It really depends. I wanted to quit but was at the point where trying to go cold turkey was dangerous to those around me. We’re not talking mood swings, we’re talking violence; I took a few swings and dented a wall of our apartment. So nicotine was required.
Patches caused problems, not the least of which was nasty rashes. The unevenness of the delivery also caused issues. Tachycardia isn’t fun.
Gum was not an option; I don’t like having stuff in my mouth (not just between the lips, but actually in my mouth) for longer than it takes to chew and swallow. Lozenges will get eaten like candy.
There is a particular brand of e-cig that I can get the cartridges for locally, pastes dcent enough (though nothing like the American Spirit Perique blend rollies I was used to), and it delivers nicotine in a controllable fashion without leaving welts, so I could wean myself off of smoking without either skin lesions or a criminal record. Your mileage may vary, especially depending on which one you get and whether the recipient truly wants to quit, but I am tobacco-free and didn’t kill anybody.
But @Neizvestnaya is correct in that maybe Christmas isn’t the right time for such a gift, especially if the intended recipient hasn’t expressed an y interest in one. Every gift I’ve ever received that I actually appreciated was either something that anybody who knows me knows I want (like my Droid X, a ½ pound box of maple candy, or just about anything wrapped in bacon) or something I needed but could not afford myself (like major vehicle repairs). Those who have tried to surprise me with something that doesn’t fit either of those categories generally disappoints me, so I would imagine that such a gift may well be a bad idea.