Remember the days when a nice sweater, that gorgeous watch or maybe a custom-tailored suit was considered a “special” Christmas gift?

That was then, folks. This is now.

Increasingly, people are giving the “gift” of plastic surgery or other cosmetic procedure to those they love — or they’re “gifting a lift” of some sort to themselves.

“I looked in the mirror and said it’s time I give ‘me’ something after years of helping others. So I scheduled a mini-facelift during my Christmas break. The procedure required minimal downtime, and the outcome was great! Definitely one of the best gifts I have ever given myself,” said Angela Wolf, a 50-year-old single woman from Los Angeles.

The demand for procedures during the holiday season is nearly 25 percent greater than at any other time of year, according to the American Academy of Plastic Surgeons. Rhinoplasty (a nose job) and blepharoplasty (a surgical repair or reconstruction of the eyelid) top Santa’s list. And, he’s apparently got plastic surgeons relatively booked just about everywhere between Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve for those who’ve been “nice” all year.

The trend, however, is not limited to the holidays. More people are choosing to have procedures done — so Hollywood stars and the elite are no longer the only ones altering their appearances. The stigma surrounding plastic surgery appears to be gone from mainstream America as an increasing number of families allow their young sons and daughters to go under the knife.

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) reports that in 2014 alone, we spent $12 billion on cosmetic procedures, with liposuction, breast implants, eyelid reconstruction, nose jobs, facelifts, and Botox treatments topping the list. Male breast reductions and butt augmentations, the latter a result of what is being referred to as the “Dash” (the obsession the world has with the Kardashians) effect in the UK, have seen increasing numbers in 2015 as well. The ASAPS reports that more than 21,000 people underwent the procedure in 2014, marking an 86 percent increase from the previous year.

Behind the Numbers
Over the holidays, those having work done say they simply want to look their best when traveling the holiday “party” circuit, while attending family gatherings, or going on trips. Christmas break also offers them more time off, anywhere from one to two weeks or longer, for recovery.

“When asked what I wanted for Christmas, I said, ‘A facelift!'” Lynn Smith (not her real name), a 56-year-old from Florida, told LifeZette. “My husband had nearly two weeks off during December. So we scheduled the surgery, and he was able to assist me through my recovery. It couldn’t have worked out better.”

As a bonus, she said “Santa” even threw in a neck lift.

Who do you think would win the Presidency?

By completing the poll, you agree to receive emails from LifeZette, occasional offers from our partners and that you've read and agree to our privacy policy and legal statement.

Related: Plastic Surgery in the Heartland

Dr. Jonathan Lee, head of the Expert Laser Clinic and Colorado Hormone Clinic in Denver, Colorado, has been in practice for over 21 years.

“Without a doubt, the two most popular procedures continue to be dermal fillers, such as Juvéderm and Restylane, which are great for giving a bit of extra volume to lips, cheeks, and nasolabial folds, minimizing the appearance of volume loss and enhancing contours,” he said. “Botox is still the standard go-to in addressing dynamic wrinkles, crows feet, forehead lines and the dreaded “11” between the brows (glabella). Both offer immediate payoff and zero downtime.”

He said he is also seeing “an upswing in newer procedures such as Cool Sculpting, noninvasive fat reduction around the waist, and for men and women (over 40), bio-identical hormone replacement.” He said the latter is “vital to maintaining the hormonal balance and preventing age-related diseases.”

Most offices, Lee said, are doing what everyone else does this time of year and offering “holiday specials,” which can add up to a couple of hundred dollars or more in savings. Gift certificates have also been flying out the door.

These procedures are not for everyone, clearly. Some feel we have become entirely too vain as a society to request plastic surgery as a holiday gift, and that doing so would place too much emphasis on our looks and not enough on what’s in our hearts. Others say, who are we to judge?

Regardless, have you ever looked at other adults Christmas lists? Rarely do we wish for the same exact thing that someone else’s heart desires.