For grandparents, we imagine gift-giving around the holidays can be particularly vexing. What the hey do the whippersnappers like these days? What on earth is a HecksBox or WayStation anyway (That’s Xbox and Playstation, Gramps, and they’re totally sweet)??

Gifting to a grandchild can be daunting, we imagine. But the good folks at Liberty Mutual have our grandparents covered, literally, and just in time for the holidays.

In a recent missive obtained by The Teller, the Boston insurer quotes a recent study that found grandparents give their grandchildren more than $5.5 billion annually in gifts of stocks, bonds and mutual funds.

Not The Teller’s grandparent’s, but someone’s, apparently.

Anyway, in today’s cash-strapped world, what’s a grandparent to do if they want to generously give like they are used to, without any of that fear of "risk," or "loss of value"?

Liberty Mutual says the answer is simple: Name little Timmy the beneficiary on a single payment whole life insurance policy.

Of course! For a number of reasons, this makes a ton of sense. To wit: What’s more exciting than unwrapping a notarized, witnessed and signed in triplicate legal document? How fun!

Also, as young Timmy ages, the gift gets more exciting. Imagine a moody, brooding teenage Tim finally realizing the gravity of that dusty piece of paper – "Wait a minute, if Grampa dies, I get rich!" As if being a teenager weren’t confusing enough…

Add in another layer of complexity when and if Tim’s parents realize that THEY, in fact, can benefit if Gramps croaks before Tim turns 18, and well, the fun seems never-ending.

The Teller is exceptionally cynical. We know this. We pride ourselves on it. But seriously, Liberty Mutual? You would have us believe that being essentially forced into a situation where in order to wring the most value out of a gift, we have to basically hope for our grandparents’ death, is a GOOD thing?

‘Tis the season, we guess.