Lasting Christmas Gifts
For Christmas, it’s nice to try and get people something that lasts. This is especially true with children who may not like the sweater you buy them or have every techno-gadget out there already.
Consider thinking about giving kids something that isn’t passé in a month or two.
Consider giving them an investment, such as stocks or bonds. It’s a bit boring but it will teach them about managing money and they can watch their money grow, hopefully. Imagine how pleased your recipient will be when it gives them a down payment for a big ticket item. Try giving them designer stocks belonging to their favorite department store or an amusement park.
Consider giving them hard asset collectibles like coins, gold or silver bullion, stamps or art. There are lots of collectibles on eBay that will be fun for a young person to own. If you start a collection for them, you’ll have more gift ideas to give them for the future as well. Jewelry and precious stones can be worn and are collectible, too. You can find some of these things on eBay or at a jewelry store.
Contribute money to an educational account for the child that is redeemable when the child is ready for college. You can contribute at every holiday in the future as well. Talk to a financial advisor about setting up an educational account. You can consider single-premium annuities that can grow to substantial sums over the next fifty years.
Juvenile life insurance is a boring but helpful gift to give the family of a young child. It can be a single premium or one you make ongoing payments toward. As cash values grow within the policy, the money can be used to help pay costs of going to the university or college.