It's going to be Liz Weston day today at Zen Personal Finance, as I'm quoting her column and reviewing her latest book.

I often think articles on Holiday Gift Ideas stink-they're usually either uninspired (offering lame gift ideas that anyone could think of) or too inspired (with gifts that are truly unique but so strange or expensive that no one would ever buy them for someone). Liz Weston's article offers 20 easy gift ideas that generally avoid the mundane while not getting all wacky.

You can read the whole article, but here are my two favorites for being both unique and cheap at the same time:

1. Picture Postage (as seen above): Put your own photos on real, usable postage stamps. A 20-pack of 41-cent stamps costs $17.95. I could see getting this for a parent or grandparent with a picture of the kids, or maybe with a logo of a small business for a business owner.

2. Kiva Keychain Convertible Pack: $9.95 for a tiny pack that can attach to your keychain but be folded out and used as a complete backpack. Probably not meant for a hike in the Andes, but a cool thing if you need a pack in a pinch, especially if you are a traveler.

Weston has plenty of other thoughts for gifts in different price ranges, but I actually like these super-cheap ideas the best.