Want your friend to try the "I Am T-Pain" iPhone app but they won't spring for the $2.99? Treat them to it. Apple's (AAPL) iTunes store now allows users to gift specific apps to their friends and family (provided they have iPhones or iTouches, of course). This was a natural step, as iTunes has allowed music fans to give songs and albums for years.

The logistics of the new program work as follows: go into iTunes, navigate to the desired app, click the drop-down button, and select "Gift This App." Once you enter the necessary information, the recipient receives an email notifying them of their gift. This feature is only available through iTunes software currently, but there are likely plans in play to bring it to the iPhone down the road.

In an episode of The Office, Michael Scott wasn't impressed with his company's move towards technology. He thought the old-school approaches still worked, such as giving gift baskets away to former customers. Of course, it was a disaster. These customers left because of a lack of technology, as well as high prices.

As with any comedy, there was truth to both sides. Actually, we can get sucked into too much technology. And yes, customer gifts can be a good idea. After all, it costs much more money to acquire customers than than to keep them.

It's usually tough finding the right gift for an entrepreneur. Hey, the best thing would probably be a loan or some customers, right?

OK, being realistic, there are some gifts to consider. Let's take a look:

The Cloud: It's all the rage right now -- that is, on-demand software services. The good news is that much of it is affordable. Take a look at Salesforce.com (CRM). The company has a small business edition of its customer relationship management (CRM) offering that comes to only $50 per year.

The head of Walmart.com says that Halloween sales were particularly strong. And, he thinks the upcoming holiday season will do just as well. "Customers are still spending for the holidays. Halloween was very good for us, so I suspect that Christmas is going to be great," said Raul Vazquez in a talk with Reuters.

The website may be benefiting from the fact that parent Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) cut holiday prices early this year, about a month ahead of the normal Thanksgiving weekend time frame.

But there could be other explanations. Wal-Mart has been especially good at tying its website to its stores. Customers can order items on the internet and pick them up at the local retail outlet, saving shipping charges. This combination of convenience and low price may be increasing use of the website.

The other reason the site may be doing well is the rotation away from buying goods in stores and toward buying online. While same-store sales at many big retailers are relatively flat, e-commerce revenue is expected to rise over 20% in the last two months of the year.

Or, there is one other explanation. Wal-Mart may be doing better than most investors think.

Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.

Tired of seeing your expensive and carefully chosen gifts end up months later as the flotsam and jetsam of post-holiday shores?

It's fun to buy stuff. But remember last year's failures -- that robotic pet that broke two weeks after Christmas and the pricey pale pink cashmere sweater your husband will never wear. And now he wants another iPod, like the one that went missing a few months ago?

This year choose gifts that will keep on giving. For your immediate family -- especially your kids -- make finding a gift that will actually appreciate in value a priority. Even if you end up buying them some cheap junk to fill up all the space under the Christmas tree, be sure to choose at least one gem that will last and hopefully grow in value.

The following is a range of gift ideas could apply to spouses, kids, mom, dad and even grandma and grandpa. They may not be worth more next year, but you can bet that in 20, 40 or 60 years time, they will all be worth more than that HDTV you're contemplating buying now.

1. Jewelry. Think gold, silver platinum. You can't go wrong.

2. Gold or silver coins. Put one or two in a nice velvet bag. They are pretty and fun as well as excellent stores of value.

3. Savings bonds. It's hard to jazz these up. But get your kids or nieces and nephews some to sock away. They may not squeal with delight when they open the envelope, but they will appreciate them later on.

Oprah, Oprah, Oprah. We've always relied on you as the doyenne of spendy gifts, the queen of conspicious consumption. It was you, every year, who announced your "favorites" with much fanfare and fabulous giveaways to your adoring audience (and who wouldn't adore you, with your sponsorship-fueled generosity?).

But this year, you've betrayed the capitalist in us all. You've really gone and done it this time. You've told us to give to charities, not buy things. Huh?

Oh, sure, I'm all for philathropy. But I don't expect this of Oprah. Consumers everywhere are relying on her for her wisdom in selecting the must-have gifts for the holiday. Small, artsy and luxe companies rely on her (or fear her, as the case may be) to send stacks and gigabytes of orders their way, with a "must-deliver" date of December 24th.

Not this year. This year, you're supposed to use your spare cash (and the $1000 debit card, if you were in her audience during the October taping of Oprah's "Pay it Forward" show) to do good works.

I'm all for charity, but I don't see it as a replacement for giving things. I may sometimes interpret the "things" in a different way than Oprah ever did, choosing to give hand-made gifts, books, photographs, scores from the thrift stores, and other slightly less conspicuous examples of consumption. But holiday shopping is inviolate ... I'll wait 'til December 30th or so and then get into the selflessly charitable spirit. Will you follow Oprah's lead, or stick with the pretty-and-tangible things this holiday season?