Holiday Gifts for the Unemployed

Chances are, someone on your holiday gift list is one of the 1.9 million U.S. workers laid off this past year.

Give the pink-slipped people you know something they can put to good use in their quest for gainful employment and they'll be eternally grateful.

(Getty Images/Amazon.com)

You may be tempted to buy them a set of inspirational flash cards ("Tomorrow is a new day!") or a motivational coffee mug ("Dare to reach for the stars!").

Don't.

Your laid-off friends and family members don't need cheesy platitudes. Nor do they need a cheery, new holiday sweater. They need work, and they need it now, before their unemployment benefits run out and the debt collectors come calling.

Unfortunately, looking for a job costs money -- money that someone living on unemployment checks or credit card fumes isn't likely to have.

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That's where you come in. Give the pink-slipped people you know something they can put to good use in their quest for gainful employment, and they'll be eternally grateful.

Herewith, my holiday gift recommendations for those in your life without a paycheck.

A Free Ride

Sure, paying $2 a gallon for gas is a huge improvement from the $4 a gallon drivers shelled out earlier this year. But filling the tank four times a month to race to interviews, job fairs and meetings with recruiters is still a big financial hit for those living close to the bone.

So do your unemployed loved ones a favor and buy them a gas card. If they don't drive, get them a week's worth of bus or subway passes.