If you haven’t been living under a rock, you’ve heard the news – it’s a tough economy out there. Unfortunately, for many Americans the first line item to go from the budget is a family trip this holiday season. But it doesn’t have to be so. Consider giving the gift of travel to your loved ones. Here’s how.

Give them airline and hotel points. If you travel for business, you’ve probably racked up a ton of loyalty points. Why not gift a lucky family member a trip to a nice hotel or fly them in for a visit? If you’re leaning in this direction, think about booking well ahead of time to ensure that you don’t hit blackout dates or booked-to-the-hilt properties.

Consider gift cards. Most hotel chains offer gift certificates or gift cards. While you’ll have to buy a dollar amount rather than a two- or three-night stay (as prices vary), you can also take into account the typical cost of a night’s stay when making your gift purchase. Even better, many gift cards entitle the recipient to goodies at the property. You might indicate on the card that you “expect” part of it to be redeemed for breakfast in bed or a nice massage.

Travel with them! If your whole family meets at a resort, on a cruise ship or at a suites hotel, you can enjoy an extended family vacation. Giving such a gift is a present to yourself, too, as you’ll get to spend quality time with the folks you haven’t seen in a while. Need ideas for destinations? Check out sites like familytravelnetwork.com, suiteliving.com and this very site for potential destinations (Ft. Lauderdale, anyone? How about Boulder? Maybe San Diego?). Then hold a planning session by Skype or an online chat site where everyone can discuss and vote.

Help them make memories. Know someone expecting a baby? Maybe someone’s got a big anniversary coming up? You know those folks need to get away for some super-duper bonding time – time they’ll use to refresh and store up energy for the next big stage of life. Giving the gift of travel can also help them make lifelong memories – and you’ll be a part of them.

Give them free time. Maybe the issue isn’t a family’s budget – it could be child or pet care. If someone you love really needs a break, consider giving them the best gift of all by taking little or furry ones off their hands while they enjoy the surf or snow. Even better? You’ll get hugs, wags and snuggles until Mom and Dad come home.