Best buys: Five fashion magazines that give you more for less in December

We're in full holiday swing, and while fashion mostly wants you to spend more money this month, these international glossies give something back with their current issues.

French Vogue has released a racy-as-ever calendar for 2010 that shows models including Natasha Poly and Raquel Zimmermann lounging around at Paris cabaret Lido wearing next to nothing. The calendar, shot by Mario Sorrenti, not only gives Pirelli a run for their money in terms of sexiness but is also much easier to get your hands on: it comes as a supplement of the magazine's December issue. Give it to your boyfriend for Christmas, and he will love you forever.

Also in France, Gala comes with exclusive Christmas greeting cards this week, which are adorned with four of the country's yearly Sapins de Noël des Créateurs (Designers' Christmas Trees), currently on display at the Cité de l'Architecture in Paris. Big names in French design including Jean Paul Gaultier and Sonia Rykiel collaborated with the celebrity and fashion magazine for the cards, which will be on sale with this week's issue through December 15.

In Italy, Chanel's head designer Karl Lagerfeld has again produced the calendar for the country's Marie Claire magazine, this time inspired by icons of Italian cinema such as Sophia Loren. Chanel ambassadress Anna Mouglalis and Lagerfeld's favorite male model Baptiste Giabiconi also star in the arty, black-and-white pictures.

Across the big pond from Europe, US magazine Glamour has thought of a special way to reward your subscription to the magazine: the 'Inspiration' calendar for 2010. Marking a first for the publication, this calendar features some of the most successful plus-size models in fashion, following the magazine's much-discussed special issue.

The international editions of Harper's Bazaar, meanwhile, don't really offer any gimmicks with the magazines this month - however, their gift guides don't just focus on stylish presents for your notoriously hard-to-please fashion friends, but give you more realistic (albeit glamorous, of course) suggestions what to give to your mom or your boyfriend.

And if your favorite magazine didn't give you anything special this month, you can still work it into wrapping paper or gift bows. Tutorials can be found on YouTube or at howaboutorange.blogspot.com/2009/10/make-gift-bow-from-magazine-page.html.