you can come in and get exactly what you want. This is especially good for special order items.
Here's another idea for gift certificates. Get multiple people to each give you one, then come in and use them together to get something a little more expensive.
Of course if you are a gift giver, as opposed to a gift receiver, and you are not sure exactly what to buy your modeler, then a gift certificate would be perfect.