Christmas started off a little differently this year. Early in the day, I got a phone call from my sister telling me she was buying herself a Christmas present—a new car. She wouldn’t tell me what it was, only that I needed to come over and join her at the dealership.

She lives about two hours away, which isn’t exactly a short trip, especially with another long drive planned for Christmas Day. Still, it was Saturday, I wasn’t doing much, and her excitement was contagious. So I grabbed a jacket, some water, and decided to make a day of it.

The Drive There

Before leaving, I was reminded of a few realities. My car was absolutely filthy—winter has a way of doing that—and the battery has been acting up for weeks. The car is 10 years old now, and short drives haven’t helped. I’ve been half-expecting it to give up on me at the worst possible moment.

After topping up the tank, I finally hit the road.

Christmas Excitement

When I arrived, my sister was already buzzing with excitement. You could tell this upgrade meant a lot to her. Sometimes a change like that just feels right, especially at Christmas.

We didn’t waste any time and headed straight to the dealership.

Inside the Mercedes-Benz Showroom

Our first stop was Mercedes-Benz, and walking into the showroom felt dangerous in the best way possible. The lineup was impressive—too impressive. The kind of place that makes you start doing mental maths and wondering what you could sell to afford one of these cars.

One particular model instantly caught my eye, priced at £42,000. The exterior was beautiful, although my sister wasn’t sold on the yellow interior stitching.

As we walked around, things only escalated. AMG models everywhere, sleek interiors, and eventually the big one—the G-Wagon. Sitting inside one for the first time was surreal. Despite how imposing it looks from the outside, it felt smaller than expected once inside, but the interior was on another level. Diamond stitching, solid doors, and that unmistakable sense of presence.

It definitely planted a dangerous idea in my head about future upgrades.

The Decision

After going through the numbers and paperwork, the deal was done. The only downside was timing. With the dealership closing for Christmas, she won’t be able to pick the car up until after the holidays.

The car she chose was a 2021 Mercedes-Benz CLA, finished in white with a brown interior. A clean, classy choice and a well-earned upgrade.

Heading Home

It was a long day by the time everything wrapped up, but a good one. From the road trip to wandering through the showroom and watching my sister drive away happy, it felt like a proper Christmas memory.

Now it’s back to reality—and possibly a little more appreciation (and temptation) every time I look at my own car.