A little help from Santa's elves...

While the trees have all shed their leaves, the cool crisp nights, and the snowflakes in the air, the winter season is now upon us. Santa has arrived at several shopping malls, and has also made his grand arrival at the traditional Montreal Santa Parade – this could only mean one thing – Christmas shopping is once again upon us. What to purchase for the car collector? There is always the lame department store T-Shirts, and boxers. However this year, make his or her gift a bit more enjoyable with a unique gift that is not available at the local mall or department store. Make it something original, or something that they do not already have and will only further their personal collection, knowledge, or passion of the antique car for season’s to come.

Here are a few items that I’ve located online that may interest your loved-one this holiday season:

One could offer a coveted real 1949 Woody wagon in pristine condition that could cost close to $50,000. However, T. Shipley offers a die-cast metal model that costs a bit less, hauls a long-board for surfing, and comes with a matching ballpoint pen that can replace the surfboard on top. The pen is handcrafted with a maple and rosewood inlaid barrel that mirrors the wood paneling on the classic car. Other pen features include a rich black lacquer cap, chrome trim, and distinctive surfboard clip. This is a unique gift for any car collector.

Car Collector magazine is a great gift – and one that will continue to give all year long. Inside every issue, there are collector profiles, restoration tips, auction updates, new product information, and more. I’m sure that this will be a magazine that will find it’s place in the heart of many automobile enthusiasts and will be used as a referral book in the future for restoration projects. You can subscribe by calling 800-490-5680 (if the 800 number is out of your calling area, you can reach them at 321-267-8011) – the rate for a Canadian subscription is 39.95$

At One Share you can purchase a single stock in Ford. The certificate features an ornate steel etching of Henry Ford, and his famous black car. It is perfect for any Ford collector. This gift will run you about 100$ but it’s a great item to proudly display. They have many other stocks available, such as Harley Davidson, GM, Chrysler, and many more. This is a real stock ownership opportunity. To date, OneShare has served more than 360,000 customers. For more information about this unique gift item call 888-777-6919.

And if you are looking for that hard-to-come-by vase for your vintage automobile – then look no further, Classic Dreamcars in Mount Dora, Florida offer authentic original vases pulled from a museum collection and are available while supplies last. These are made from etched glass, cut crystal, cobalt Vaseline glass, and others. The reason these vases were installed into the automobile way back then, was to mask the smell of fuel, leather and the hot mohair fabric. For availability information and pricing call 352-385-1945.

If nothing here seems to appeal to your loved one – maybe a few days in sunny Florida is what would be most appreciated, along with a trip to the Fort Lauderdale Antique Car Museum, located at 1527 Packard Avenue, Fort Lauderdale.

Karen Eryou - Le Tacot 2007