Heaven, absolute heaven. It's girlie paradise - Cath Kidson, Bobby Pin, Flutters and Fancies,…read moreAnatomicals and the like are all available in the form of mugs, toiletries, gift sets, accessories, bags, jewellery, and a whole lot more. Cute kiddies jewellery, toys and baby gifts attract the young un's, but apart from a few boys toys, it's strictly for the ladies. Colourful, cute and captivating...the little fellas won't be having too much fun in Urban Orchard. One young man summed it up rather nicely: *Sigh and mumbles* "Mummmm, can we goooo hommmmeee." He didn't get much of a reply from his mother, who was completely and utterly enthralled by the cute cupcake lip glosses. Sorry kiddo. As far as I was concerned, the whole shop was worth purchasing, but I settled on a Cath Kidson body lotion for a friend, and a bracelet for my sister. Popping my gifts in a gorgeous stripey paper package, and sealing it with a gold address label, the friendly sales assistant informed me that the stock is regularly changed and updated. Boy oh boy...I'll be back before you know it.

This is another pastel shop - everything is girlie and soft…read more They have a large collection of Cath Kidson beauty products which I haven't really seen stocked in many places around Belfast - I love the lip balm and so took advantage of the free testers. This shop reminds me of a place I always make a beeline for when I go to Brighton. It sells Ollie and Nic babies clothing which I always buy in England and didn't think I could get here in Northern Ireland. I'm really pleased to have found this shop as it stocks a wide range of toys, clothing, bits and pieces, jewellery and bags. You can pick up anything from key rings to bracelets that look like liquorice all sorts. All things that your kids would love, as well as the things you want your kids to love and the things that you love can be found in here. 'Tis a crackin' wee shop!

Obsessed with this shop! There were so many and all had different items. Staff was super friendly…read moreand welcoming, decent pricing and wide selection of merch to choose from. Can't wait to visit Ireland again!

Whoooo Hoooooo! Carolls I love you! There are two reasons why:…read more 1. I'm Irish and proud and when I walk past Carrolls and see the Belfast t-shirts and the tourists mulling around I get a great sense of pride. I am proud that if a Spanish/French/Ethiopian wanted to purchase something, nay anything with a shamrock on it they could get it here. I'm proud that pencils and pencil cases, hairbands, rubbers, sweets, aprons and the like with sheep/shamrocks/leprahauns on them can all be purchased here! 2. The Irish tunes that are being pumped outta this place from opening until closing fill me with happiness and make me want to sing along as I am walking past in the pissy rain on dull and gray winters afternoon - sure you couldn't beat it. For all things Irish Caroll is yer man/woman?

On an extremely wet, miserable and despondent day in Bangor, Innovation gift shop was a glaringly…read morebright beacon of light, shining brilliantly in my direction. The selection, for such a small shop, really is vast. There were a lovely array of cute, well-priced pillows - the kind with proverbs and messages written on them, complete with a beaded hanger for attaching to your wall / door etc. £5.99, if my memory serves me correctly. A lovely collection of bridal accessories, including head bands and tiaras for half price, as well as wedding favours and other relevant bits and bobs were all available for purchase. A wide range of gorgeous ornaments, unusual jewellery collections, incense sticks, candles, baby gifts, to name but a few filled the shop to the brim. I had never seen such unique and special gifts all in the one place. An older lady was also browsing round 'Innovation' when I was in, and her excitement at the overwhelming gifts and brilliant bargains was very evident. She had purchased something a matter of moments before her eyes lit up, having spotted yet another alluring object. "Oh, I'm never going to get out of here!" she laughed. The shop assistant laughed along with her and was most helpful in referring the lady to another shop in Newtownards where she would be able to buy something they did not have. I settled upon a black cherry Yankee candle melt for the decent price of £1.05, and was served by the shop assistant's son, who was still learning the ropes. Both were extremely pleasant, and topic of conversation turned to the horrendous weather before I left, quietly satisfied that I found yet another fantastic gift shop to add to my list of birthday-present-purchasing-places. Innovative indeed.

Like a very similar shop in Holywood, Urban Orchard, this is a bit of a middle class woman's…read moreparadise and doesn't really have much for anyone else other than their target demographic. That i unless someone else is buying a gift for the woman in their life. Like Urban Orchard, this is a lovely place to go into in to shop. There is all sorts of stuff such as pillows, knick nacks, candles and bridal accessories on sale and there seems to be quite a large amount of stock for what is quite a small shop. You can basically pick up anything you would need to furnish a new house or to buy a housewarming or engagement gift for a friend. The prices are pretty standard for this sort of stuff, which is to say that it seems quite expensive. More for girls than for boys, but I guess there is nothing really wrong with that. There is handy parking near by which is always a bonus.

The Wicker Man is a lovely traditional gift shop on Belfast's busy High Street. The company was…read moreestablished in 1994 in the hope of promoting local businesses and selling local art work. Nowadays the store sells work from artists in Ireland both North and South. They sell some intriguing items including beautiful Beleek pottery, some gorgeous Celtic jewellery, as well as work by some enterprising local artists. You can find work by Carrick artist Thomas Joseph, Belfast artist Gary Anderson as well as the exceptionally popular Anna Nielsen prints. The jewellery sold here is really gorgeous, it's very well made and you should try here if you're interested in buying the likes of a claddagh ring or a Celtic knot brooch. The stock is in no way limited to the usual array of touristy nick nacks, even I shop here if I'm after a particular work of art. But for those visiting the Emerald Isle you can choose from a huge range of typical Irish souveneirs. For something different they also have some beautiful picture frames and clocks. If you've never been here before and are a fan of our great wee country then you should definitely not miss it. The staff will greet you with a warm welcome and make you feel more than comfortable. Great shop, great stock, great prices, great people!

The Wicker Man is a gift shop I really like. Occasionally I call in to browse although I've never…read moreactually bought anything! It's geared more toward tourists, however I still love to have a look at all the beautiful items. There's an assortment of gifts for sale including art prints, calendars, jigsaws, soaps, jams, chutney, ornaments, hip flasks, musical instruments and yarns. All Irish themed or made by local creators. Every time I visit there are different items on display by different craftspeople and artists. Although I've noticed Jim Fitzpatrick's illustrations are always prominent. Other than Fitzpatrick's art, there's a good rotation of stock in Wicker Man, so browsing is never boring. Wicker Man also run evening classes such as knitting and crocheting. Additionally, there are often weird and wonderful things happening, e.g. beard braiding on Belfast Culture Night! An interesting shop to keep an eye on.

Not everyone is a fan of candles or room fragrances, however it's not just the overpowering…read morecinnamon sickly, strong fragrances to choose from anymore. Most people have some kind of candle or fragrance at home or even the car. It is an ideal shop to get a gift for someone who doesn't like flowers or wine. This Yankee store in Forestside is big in comparison to the small yankee concessions found inside other stores. They have everything from tea lights, candle holders, burners, car air fresheners, small/large jar candles and wax melts all in a variety of scents. Pink Grapefruit, Black Coconut, Cranberry pear, Sicilian Lemon are a few of their fruity fragrances, Ebony and Oak, Sunset breeze or Midnight Jasmine are other good alternatives. I like getting their fragrance sachets in sea spray, I also have a small 'soft blanket' candle for my son's room.

There's not a whole pile I can say about this store apart from it sells smelly candles…read more Okay well it sells a bit more such as Potpourris, tea lights and car fresheners but basically you only come to this shop if you parents are coming up to visit your house and you haven't cleaned your room in months. Anything you buy in here will automatically hide the fact you can't be bothered cleaning. However my mum absolutely loves this shop as she likes to have a different aroma (that's smell to me and you) in every room. Therefore I came to the shop to get her a gift box. For £13.49 I got to choose a small jar and box of Tea lights from a range of fragrances that were then presented all wrapped up in a wee box, almost as if I had made some sort of effort. Ha! This shop is great if you have a thing for candles and fragrances but other than that you're better off avoiding it as it smells. A lot!

Don't be fooled by the name...this wee (being the operative word - I'll get to that in a second)…read moregift shop is located right bang in the middle of Dromore town centre. It does have a bit of a country theme to it, and it definitely wouldn't look out of place in the middle of nowhere (Dromore doesn't quite count as nowhere), but it's not quite as country as you may be thinking. No green pastures, or lambs, or that sort of thing. 'Fraid not. I was a tad confused when I entered Country Choice, as, after I was greeted a small boy who attempted to run me over, I realised that there was a door to my left, and a set of stairs leading downwards. It turns out that the gift shop was behind the door, and since I had noticed that there was a tea room at the same address, so I figured that it must be located in the basement. But I couldn't be sure. Anyways, I managed to squeeze into the little gift shop, and was thankful that I happened to be the only customer. With the obligatory Yankee Candles (no melts today for a change), stunning jewellery, retro stationery, cute gift cards and other bits and bobs, it wasn't a whole lot different to many other gift shops I had been to. However, it was so cute (this is why I'm female), rustic and well laid out that I fell in love just a little bit. Hold your breathe, dive in, and you'll never know what you might find...

This shop is packed full of cute candles, brilliant little bits and bobs, and an assurance that you…read moremay leave with less money in your pocket! Located in the middle of a little town called Dromore, it is certain to catch your eye, with it's turquoise exterior and a beautifully displayed shop window. Upon entering the little country-style shop I was immediately greeted by a friendly workforce who would be happy to help you find the perfect gift for someone (or even help you find something for yourself!). Dazzling jewelry, cute little ornaments, and even baby gifts all packed into a room - what more could you want?! Downstairs in the shop there is a wide range of pillows, pictures, and furniture, and still keeping to the country theme of this cute little shop you can always be sure to find something to please your inner country-man/woman dream! Above the shop up a flight of stairs is a delicious little coffee shop called the 'Riverside Tearooms', where yet again the staff are able to multitask by being the friendliest people in Dromore AND by serving the most tasty food ever! Winning lots of awards for it's customer service and unbelievably good food, it's definitely the place to be if your stomach is kicking up a rumble! 'Country Choice Gift Shop' - although small - will leave you thinking about that lamp you saw, or how well that picture frame would go with your room, -you'll be itching to go back! A little gem of a shop with well organized and displayed products. A wonderful workforce and an irresistible urge to come back from the second you walk in!

The second (really first really) of two Regency Gift Houses, this one is ever so slightly different…read moreto the Newtownards Shop. Not only is it bigger, but it is in fact adjoined to McCullough's nursery shop, and is therefore a sort of two-in-one store. Sort of, but not quite. McCullough's is, as I said, a nursery store - prams, baby furniture, accessories etc., and was opened by John McCullough over fifty years ago. His son is now managing the store, and has incorporated Regency Gift House into his own shop. [My dad went to school with David, they both grew up in Bangor and they share the same birthday, so this is all incredibly reliable information, I have been assured]. So despite my reviewing the Ards Regency Gift House, and later realising that there was one in Bangor, I felt I had to share my (dad's) expertise with the world. It is a lovely place though, and you could spend hours taking it all in - chinaware, glassware, ornaments, accessories etc. I love going in to have a look around, and the staff happily allow you to stand and stare. At the gifts that is. History lesson and review completed. Over and out.

This is a really lovely wee gist shop and an excellent place to visit for Christmas and more…read moreimportantly Wedding presents. They have a great range of glassware, chinaware, ornaments and other bits and bobs. The staff are really nice and after asking if you need help they carry on with whatever they were doing and don't stare at you until you are too uncomfortable to stay..as in some places. It's great! For tourists the Irish giftware is certainly worth a look and they also deliver which is handy! After 50 years of trading these guys are definitely doing something right!

Choices, choices...well, I used to indecisive, but now I'm not sure…read more Sorry, had to be done. I'm still indecisive (honestly, I really, really am...I think), so you can imagine my conundrum when entering a shop like Choices. And it had a lot of them. Choices, that is. This is probably the best stocked gift shop I've ever come across in terms of variety. There was everything from Betty Boop initial mobile phone socks (yes, really), Fresh Cargo bags (they're the ones made out of old juice cartons), sausage dog draught excluders (my Grannie had one just like it)...the whole shebang. The shop was mainly inhabited by little old ladies, with one such customer having great difficulty in deciding which jewellery she should go for. Does this match? How about this? One might say, she was indecisive... Or there were too many Choices...

Great wee gift shop with ideas and gifts for every occassion, large range of ceramics, candles,…read moreornaments and perfumes, inside the Castle Mall so you have late opening on Thursdays and Fridays until 9pm. Staff are extra friendly and can never do enough for you while instore.