On The First Day of Christmas ...

. . . I give you my first unique Christmas suggestion.

Yep, if you read my Ramblin' column in today's Gazette (Dec. 3, 2009), you saw that this is my 15th year of writing about unusual gift suggestions for the holidays that can be purchased locally. This year I visited the Silver Spider in Mount Vernon, Iowa, which also has a store in Iowa City.

Also in that column, I promised to give more unique gift suggestions on my blog. I've decided to limit it to an even dozen, one each day for  the next 12 days in honor of the classic song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas."

So, today, instead of a partidge in a pear tree, may I suggest the Hammacher Schlemmer featured gift of the year, a 2/3rds size drivable replica of a 1956 Corvette for a mere $32,000. It may seem overpriced when you consider the engine only produces 6.9-horsepower and the top speed is only 35 mph. But, it's certainly something the kid down the street won't have.

Here's the official description (and you can see it and other gift suggestions by clicking here.):

The Junior 35 MPH

Classic Corvette.

This is the 2/3-scale, gasoline-powered replica of a 1956 Corvette C1, renowned for racing at Florida's famous Sebring International Raceway, that can reach a maximum speed of 35 mph. Its exterior is painstakingly reproduced using details from the original, including the single driver-side mirror, twin turn indicators on the right side of the hood, and the cowling on the trunk that housed a light which illuminated the racing number. The racer is powered by a 6.9 hp, 107cc four-stroke engine that uses a gallon of unleaded gasoline. It has automatic transmission; a single shifter controls forward, neutral, and backward movement. Its square steel chassis forms the core of the racer, surrounded by a fiberglass-reinforced polyester body; supports up to 330 lbs. Ages 8 and up. 108 1/4" L x 44 3/4" W x 34 1/4" H. (430 lbs.)

Price:  $32,000