Most Wanted Gifts This Christmas - From a Petrolhead's Wishlist

by Monika Holton
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It’s Friday. Time to relax, put your feet up and begin the gift-hunting season. Yes… you heard it right. With the fast approaching Christmas festivities it’s time to think about this year’s presents for your loved ones. 
 
Whether you want to find that ‘special gift’ for your classic car loving partner, family member, friend or even yourself - we’ll help you find the right stocking filler or ignite your imagination further on your search for the ultimate ‘Christmas treat’.
 
We know that gift guides for car fanatics tend to include driving experiences, magazine subscriptions, and very often car cleaning and care kits in their pitches, but we wanted to give our list a much lighter theme. One that will appeal to any sophisticated classic car enthusiast. So without any further ado, here's a few suggestions from other companies supplying gifts.
 
Every practical gent has a tool like this; the adjustable spanner is a timeless classic and an essential part of any toolbox, chocolate or otherwise! Twinned with a working chocolate nut and bolt (& washer of course!).
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If you're choosing a gift for someone with a sweet tooth - these 12 classy gingerbread iced biscuits are definitely going to hit the spot - a pleasant surprise from the standard 'tin biscuit selection'. 


Spanner Traditional & Soft Cheese Knife Set - £34.95
Elevating ones cheese board with a pair of distinctive cheese knives couldn’t be easier. Apart from being brilliantly useful, the chunky spanner handle design and ‘drop forged’ detailing makes this gift a rather fun conversational piece. 
Now, if there's a cheese board, there's bound to be a spot of red circulating the table, so to pair it up nicely how about a gear stick bottle stopper?


    Kemstood Whiskey Decanter Set with glasses and old fashioned vintage car stand - £120.00
    Perhaps you're on the hunt for something a little bit more sophisticated, in which case this unusual decanter design could easily compliment any drinks display cabinet or a dresser. 
     
    Classic Cars Mugs and Coasters - £3.00 - £25.00
    On contraire, if you're hunting for an everyday practical type of gift that subtly reveals ones love and passion for motor vehicles you may want to have a browse through these classic car mug and coaster options by Classic Motor Hub.


    British Classic Cars Tea Towel - £15.00
    Now, we wouldn't feel right if we didn't follow that one up with a good old Tea Towel idea being 100% British. Here's our best suggestion by Sharon Jane.




    Speaking of teas and coffees, let's pick it up a notch and throw in some next level recommendations for dressing up ones coffee table. Here's a collection of books that any classic car eccentric would be proud to display and enjoy reading:

    A Man & His Car - £35.99
    "Replete with stories, anecdotes, and images of iconic vehicles and the people who drove them, this novel is a deep dive into the world of cars and their place in history; from Jay Leno’s $350 1955 Buick Roadmaster to Steve McQueen’s beloved 1956 Jaguar XKSS"
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    Auto Erotica: A grand tour through classic car brochures of the 1960s to 1980s     - £19.95
    "The first book of its kind – offering a deeply nostalgic look at beautiful vintage cars through the superb literature, leaflets and pamphlets that sold them to us. Packed full of era-defining classic cars, from those we love to those you can’t remember. Expect fast Fords, the XJS, the TR8, MGs, minis, Maxis, Renaults, Beemers, VWs, Vivas, Citroens, DeLoreans and a whole lot more".
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    "Take a look under the hood of classic autos that became icons of a whole era, tracing back their history and highlighting the engineering that defined them".
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    "A gorgeous coffee table book with excellent photography, this concentrates on the rarer and more exotic end of the spectrum and features beautiful pictures of each car."
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    "A curated coffee table book full of the 100 most desirable cars of all time, spanning from the century-old 1903 Mercedes-Simplex 40 hp to the fresh-from-the-workshop 2020 McLaren Speedtail, with a myriad of exquisite cars in between. Beautifully photographed by world-renown car photographers, each car comes with a description and specs, and makes a great book to pour over with fellow car enthusiasts".
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    "A lavish celebration of the cars that also became the stars alongside the world's most famous fictional spy. Featuring exclusive and priceless assets such as the original call sheets, technical drawings and story-boards, accompanied by previously unpublished photography and exclusive interviews".
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    "A global survey of the world’s greatest car designs, featuring more than 650 of the most revered (and occasionally reviled) models, from more than 190 manufacturers and more than 30 countries. Organized geographically then chronologically by decade, the book covers more than a century of exceptional and noteworthy car design".
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    "The first Classic Driver annual: a book on classic cars for people with fuel in their veins, who appreciate historic cars just like the latest Gran Turismo. Whether you wish to luxuriate in excellent photos of the most beautiful vintage cars worldwide or just learn something about car makers or the art of engineering - this book is the right thing for you!"
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    "A beautifully collated collection of the 71 venues to have hosted an F1 race since 1950. It is a chance to revel in some of the great lost circuits".
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    To continue the theme of special finds worthy of displaying in our 'man-caves', home offices or garages here's a few decor ideas to follow... 
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    'Me and My Car Inspired Gifts' have partnered with Uli (A talented German artist) to offer a small range of his Goodwood themed paintings. All are limited edition framed and mounted prints of only 100 taken from the original artwork - so if you're looking for an original gift, this may be your answer! 
    Similarly, if you're looking for that little bit of exclusivity and a gift for someone who sees the beauty in detail you may want to check out wall art by 'Limited 100'. They work with the finest automotive photographers to produce limited prints of handpicked cars and locations. 
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      Now, you have probably seen plenty of motor themed clock ideas, but this one has really made us go "WOW I'd love one please!". The RPM clock face is a standout feature of the Piston Clock and adds an extra level of authenticity to the design. It's designed to mimic the dashboard of a race car, complete with a tachometer display that measures engine RPMs. It's a perfect gift for any car enthusiast who loves to admire the inner workings of a car, or anyone who appreciates unique and functional art.
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      Now, let's talk about a few elegant items and gentleman accessories to mix it up a bit...
       
      This one is what we would call an authentic quintessentially British gift. Elegant and useful, whether you're headed to a classic car show with a picnic basket or need a cosy cover whilst on route in your convertible classic. 
       
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      This one may not be for everyone, but if you're looking to treat someone that owns a veteran car for example - then you've hit jackpot! Baruffaldi originated in Milan in 1932 and is one of the world's most historic goggle manufacturers. They made goggles for legends such as Italian racing driver Alberto Ascari.
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      (Speaking of veteran cars... Genevieve: ‘The Brighton Belle’ returns to RM Sotheby’s London to Brighton Veteran Car Run this Sunday (November 5th) along with her co-star The Spyker, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the classic British comedy film “Genevieve” - a BAFTA award-winning sensation which famously told the story of two couples’ misadventures on the Brighton run). 
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      If the person you're shopping for is anything like us, then they too love to dress up for a car club event, car races or a spot of lunch at the Royal Automobile Club in which case we recommend treating them to a beautifully crafted silk pocket - a sublime gift idea for any traditional gentleman. 
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      Number 82 Green Racing Stripe Glasses Case - £25.00
      Equally interesting, you may want to consider buying an extraordinary glasses case... why be limited to 'box standard plain and boring', when you can have a an eye-catching beautifully made case you'll be able to admire on a daily basis. 
       
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      Motor Car Cufflinks - From £17.99
      This one is nothing short of a good old classic gift idea, and 'CufflinkMan' is great at making something so essential feel so special and personalised. With a wide variety of motor car themed cufflink designs you will certainly find a suitable stocking filler here. 
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        Last but not least, we'd like to suggest gifting one of our Car Facts Discs.
        The ultimate gift to bring out the inner kid in any classic car enthusiast this Christmas.

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        Creator and Founder of Facts Disc – Paul Tombs:
         
        “When I was a little boy, I loved the TR6 – I always dreamt of owning one! And although it took me a few years to purchase one (… as Santa never did respond to that ‘little’ wish), I can proudly say, that I have and continue to create some of my best memories in that car. From attracting my first serious girlfriend (who is now my beautiful wife), touring to Le Mans Classic, being the occasional ride for the local Newly Weds, or just acting as my go-to work car, my TR6 aka ‘Little Tommy’ has been most present in my life.
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        It has even become the most iconic ride in Olney. Every year I pimp it out with some loud speakers placed on the boot and sit Santa Clause on the rear as we then drive around our local town playing Christmas music and waving to all the children gathered outside their homes with their hot chocolates. It’s just a little tradition that we’ve been doing for over a decade now, to mark the beginning of the Christmas season.
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        Sharing about my car using my Car Facts Disc, means sharing about me. I look back at all those years that ‘Little Tommy’ and I have cared for each other and see that every little memory snippet reminds me of the adventurous life we continue to live”.
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        Car Facts Disc is a timeless gift enabling you to take a walk down the memory lane and helps to preserve your earliest memories in a way that can be built on, as your ownership continues and the power of storytelling becomes significantly more valuable. 



         

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