Move over Generations X and Y - Grandma's on MySpace

Don't be surprised if Grandma sends you a Facebook gift for Christmas this year instead of a package of socks.

The NPD Group, a market research firm, reported yesterday that its "Entertainment Trends in America" report shows that in the U.S., 41 percent of baby boomer Internet users (age 44 to 61) surveyed are spending time on social networks such as LinkedIn, MySpace and Facebook.

“There’s an ongoing misperception that certain Web activities are the exclusive domain of young people,” said Russ Crupnick, entertainment industry analyst for The NPD Group, in the research firm's report. “That misperception could cost the entertainment industry, in terms of lost opportunities to target valuable consumers.”

As social networks continue to grow and get more mainstream airtime -- my 58-year-old mother was just talking about CNN's Twitter feed -- it makes sense that more and more baby boomers would get on board.

The NPD Group also makes the case that advertisers, which often market to those 40 and below on social networking sites, should consider that much of the online buying power remains with the baby boomer generation.

Thanks to That T-Shirt Site for the artwork