Shoppers' efforts often fizzle when they need to buy a gift for that person who seems to clash with every conventional gift idea out there. But if your hard-to-shop-for friend, colleague or family member is a loyal investor or fanatical trader you're in luck. Read on for a few unique gift ideas that are sure to please any financial geek.

1. Ambient Orb
There may not be a crystal ball to predict where the market's headed, but for a financial geek who aims to stay on top of current market news, the Ambient Orb may be one of the fastest - and most soothing - ways to stay in the loop. The Orb is set to track the movement of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA); it glows green or red when the market is moving up or down and yellow when the market is calm. It can also be customized to track any individual stock, market index or even an investor's own portfolio. Any trader would be thrilled to unwrap this mystical object.

2. Stock Ticker Board Game
This Wall Street board game can be a great distraction from the pressures of the real stock market. The game works much like Monopoly. Each player starts with a certain amount of cash, which is turned into a combination of shares of a certain commodity, either gold, oil, bonds, technologies, industrials or grain. You can even get paid out dividends when your stocks reach certain levels and the amount you receive is determined by the toss of dice. The goal of the game is to buy and sell these shares and to accumulate a greater amount of money than the other players by the end of the game.

3. Berkshire Hathaway Activewear
Give someone you know the chance to dress up in the clothing line of the first and only $100,000 stock. The Berkshire Hathaway Activewear Collection includes golf clothing, hats, t-shirts and other casual-wear basics festooned with the company's classic crest. You can even pick up a pack of Berkshire Hathaway playing cards as a stocking stuffer - complete with Warren Buffett's face, of course. (For related reading, see Warren Buffett: How He Does It and What Is Warren Buffett's Investing Style?)

4. OneShare Stock Certificates
A framed stock certificate is a gift that will leave a lasting impression in any financial geek's office. Choose from more than 130 well-known, publicly traded companies and OneShare will mount and frame one share of . Each share also comes with a OneShare Owner's Manual, complete with information about being a shareholder.A share of Disney, Mattel, McDonald's or Build-A-Bear can also be a great gift (and learning experience) for kids. (For more insight, see Knowing Your Rights As A Shareholder.)

5. "Margin of Safety" (1991) by Seth A. Klarman
This out-of-print book is one of the most sought after investing books out there, and probably a collectible item. Klarman is a value investor and the portfolio manager for The Baupost Group. According to a December 2005 article in the The Wharton Journal, an investor who had been in the fund since its inception (1982) would, in 2005, be basking in an astounding 5,500% portfolio appreciation. This book should provide a great read along with some sound investing tips for value investors. (For more books, see Books Worth Investing In, Ten Books Every Investor Should Read and Ten Books For The Holidays.)

6. Financial Software
A copy of Quicken, Moneydance or other financial software is often a welcome addition to an money-savvy person's arsenal. It can also provide a fun and interactive way to stay on top of finances and meet financial goals.

7. Minted Coins
If you know someone with penchant for collectibles, consider picking up a minted coin from the U.S. Mint, The Royal Mint or the Royal Canadian Mint. Coins can sometimes become valuable if they are rare, but they are also enjoyed by history buffs who want a piece of the past (or present) that they can hang on to. (For related reading, check out Contemplating Collectible Investments.)

8. A Subscription to a Financial Magazine/Newspaper
The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, Financial Times, Business Week and Fortune, to name a few, would pique the interest of most financially attuned individuals. There are also hundreds of more obscure publications on business and economics, so you're bound to find a specific one to suit a hard-to-shop for financial geek.

We hope we've injected new life into your gift shopping and that you've been inspired to seek out these geek-worthy gifts for investors, traders and financial professionals.

To read more Christmas articles, see 'Twas the Night Before Christmas and The Frosty, Festive World Of Investing.

by Investopedia Staff, (Contact Author | Biography)

Investopedia.com believes that individuals can excel at managing their financial affairs. As such, we strive to provide free educational content and tools to empower individual investors, including thousands of original and objective articles and tutorials on a wide variety of financial topics.