The 2025 investor’s gift guide: five stocks for bulls, bears and Swifties

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You did it again. You waited until the last minute to fill those stockings, mail those gifts and fulfill those dreams.

But don’t worry. We have you covered with The Globe and Mail’s holiday gift guide – stock edition – where you’ll find something for everyone on your list.

The beautiful part about giving stocks is that nothing ever sells out. And the Toronto Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange are open until 1 p.m. on Dec. 24, giving you time to mull the possibilities.

Here are a handful.

When you can’t remember their size: Aritzia Inc. (Toronto: ATZ).

Why buy them The Super Puff that they’ve asked for when you don’t recall if it was the XtraShorty or Long Hi-Gloss that they wanted?

You can do better by surprising them with the entire store.

Aritzia was no slouch in the retailing world before 2025. But the stock ignited this year as the Vancouver-based company navigated tariffs, generated serious growth in e-commerce sales and successfully expanded its store count in the United States – even though broader consumer confidence stumbled.

We can’t think of a North American retailer that came close to Aritzia’s success this year, which means that your loved one will absolutely cherish this stylish stock. The best part: One size fits all.

For the next-level Taylor Swift fan: Universal Music Group NV (Euronext: UMG).

You bought the records and streamed the hits. And you scored a couple of tickets when she toured Canada last year.

Now, make the next move with shares in Universal Music Group, the owner of Taylor Swift’s label, Republic Records.

Music labels were struggling when their business models floundered with the arrival of streaming several years ago.

But record sales are picking up as younger consumers discover the joy of vinyl and record sleeves.

More importantly, labels are discovering that they have some pricing power with streamers, such as Spotify. A label with Ms. Swift in its stable of artists is going to have more power than others.

Where her career goes, your gift follows.

For that precious metal loved one: Gold.

Nothing says “I love you” – or “the world is going to hell in a handbasket” – better than pure gold, which is a hot item this holiday season.

For this gift, consider the importance of the unveiling.

You can awe your loved one with the backstory on gold’s soaring price. Start with tariffs and market mayhem earlier this year, then touch on simmering inflation and concerns about fiat currencies.

Bring it on home with central bank efforts to diversify their foreign exchange reserves, a trend that some gold enthusiasts believe could drive the price of gold even higher in the coming years.

After that insightful intro, produce the gleaming bullion.

Okay, okay, prior to this year’s rally, you could probably buy an ounce of gold for everyone in the family without blowing a hole in your holiday budget.

Now, with each ounce setting you back more than US$4,300 that quantity may be out of reach. This is for a loved one, not Fort Knox.

So perhaps consider giving a gram instead? In gold investing circles, this is still called a “bar,” so you’ll look good. And a gram ain’t cheap, at US$140. So, you’ll look generous.

But be careful. A gram of gold is pretty small. Honestly, it’s hard to see. Don’t drop it or you’ll never find it.

For the bull market skeptic: ProShares Short S&P 500 (New York: SH).

Nothing says “Stop talking about the bubble already and do something about it” than an exchange-traded fund that rises when stocks fall. That is, if the S&P 500 index falls 5 per cent tomorrow, this thing rises 5 per cent.

Behold its additional qualities: If your lovable Bubble Head is correct, and investors have blithely inflated a ginormous equity bubble that is going to pop, then this gift has that “told you so” glow.

Is the bear on your list feeling especially apocalyptic this year? Then treat them to twice the fun with the ProShares UltraShort S&P 500 (New York: SDS) – where “ultra” delivers twice the daily inverse of the index.

But warn them: These bear-market ETFs don’t work well as long-term holdings. Think of this gift as akin to a Christmas cracker. Pop. Laugh. Move on.

Oh, and if the bull market keeps going, this gift will also work as a lump of coal.

For the person who prefers cash: BMO Equal Weight Banks Index ETF (Toronto: ZEB).

Like gold, this one is also in the presentation. We recommend starting with a quiz that will highlight the cash-generating promise of big Canadian lenders, from Royal Bank of Canada to National Bank of Canada and everything in between.

Question 1: How much profit did the Big Six banks generate this year, combined? Answer: $70-billion. Yes, billion.

Question 2: How many of the Big Six banks raised their dividends this year? Answer: All of them.

Question 3: Which bank will generate the most improved return on equity and lowest loan loss provisions in 2026, while maintaining an ideal regulatory CET-1 ratio? Answer: Uhh.

Add it up, and you’ll see why an ETF that holds all six bank stocks in equal weights can be the gift that keeps on giving, as some of those profits flow to your loved one in the form of steadily rising dividends.

Ah, dividends, the gift that keeps on giving.