Make This Year Memorable: A 2010 Gift-Giving Guide

Fruit baskets, kitchen gadgets, and Kindles aren’t the only gifts you can give loved ones this year (although you’ll see below that video game systems still make the cut.) Instead, why not give something unique that will leave a lasting impression and help protect your loved one? Here are a few non-traditional ideas for friends and family of every age.

Young Adults: What do you get the kid who already has all the video games he could want? How about a meeting with a financial planner? It may not sound exciting, but young adults are leaving home with less financial experience than ever, making it difficult for them to know how to budget for their own household, plan to eventually buy a house, or even stick to a strategy to pay of credit debt or student loans.

Parents of Young Children: A nomination of guardians drafted by a qualified estate planning attorney is an excellent gift for young parents. So also are advanced healthcare directives and a last will and testament. All of these will help protect the young family as well as provide peace of mind.

Baby-Boomer Friends and Family: The big concern among Baby-Boomers right now is long-term care. After paying for their elderly parents to grow old Boomers are now turning a concerned eye to their own futures.

Elderly Parents and Grandparents: Forget your teenage nephew; your elderly grandparent is the person who could benefit from having a video game. According to this story in the New York Times game systems such as the Xbox Kinect and Nintendo Wii Fit help get the elderly up and moving and can significantly improve their balance.

This year, forget about the impersonal gift cards or scented candles; instead give a gift that will leave a legacy.