Ah, the holidays. So many folks to shop for...and so little money and time. The art of gift buying and giving remains an inexact science. And while some people are happiest receiving the latest and coolest items, other folks might appreciate gifts that are a bit more edgy...or even something genuinely awful. So we decided to offer some help by reviewing six unique gifts you may not have considered for the people on your list, and offered a verdict for each of them: creepy, crappy, or cool.

1. With the wide range of iPod accessories and add-ons on the market, you can listen to your tunes pretty much anywhere these days. And thanks to the iPod Dock Toilet Paper Handler, that now includes the bathroom. For a mere $80, your favorite iPod owner will be rockin' on the bowl in no time. Our verdict? Crappy. Aside from the sanitary issues raised with having an iPod dock sitting on top of a toilet roll dispenser, we just don't think the porcelain throne is an ideal place to enjoy - or appreciate - your favorite music. But for folks who might spend a lot of time on the toilet, they might think it's really cool.

2. Do you spend an inordinate amount of time screaming at the TV? Or cursing the fact that you can't find the remote? In that case, the $40 Universal Voice-Activated Remote might be the ideal gift for you. Instead of screaming and cursing, you can simply talk to your television, DVD or VCR and tell it what you want it to do with 25 user-programmable voice commands. Our verdict? Cool. This one's a no-brainer who love their TV, but just hate pushing an infernal series of buttons to control it. Just be careful what you say around your television.

3. You may know someone who would wait overnight in frigid parking lots just to get their hands on a Playstation 3 or Nintendo Wii this season. But for folks who are just as happy playing retro video games, the Atari Flashback 2.0 is the perfect time machine. The updated console case is approximately 2/3 the size of the original Atari 2600 console released in 1977, and comes pre-loaded with 40 classic Atari games and two joystick controllers. Our verdict? This one's cool for anyone who grew up on the Atari system and became a video game addict playing Space Invaders and Asteroids for hours on end in the early '80s. But for anyone born after 1975 and expecting a next-gen console this Christmas, it's probably just crappy.

4. Ever wonder what your house or backyard looked like from a bird's eye view? Then the Radio Control Digital Camera Plane - available for just over $150 - might be just the ticket for you. You can use this radio controlled airplane to take 26 aerial digital photos on each flight simply by pushing a button on the transmitter...and the plane has a flying range of 1,000 feet. Our verdict? Totally cool. Almost frigid, in fact. Just be careful when you assume the controls of this sucker -- because you know that spying on your attractive neighbor while she is sunbathing, or crashing the plane into a bathroom window while she's taking a shower is just not going to fly.

5. As noted above in #3, video games and game systems are likely the most popular gift items this season. And for an astonishingly low price and the cost of an unhealthy meal, you can get a Burger King video game for your favorite Xbox or Xbox 360 gamer this month. For just $3.99 each when you buy a Value Meal at your local Burger King, you can take home one of three video games featuring the fast food chain's creepy King mascot for either Xbox system - Sneak King, Pocketbike Racer and Big Bumpin'. Our verdict? These are both creepy and crappy. Aside from being disgustingly cheap, just imagine the thoughts of a young gamer who's eagerly awaiting the chance to blast away at sinister post-apocalyptic creatures only to open a gift that gives him control of a fast foot mascot driving a bumper car. It's enough to make a grown kid cry.

6. Finally, what is the holiday season without some festive holiday music? And chances are if you thought the Atari Flashback was cool (see #3), you might be interested in hearing the latest album from bad-boy '80s rocker Billy Idol - Happy Holidays (A Very Special Christmas Album). Yes, you read that right. The former singer of "Rebel Yell," "White Wedding," and "Eyes Without a Face" is now dishing up "Here Comes Santa Claus" and "Frosty the Snowman." For those who may be curious, you can check out a sample song and video on Billy's MySpace page. Our verdict? This one is both creepy and cool. It's certainly disturbing at first to hear an '80s rock icon reduced to sounding like a Vegas lounge act in many of these arrangements, but it's also strange enough to be appealing on a truly surreal level. The album cover alone - featuring Billy in his trademark spiked hair wearing a tux - might even be worth the $26 you'll have to shell out for it.

So no matter what you and your family may be celebrating this holiday season, shop wisely. And remember: it's the thought that counts, so just be careful what you're thinking.