I've been watching this trailer more than once a day, I am dying to go see it.

Every year christmas comes around, and every year I spend it with my family with this year being no exception. Time has passed, and through 19 years, unfortunately, christmas has become less and less important. This year the first thought was that I must design Christmas cards, I got hit by a illness immediately after doing concepts for the back, I believe that this is God's (he doesn't exist in my mind but hey...he's a good scape goat still) way of telling me I am not to design anything for now.

The first presents I purchased this year were a selection of cosmetics from MAC as per the Lady's request, I have to say, as a man, I was completely bewildered by the selection. I had to ask for a short list and pick from those. For lips alone there's lip liner, lip pencil, lip care, lip primer, lip stick, lip glass. Most women I know look at me with a contortion for a face when I say I think they look perfectly fine without make up. As a man, yes, I do find a woman with make up tastefully applied attractive, but the thought of seeing her "naturally" in the morning is the special thought in my mind. Luckily I've been promised educating as to what everything is for future presents. (I'm hoping I wont have to wear the make up for this).

MAC Make Up, Stressed Mug. Notice the House DVDs in the background? :D

This is the year's designated "lavish" presents, so don't go expecting sat navs or anything of the sort like last year!

Anyone who knows anything about me and my family knows that we fall in love with our cars, to the extent we'll consider them part of the family. My father, Andrew, who writes for Practical Classics' Blogs has been in to cars since he was young, starting with a 1963 Reliant Regal. Later on when he decided to change cars, he purchased a 1963 MkII Austin A40 Countryman. As with all cars from the "decade of rust" eventually that fell through, with a kingpin being the final piece to bring around a change.

The year was 1979, and my father had met the butcher's daughter, despite the butcher being a ferocious man himself. The butcher's daughter was named Kathy, and she drove a 1972 Viva HC. Later in her life she would give birth to two boys, one being delivered early, the latter taking 48 hours to decide whether he really wanted to greet the man in white, I was never very good at decisions.

One day when driving around, presumably in his A40, my father turned to Kathy and said "I'll own one of those one day" as a Reliant Scimitar GTE SE6a passed by. This was a fibreglass practical estate, with a strong 3.0 litre engine under the bonnet. Later in 1979 dad purchased a 1977 6a and this orange car has still been in the family to this day.

Dad's SE6a

My earliest memory, as many of you hear, is of being called out to the garage to help dad, by holding up a part of his 6a as he bolted it in. I've had a love affair with Reliant since I was extremely young. I've met Tom Karen 4 times, once including dinner with him and Dave Poole who I stayed with often during Scimitar Events. During a Top Gear (before it's current incarnation) I sat inside Ray Wiggin's car to shelter from the cold, as he and Tom were interviewed inside the 6a.

Recently when cornered by me and my father at the NEC Classic Car Show 2008, Tom commented on the rising curve of the 6a, and how it was always intended the opposite way, and how when he'd seen pictures of the original design, he was glad it came out the way it did instead.

My brother has unavoidably gotten the bug, whilst he didn't show much interest till after his first car (a normal 90s Fiesta) he started looking for something that wouldn't rust when that also fell through (slightly more literally this time). He looked at a Triumph Bond Equip GT4s, searching for them for a long time, I ranted why didn't he have a Scimitar SS1, a two seater fibreglass car with a small engine. Dad asked Daniel why he hadn't looked in to them, and soon, he purchased one.

Daniel and his SS1

Like all my family however, he fell in love with the Equip, and has been restoring one with my father for a long time now, currently going through it's paint work.

Daniel's GT4s

Me on the other hand? I was depressed and ill for a long time, and when I could be active, had nothing to do as my friends had long since moved on. Dad brought me a little Vanden Plas Austin Metro, and I started learning how to battle rust because I loved that working class icon till, unfortunately, having hit my goal of it being road legal, I had to sell it to give room for my brother's car. My second car is a 2003 Fiat Punto Active Sport, a boring car, but still a wonderful drive. I'm now on a part time job, and I've had to conclude I don't have the money for the insurance, absurdly a Triumph 13 / 60 convertible is cheaper on insurance, and a avenue I'm investigating, but I don't think I could do the battle on rust again.

Our family, (quite some time ago!)