It's that time of the year and many people will be looking for gifts for all those gamers in their lives. Of course, gamers that need gifts for "normal" people - we have no help for you. Donate to the Human Fund and plant a tree in their name. Who cares. This is for the people that need something for you.

Video games are expensive. With new releases listing for $60 (let alone collectable editions), don't expect distant relatives that don't really love you to buy you a game that some schleprock at Gamestop recommends. Chances are, you already have it. That leads to fake thanks and awkward returns at the mall. Want to avoid that? Just tell them to get you a gift card.

This is what separates gamers from normal people. Gift cards to retail stores are the bottom of the thoughtful barrel. Sure, someone knows that you buy your lace underwear at Victoria's Secret, but how different is that from giving them cash and telling them to enjoy themselves at their favorite store? Gamers, on the other hand, have very little needs when it comes to gifts. They just need games. But what games? You certainly don't want to get them a game they already have, so why not get them the ability to get stuff within the game?

With the current generation of consoles promising to stick around for at least the next five years, they are quickly becoming the one and only form of entertainment in the home theater. Older consoles are being tossed because of age/technology issues and they just take up too much space. To keep those nostalgic gamers in check, all three major manufacturers provide classic games via digital marketplace. Granted, the Wii Shop Channel has only old Nintendo games and Playstation Store has old Playstation games, so there isn't just one route to get all the games you might want to re-live your childhood days. XBOX Marketplace might be the most varied location to get games, but Wii Shop has everything I grew up with.

Then again, they don't just limit to games. Microsoft and Sony are rolling out new and expensive ways to exercise your vanity with game avatars. XBOX now has avatar pets, while Playstation Home has Second Life-like housing and furniture.

Because all markets want to be available to people without credit cards, there are store credit cards available for retail purchase. Just go to any major electronics/retail store or buy them online, then slip them in the stocking for little Timmy to buy a game from before he was born.

Just to clarify, these cards do not buy physical games in stores. They buy virtual goods and services within the game marketplace.