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Today I thought it might be fun to take one last look at the holiday newsletter. Stay tuned for much more news you can use in 2010.

“Suddenly it's Christmas,
Right after Hallowe'en.
Forget about Thanksgiving;
It's just a buffet in between.
There's lights and tinsel in the windows;
They're stocking up the shelves;
Santa's slaving at the North Pole
In his sweatshop full of elves.” – Loudon Wainwright III

It’s the holidays again everyone. I bet I’m not the only one who was completely unprepared. These days if you don’t have at least a few gifts bought by Halloween you are a slacker. I wouldn’t let that get you down. Everyone is a winner this holiday season. We bid adieu to 2009 on ground that is much more stable then the year past. Companies are spending money, housing sales and prices are up, manufacturing reports are improving, banks are making money, and it’s not such a wallet killer to leave the tree on all day if you wish.

Remember that the most important gift Americans will have given this year is the spirit of goodwill and hard work. It has taken us to a better place with many necessary lessons learned along the way. With an unemployment rate still peaking, chances are you know a household that may need a little holiday cheer this year. Whatever holiday your family or theirs celebrates, do your share to make life easier and smiles brighter. Seriously, how many shirts and sweaters do we all really need anyway?

In last year’s letter my encouragement was if you were buying a gift for someone and out of ideas, you should buy stock. Here is what your $50.00 gift of stock would be worth today if you had:

Dow Jones $61.08 up 22.16%
S&P 500 $63.33 up 26.66%
NASDAQ $70.32 up 40.64%
Emerging Markets $84.00 up 67.99%

Now that is my kind of a holiday gift. I bet not many people have gifts from last year that are worth more today. In a year of little inflation, your gift of stock in an incredibly cheap market would have made someone quite happy. This can work wonders with children and teenagers too. Financial education is missing in today’s curriculum, so whether it’s stock or cash a gift like this could be an exciting way to teach good financial practices.

As a financial news junkie, my favorite piece of news is the Christmas Price Index released each year by The PNC Financial Services Group. I like a company that can have some fun and these guys have been at it for 26 years. This year the cost of giving someone “The Twelve Days of Christmas” grew by only 1.8% to $21,465.56. What a deal! Can you imagine all those birds, rings, ladies, and lords for such a price? Clearly inflation has been working in our favor as we climb back to solid financial footing. If you’ve got time to waste, click here, for loads of Christmassy financial fun!

The year could have been a lot less rosy than it turned out to be. Be thankful this year, and if you aren’t ready for a spending free-for-all, you are not alone. Give a gift that will keep giving and mean something special to someone. Help out a struggling family, donate time to a food shelter, make a contribution to that grandchild’s college fun, and of course, I’m not changing course: give stock. Each year we have the opportunity to make someone happy with a holiday gift, make your gift the one that will always make someone happy.

Something that won’t break, something that won’t shrink, something that will be a part of that special person or cause for years to come. Happy Holidays to you and yours.

by Andy Pulsfort