Charles Miller ponders the future of gift giving:

What has struck me over the last few years is how much of all our lists have always been taken up by IP: CDs (once cassette tapes), DVDs (once VHS tapes, now Blu-Ray) and books. Which makes me wonder what we are going to do for physical gifts ten years from now? What happens to Christmas when buying a CD, DVD or a book in physical form is just so twentieth century1?

He adds books at the end of his post, noting that e-readers are only going to get better. As un-sexy sounding as it sounds, I think I have an answer for him: gift cards, real or virtual. Over the last few years, I've gotten a bunch of Borders, Barnes & Noble, and now, Amazon gift certificates. My niece seems happiest with a gift card from American Eagle or Hollister. There's your gifting future :)