Over the past two weeks Cora and I offered you some choices in stock market and money games suitable for the entire family to play together. This week, on the eve of an annual gift-giving frenzy, I have four more last-minute items to add to your gift-giving list:

1. If you haven't done so yet, open an account at BUYandHOLD for your kids. How do you manage to get this gift? Just go to the menu under the acorn logo on BUYandHOLD's homepage, and click on "Open an Account." Fill out the form that comes up, and you're done. There's no fee to open an account (although you will begin to accrue monthly fees dependent on the account you choose).

Since you may want this account to be a surprise for your kids, you can do one of two things: You can either proceed to choose a stock to activate the account and surprise them with your choice, or wait until it's time to open gifts and let your child choose the equity or equities they want to fill their portfolio. The latter option is great, because your child now feels that he or she "owns" a portion of a company based on a personal decision. This ownership instills a bit of pride, and may help your child feel more responsible for the portfolio.

When you or your child makes that first equity purchase, it's best to read through the 10-Step Guided Tour. Also, make sure that you create an "instant deposit" alternative for the account so that you have money on hand to purchase stocks when you spring this gift. You can access this preference when you open your account. Since this is the holiday season, be aware that transactions with your bank and with BUYandHOLD will vary due to holiday "days off."

2. If you're like me, you haven't estimated your taxes for April, 2005. If you have a few moments, check your contributions for 2004, especially if you itemize your tax returns. If you haven't met the highest contribution limit possible for your tax bracket, now's the time to give so you can receive. Remember that you can give away merchandise and count this toward charitable contributions, as long as the amount is fair market value. If you give away large-ticket items (like an automobile) to a charity, there are certain guidelines to follow.

Before you begin to clean out the closets, go to the IRS website and type "charitable contributions" (or a more specific contribution, like "charitable contribution automobile") into their general search engine. The IRS has ideas about what you can and cannot deduct for this tax category, and they may spark a few thoughts about what you can do to help others while you also reduce your tax bill. For instance, you can pile your teens in the car and run down to the neighborhood soup kitchen to help out for the holidays. Be sure to track your mileage, because you can deduct the mileage for this trip.

You can also attend charitable functions and donate the portion that is over and above the fair market value (FMV) of the event. For instance, if you attend a holiday charity ball and the tickets are $100 per person, but the FMV is $40, then $60 of this ticket is deductible. Be sure to ask for a disclosure statement from the charity, or they may be penalized for the deduction. See more about quid pro quo contributions here.

3. You probably understand that political contributions are nondeductible as charitable contributions. In fact, you may also know that political conversations are a "no-no" for holiday get-togethers this year, as many political topics are still far too controversial and personal. Therefore, give your family the same break - and your hostess a great gift - and try to avoid political talk this year, especially during dinner. The resultant food fights can be great tension-relievers, but they're murder on the hostess.

4. Finally, many of us know a relative, friend, or neighbor that lost a job this year. There's not much we can do in the way of providing livelihoods for these people, and many individuals in this position are also uncomfortable with receiving charity. I've discovered that a gift in the form of a service to these individuals works fairly well. Some great gifts for these folks include: shovel their driveway, invite them to dinner, purchase a newspaper subscription for them (for the want ads), and/or give coupons or gift certificates to grocery stores, gas stations, or dry cleaners (maintenance of interview clothing is a must). If you feel uncomfortable with giving a gift in this circumstance, find something that you can do for these individuals so you can make it from "Anonymous."

Cora and I have many friends, relatives, and neighbors who celebrate different holidays during this time of year. Some individuals are of different faiths, different backgrounds, and different cultures (even within the same families!). So, when we get together with these folks, we try to accommodate their customs as well as our own. We found that when we share beliefs and practices with an open mind, we might discover new ways to explore the depths of our own ideals. On that note, Cora and I hope you find time to laugh, love, enjoy giving, be thankful for receiving, and eat as much chocolate as possible over the upcoming week, because that's our ritual for this time of year.

Until Next Week,
Linda Goin