Let’s face it: holiday shopping is a daunting experience. The endless to-do lists, running from store to store, battling the crowds, prioritizing the sales, random perfume samples spritzed in your face at every turn.

Ironic that a season of giving does nothing but taketh away (ta-ta sanity, sayonara savings!) Well – the good folks at Details magazine have answered your yearly shopping SOS. From 12:00pm – 5:00pm on Saturday, December 1, they’re bringing together 70 of the hottest venues that the Meatpacking District has to offer in a one-stop-shopping-style holiday block party. And if you think that discounts of up to 40% off at participating stores, free food and wine tastings and silent auctions sound too good to be true, get this: it’s all to benefit the Meatpacking District Initiative. Plus – Kenneth Cole will feature a production truck stocked with limited edition t-shirts created to benefit World AIDS Day. Giveth, much?

Need more motivation? Participating vendors include Tracy Reese, Banana Republic, Puma, An Earnest Cut & Sew, Calypso, Scoop Men, Rebecca & Drew and many more. In addition, the Hotel Gansevoort will host seven pop-up stores including Le Blanc, Remington, Asics, Dunhill, Hanes and Epson.

After treating yourself to a free glass (or two) of Bollinger champagne or Peroni beer, stop by the Kenneth Cole Style Suite to bid on one-of-a-kind items, including the opportunity to have your portrait taken by famed photographer Mark Seliger.

When you’ve finally scratched every name off your list (and maybe even snagged a few goodies of your own), you can recharge by noshing on free munchies at participating area restaurants.

Karma? Clean. Budget? Salvaged. Mission? Accomplished.

Take that, holiday cheer!

What: Detail Block Party 2007
When: Saturday, December 1st, 12-5pm
Where: Meatpacking District