Gifts to set Yule hearts racing

Gifts for me, under $50

Long Way Down DVD: three-disc set

With the TV show Long Way Round, Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor documented their trip from London to New York City. In Long Way Down, the actors-turned-tourists motorcycle from Scotland to South Africa. Over the course of 24,000 kilometres and 85 days, the friends boldly travelled through several countries, including Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Namibia. Ten episodes in the $34.49, three-disc set take you from the six months of preparation to the final ride. They endure on-road mishaps and off-road challenges. Throughout the journey, they pause at some fascinating places – from a children's hospice to a gorilla reserve. This is a touching, intelligent and even comical adventure that will open your eyes to our vast world and bring out the adventurer in all of us.

chapters.indigo.ca

Fashion Helmet

Wearing a helmet is an important safety feature when riding, but safety can be fashionable with Tail Wags: a local company that specializes in fun and fanciful helmet covers. Karyn Climans is the brains behind the operation. A stay-at-home mom for 15 years with her two special-needs sons, Climans started the company in her home and oversees all aspects from design to production. The $30 to $40 covers are legal to wear over your approved scooter or motorcycle helmet because they do not interfere with vision. They can also fit over bike or ski helmets. Best sellers are the Shark, Canadian Beaver and, my favourite, the Red Devil. The Skunk cover may be in my editor's stocking this holiday season.

tail-wags.com

Dream rug

Nothing feels better then stepping into your dream car, but when finances do not allow for that luxury, why not step down onto a comfy rug with your dream car's picture on it. If you do not have a picture of your hot rod, you can choose from more than 300 high-resolution photos of antique and classic vehicles and get one printed full-size on a carpet; or pegboard, corkboard, whiteboard or mirrorboard, to name a few. This unusual, functional art, which also comes in half- and quarter-size, is priced from $39 to $329.

highbeams.ca

Gifts to give, under $100

Ferrari Challenge video game

My husband "couch" races in the off-season. He constantly replays the in-car videos of his racing escapades for us to enjoy – over and over again. Unfortunately, it does not give him (nor the rest of us) the same thrill. While I can't make the 2009 season start any sooner, I can give him Ferrari Challenge. The game offers 16 official tracks, including Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and Mt. Tremblant, which he loves. It primarily features the racing of the Ferrari F430 Challenge model but a series of Ferrari road and racing cars can be unlocked and driven. My honey can customize his race team and challenge others online to a race. The best part: if he smashes the car, he resets the game and it doesn't cost him a dime. It is available for both PlayStation3 ($49.99) and Wii ($39.99).

bestbuy.ca

Signed, sealed

and delivered

My husband can brag he has something in common with Elvis, Spider-Man and Corvette – all have been featured on a postage stamp. For $24.95, your own personal photo can be made into a legal stamp for a domestic letter. I uploaded a picture of his race car and Canada Post made a sheet of 20 stamps, along with a larger image to be kept as a souvenir.

Letters featuring his beautiful race car stamp may ease the pain of posting bill payments in the new year.

Ensure that you have the right to reproduce your picture.

picturepostage.ca

Canvas art

I am all for personalizing gifts. As a lover of fine art and fine cars, my husband would appreciate an automotive painting.

Unfortunately, I do not have the time or the talent to be Leonardo da Vinci.

Instead, I bring a digital picture of his favourite car to my local Black's photo store to have it printed on canvas.

While he thinks I have been in my office studio for weeks creating this masterpiece from a blank canvas, in reality, I have spent only a few minutes dabbing some extra digital paint on my ready-made picture. A brilliant idea for your budding Picasso.

Ensure that you have the right to reproduce your picture.

Prices range from $79.99 for an 11-by-14 canvas to $159.99 for a 24-by-36 piece.

blackphoto.com Gifts for me, unlimited

Bright idea

Designed and created entirely in its own studio, Campbell Levy Designs has created a line of high-end crankshaft and cylinder head lamps for the truly discerning auto aficionado's home or office. Each of the lamps is one-of-a-kind, custom made by father-son duo Edward and Campbell Levy. Collectors, racers and auto enthusiasts are able to bring their passion from the race track or garage inside their homes. With numerous options, such as nickel plating, custom-made shades, and innumerable finishes, each lamp is an extension of one's love for the automobile. Prices range from $850 to about $1,850 (U.S.) If you do not supply your own car part, the more rare and valuable a crankshaft is, the higher the cost. A rare Bugatti crankshaft pedestal table, with a marble base and a tempered glass top, is $ 4,000.

campbelllevydesigns.com

Scooter-licious

After taking a scooter safety course at Humber College, I fell in love with this mode of transportation. Kymco, a Taiwanese company, is the largest scooter manufacturer in the world. New to its 2009 lineup is the Sento 50 model and the Frost 200i. These two-wheelers are not just economical, but also nimble and spirited – perfect for Toronto traffic congestion. Why pay premium prices for Italian imports when these are built for quality and durability? They come with a two-year limited warranty. Priced at $2,599 and $4,699 respectively, it will make commuting a breeze. To get your super scooter, contact Studio Cycle Group at 416-766-5300 or by email at studiocyclegroup@gmail.com.

kymco.ca

Classic time

Italian watchmaker Meccaniche Veloci's Quattro Valvole is a beautiful time piece that reminds me of my 1985 Ferrari 308 GTS Quattro valvole, or QV, meaning "four valves per cylinder." The piston used for the faceplate is made from light alloys that undergo the same hardening processes used for top performance engines. It is treated with silicon oxide to protect the aluminum and to defend the watch against corrosion from perspiration, and uses sapphire glass with an anti-reflection treatment. Four valves for four high-precision dials, with Swiss mechanical and automatic movements, this chunky, yet funky watch is a work of art. Price starts at $5,000.

meccanicheveloci.com

Gifts continued on W30