Investors: Stocks Make the Perfect Holiday Gift

The gift of stock may start someone on a lifetime journey of investing. It’s perhaps one of the greatest gifts you can share.

For many of us, the pandemic has changed our outlook on the perfect holiday gift. Rather than more “stuff,” most of us are craving time with family and friends. We prefer to make memories and give and receive gifts that last for more than just a brief period.

With that in mind, shares of stock make a wonderful alternative to traditional holiday gifts. They are easy to purchase, can be customized for the recipient, and don’t require you to leave your home.

The gift of stock may start someone on a lifetime journey of investing. It’s perhaps one of the greatest gifts you can share.

Here are three stocks that would make great holiday gifts this year.

For the person who loves to shop: Shopify

Shopify (TSX:SHOP)(NYSE:SHOP) is Canada’s biggest tech success story. What started out as an online shop of snowboarding gear has grown into a tech behemoth, with a market cap of nearly $170 billion.

One driver of Shopify’s success has been its continual quest to help clients become more successful merchants on the platform.

Last month, Shopify launched Handshake, a wholesale marketplace for its merchants. Handshake connects merchants with suppliers from around the world to help them curate products and scale their operations.

As of this writing, Shopify is trading at $1387.87 per share. This year has proven to be an astonishing year for the stock, dramatically up from its 52-week low of $427.

For the tech hound: Open Text

Open Text (TSX:OTEX)(NASDAQ:OTEX) is one of Canada’s leading tech companies. What started out as a University of Waterloo in Canada project, Open Text has grown to a market cap of $15.7 billion.

Headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario, Open Text develops Information Management products, which enable businesses to lower operational costs by improving business insight, impact, and process speed.

Trading at $57.81 as of this writing, Open Text has a dividend yield of 1.83%.

For the kid in your life: Disney

Few names are as synonymous with childhood as Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS), the most recognized brand in the entertainment industry anywhere in the world.

Although this year has been brutal on its theme parks around the globe, Disney’s streaming service, Disney+, has performed well. Currently, there are approximately 74 million subscribers to Disney+.

For years, Disney has found success in movie theatres by remaking live action movies from its long catalog of popular animated films. Unfortunately, the pandemic dashed any hopes of blockbuster theatrical releases this year. Instead, Disney is using its streaming service to release new titles. The live-action remake of Mulan dropped on Disney+ on Friday.

In addition, the wildly popular show, The Mandalorian, has made Disney’s purchase of the Star Wars franchise look like a masterstroke. The eighth and final episode of the second season of the series airs on Disney+ on December 18.

Trading at US$149.96 as of this writing, shares of Disney are up marginally for the year.

How to give stocks

There are several ways you can gift stocks. Various websites are specifically designed to sell shares of stock intended as gifts. These sites can guide you through the process. If the company does not issue paper stock certificates, these sites provide a framed, personalized replica stock certificate for display purposes. You can also re-title shares of stocks you own or establish a direct share-purchase plan in the name of the recipient.

Bottom line

If you are searching for a unique gift this holiday season, why not delight someone with stock from one of their favourite companies? It is a gift that will be remembered for years to come and a gift that will appreciate over time.

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the “official” recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium service or advisor. We’re Motley! Questioning an investing thesis — even one of our own — helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer, so we sometimes publish articles that may not be in line with recommendations, rankings or other content.

Fool contributor Cindy Dye has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. David Gardner owns shares of Walt Disney. Tom Gardner owns shares of Shopify. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Shopify, Shopify, and Walt Disney. The Motley Fool recommends Open Text and OPEN TEXT CORP and recommends the following options: long January 2021 $60 calls on Walt Disney and short January 2021 $135 calls on Walt Disney.

More on Tech Stocks

A data center engineer works on a laptop at a server farm.
Tech Stocks

3 No-Brainer Data Centre Stocks to Buy With $500 Right Now

Data centres are going to be a huge growth opportunity in the next decade. And these are the top buys.

Read more »

The virtual button with the letters AI in a circle hovering above a keyboard, about to be clicked by a cursor.
Tech Stocks

Is OpenText Stock a Buy, Sell, or Hold for 2025?

OpenText stock has fallen in the last few years, but that could mean this top tech stock remains an undervalued…

Read more »

AI microchip
Tech Stocks

Celestica Stock: Buy, Sell, or Hold?

Celestica's stock price has rallied 950% in the last five years. Will the AI boom send it even higher in…

Read more »

data analyze research
Tech Stocks

2 Ridiculously Cheap Growth Stocks to Buy Hand Over Fist in 2024

Well Health Technologies is a cheap growth stock to buy for its record-breaking results, massive revenue growth, and profitability.

Read more »

A worker uses a double monitor computer screen in an office.
Tech Stocks

4 Reasons to Buy Kinaxis Stock Like There’s No Tomorrow

Kinaxis stock has a strong past. But there is even more to look forward to from this top tech stock.

Read more »

The letters AI glowing on a circuit board processor.
Tech Stocks

The Future of AI: Best Canadian Stocks to Buy Now

Here are two of the best AI-focused stocks in Canada that you can consider adding to your portfolio before it’s…

Read more »

TFSA (Tax-Free Savings Account) on wooden blocks and Canadian one hundred dollar bills.
Tech Stocks

2 TFSA Stocks to Buy Right Now With $7,000

Are you looking for growth stocks that can help you maximize the tax-free withdrawals of the TFSA? This article is…

Read more »

cloud computing
Tech Stocks

3 No-Brainer Tech Stocks to Buy Right Now for Less Than $1,000

Not all tech stocks are the risky investments that many think they are. Which is why we're focusing on the…

Read more »