With the holiday season right around the corner, Santa Claus may need a little help choosing the right item for the car lover on his Christmas List. When it comes to a car enthusiast, the old standby gift, a necktie, just won’t do. To make your holiday shopping a little less daunting, check out this Top Ten List of Christmas Gifts to give the automotive aficionado on your list, to ensure everyone is brimming with joy this holiday season!

Leather Scented Air Freshener

Love that “new car smell,” but can’t seem to hold onto it after the first year? One reason a new car is so enticing is often thanks to the original leather interior. If you know the car enthusiast on your list has leather car seats that have lost their new leather smell, a leather scented air freshener is the way to go. While these air fresheners come in a variety of styles, from rear view mirror dangling air fresheners to a spray bottle form, the best option to ensure long-lasting freshness even after the holidays is a liquid freshener like the one made by Chemical Guys. Their product smells like fresh leather and is a scent that can last up to five times longer than traditional car air fresheners.

Coffee Travel Mug or Cup

There is nothing worse than spilling coffee all over your car’s upholstery, or all over yourself, on that morning drive to the office. One solution for sidestepping this dangerous annoyance, especially when commuting in holiday traffic? A travel mug! To show the car enthusiast on your Christmas list that you care about their safety (piping hot coffee spills can leave terrible burns) as well as his or her beloved cruiser, purchase a sleek, spill-proof travel coffee mug. Although it seems like an inexpensive, small token, it can make the perfect present due to its car-related thoughtfulness.

Diecast Car

Nothing says Christmastime to an automotive enthusiast like finding a diecast model of their favorite racing car underneath the tree. This is the perfect gift for the avid, die-hard diecast car collector or it might be an inspiration for the gift recipient to start up a miniature car collection if they have not considered that before. Either way, a diecast car of the Hot Wheels or Matchbox variety, chosen specifically for your car fan, is a wonderful way to bring back those childhood memories with a nostalgic “toy.”

Top Gear DVD

During the cold winter months, who does not want to curl up in front of the television and sip hot cocoa? That is why a copy of one of the many Top Gear DVDs is sure to please any car enthusiast. With a delightfully mysterious character like The Stig, the British television show starring the eccentric, comical and sometimes off-the-wall hosts Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May is one BBC classic that merges humor with a hefty dose of fast-and-furious cars. So, what if the car lover in your Secret Santa grab bag has seen about every Top Gear DVD ever made? Check out Hammond meets Moss, a documentary presented on BBC2 and BBC4 that has recently become available on DVD. It reveals interesting insight into the personal, life-changing experiences of racecar legend, Sir Sterling Moss and Top Gear presenter, Richard Hammond, that are certain to have any car enthusiast on the edge of their seat!

Car Detailing Kit

Whether the person on your holiday gift list is an auto enthusiast or a car detailing buff, a car detailing kit is a tried and true present that is almost guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser every time.  Does the person you are buying for already own a detailing kit…or three? Try putting a little twist on your next gift by purchasing a book about detailing. When it comes to auto detailing and reconditioning, Mike Phillips’ book The Art Of Detailing: Proper Techniques, Tips and Tricks to Achieve a Show Car Shine, is the best way to show the car lover on your life that you care enough to remember their hobby.

Polarized Ray Bans

If you ask any racing enthusiast or ardent driver, they will tell you that safety comes first and is the main priority. That is precisely why Ray Bans sunglasses are a must-have when it comes to giving gifts to a car lover. Many people think summer or the warmer months are the only time sunglasses need to be worn; however, eyes should be protected with sunglasses regardless of season or temperature. Glare from the sun has the potential to blind a driver temporarily, which can result in car accidents. Significantly important while driving, polarized shades help improve visibility while driving, possibly preventing road hazards.To express your concern and care for the car-driver on your Christmas list or just to help them exude a fashionable look, sunglasses are a safe bet, especially when they are polarized.

Driving Gloves

This top ten list would not be complete without offering the suggestion of gifting driving gloves to your auto buff. During the often chilly holiday season or when driving in cold temperatures, a pair of well-fitting gloves is not a just a luxury, it is a necessity. This is usually a highly welcomed gift, but only if you know the recipient’s hand size; otherwise, you risk purchasing an ill-fitting glove, which renders the pair ultimately useless. Hence, driving gloves are a clutch present for a car enthusiast. This is also one of the greatest gifts for truck drivers.

A Handy Dandy Car Tool Kit

Consider the age or level of expertise of the car lover on your list. Is the person you are buying for just starting to dabble in a car-related hobby? If so, tools are an excellent way to promote an up and coming hobbyist. This gift also works well for aspiring mechanics. Wrenches, screwdrivers and pliers are only a few of the tools included in beginner tool kit, all of which can be a nuisance to gather individually. This makes a tool kit the ultimate way to spread holiday joy by taking the extra work out of gathering tools singularly.

Gear Head Inspired Jewelry

The gear head on your Christmas list will go gaga for the V8 Hot Rod Engine Ring or a smaller version, the big block Chevy V8 Engine Ring. This is a top-rate gift for an automotive lover that appreciates jewelry as well as cars. Aside from this, sites such as DreamlandJewelry.com offer everything that sparkles that may fit your fancy.

For slick designs and high-quality jewelry, take a peek at amazon.com jewelry section, which sells rings, bracelets, necklaces and belt buckles with designs inspired by your choice of car or motorcycle brand or style. Purchasing a 14k gold bracelet for a lady automotive lover would be a great idea as well.

However if you’re looking for the best jewelry designs for you and for your loved ones, just visit cuban chain jewelries for more options to choose from!

What Not to Give a Car Enthusiast: A Basic Radar Detector like the Cobra XRS-9970G

One of the classic automotive-related gifts to give a car lover is a radar detector, which is placed in a car to alert the driver of police radar in order to prevent traffic violations and accidents. While this may seem like a prime gift to give to the car fan in your life, radar detectors are often snubbed for their false alerts, or for sounding off in high frequency zones like around gas stations with electric automatic-open doors. The critical element causing false alarms from this detector is the inability to filter out non-police radar signals. “Without this ability the Cobra will continue to false-alarm whenever it encounters door openers on a daily commute,” said Craig Peterson in a 2013 radartest.com article. This may cause drivers to brake unnecessarily in light of jolting false alarms. And inevitably, what was intended to be a clutch way to avoid accruing traffic tickets ends up in the trash bin because those false alarms are just too aggravating to ignore. Instead, try this false-alarm-free radar detector: the Escort Passport Max.

Check out the Best Radar Detectors

That’s the end of the Top Ten List of Christmas Gifts to give the auto aficionado on your holiday shopping list. From DVDs to tool kits, there really is something out there for every car enthusiast. Sometimes seemingly peculiar items like leather scented air fresheners or rings with a car-inspired emblems can make the most treasured gifts of all.