Ae Fond Kiss, if anyone's familiar with the Burns poem, is very, very sad! It makes me cry!…read more This shop, gladly, does not. What it does do is sell quaint, comely little household decorations that look tailormade for gifts. It falls into the more sophisticated category of quirky wholesalers, with a lot of plaid patterened doorstops on offer in the shape of animals, not to mention fabric covered magnet boards for your kitchen. It's got a very country kitchen feel all over, from the decor to the items, all wound up in ribbon or made out of leaves. There were a wide range of curiosities on offer, most seemingly made by original designers, and all looking very organic. They also do gently humourous cards, kitschy wrapping paper, a small range of sale stock from previous lines, and a selection of handmade jewellery from independent designers. The jewellery would be a great gift for anyone who likes simple, elegant and meaningful designs. Not to make any rash suggestions ladies and gents, but if you fancy getting your partner something different for a birthday then definitely come here for a browse. The one-of-a-kind rings engrained with sections of poems and graceful, romantic prose would make you swoon. I almost bought myself one because they are so unique but I might drop some major hints for my birthday...which is in six months time...a girl can only wish! It's always refreshing visiting a shop which strays away from the main market, and this one's whimsical offering certainly does. 5 minutes away from Byres Road and in the middle of the student thoroughfare coming from Murano St, you can't miss this place if you're looking for a present or indeed to treat yourself with something that's not cynically designed by big brands.

The title is Burns, but the contents are definately not!…read more This crafty little gift shop is the one-stop shop for the perfect gift for the person who has everything. Some people are just plain hard to shop for, so if you're having trouble, stop by Ae Fond Kiss. It's full of 'country home' decorations. Some quirky, others quirky AND useful. There are a lot of great bric-a-brac (that's 'knick knacks' to you colonials), but better than that, it's got a unique flavour and style which will make your decorations stand out from everyone else's 'I shop at Ikea' tastes. Little trinkets, teacups and saucers, tea pots, cozies, and some very appealing fairy lights. Hand-knitted treasures as well, which are always a hit. The back corner is a treasure trove of interesting toys for children, the sort of toys which don't necessarily run on batteries, which, in this day and age, is a nearly-forgotten pasttime. The staff are very friendly, ready to chat about anything in the shop and it's once again a champion for the independant shop owners! Stop in for a last minute gift and as Chris D mentioned earlier, it'll look like you've spent ages searching for it.

The centre for under 5s is a fantastic little store. It is on Parnie Street and you really can't…read moremiss it because the exterior is painted bright pink and just yells "fun fun fun" at you as you walk past! The centre for under 5s is a voluntary run store funded by Glasgow City Council. It sells everything your little angels could ever want or need for an afternoons crafting! As the store is grant funded everything on sale is very reasonably priced. As well as selling children's arts and crafts supplies, the Centre for Under 5s also acts as a toy library for playgroups and provides valuable services for children with disabilities.

One of the longest lasting shops trading in the city centre, Tam Shepherd's is a well known, well…read morerespected name in these parts. It's a traditional joke/magic/dress up store, so expect to see anything on display, from kid's tricks to massive, elaborate looking wigs and masks. It is a treasure trove packed with a vast array of weird, wacky and wonderful props. The staff are very experienced and are really helpful. It's a small shop where most items are behind the counter which I always thinks looks very Victorian. Or like something out of Harry Potter! It is quite magical (boom boom tsssh!) so that figures. It was queued out the door for Halloween, but on normal business days it usually does steady business. Perfect for performers, magicians and people who just love dressing up in their everyday life. A must if you're doing a Glasgow heritage shopping trail!

Tam Shephard's Trick Shop is a family-run business for over 100 years. This is quite famous in…read moreGlasgow for its Hallowe'en costumes, magic tricks and practical jokes. For me, it is famous as the shop that is fairly empty for 11 months a year, then has a queue snaking violently down the road in the weeks approaching Hallowe'en. The window display showcases a range of masks and wigs, creepily lifelike. Inside, the space is small, and crammed to the rafters with goodies. If you want to see something out of the display case, or try a hat on, the staff are only too happy to accommodate you. In the past I have bought: a pirate hat, a "lit" cigarette, a multi-pack of fake moustaches and a big bling medallion thing. It sells full costumes, wigs and full-head masks too. Everything is priced appropriately, and all of the little things I have bought have been cheap. If you're planning to shop here, I would advise going before October begins, to avoid the mad rush.

this shop is easily accessable located in the shopping centre. It has a good range of the 'me to…read moreyou bears' with a good range of wrapping paper, banners, balloons and of course cards for every occasion. They have Birthday cards, Retirement cards etc etc etc. The prices can be quite expensive one card i recently picked up was not far away from £5.00 although there are cheaper ones. The staff are friendly though and the shop is bright and well laid out.

I don't come into W H Smiths very often as I don't buy magazines or newspapers as often as I used…read moreto these days. However, they are very good for other things like cheap DVDs, stationery, unusual craft items and silly gifts, especially around Christmas time when they always have a few shelves stocked with daft electronic widgets and 'executive' desk toys that can be great for stocking fillers or Secret Santa dips. I'd popped into this Argyle Street branch as I was passing, with no particular agenda other than having a browse around as I know they have quite an extensive selection of goods downstairs. As it happened, I left without buying anything on this occasion. However, I was very impressed by a selection of 3D cardboard letters that they had. I don't know what I would use them for at the moment, but I'm convinced that they will come in handy at some point, so I have mentally bookmarked these for future reference (and I took a picture too!).

I like WH Smith, they have a really good selection of stationary, books and magazines…read more This branch pales in comparison to the much larger Sauchiehall Street store and is on an awkward spot where you get loads of charity folk lunging in your face like a drugged-up ninja. It's decent for picking up some bottles of water or crisps or that on the move but on a day to day basis, it can be quite expensive for a 500ml bottle of Coke and such. I just hope they last. Woolworths and WH Smith remind me of the glory days of being a kid. If this place goes, what have I got left?

Clearly there is some confusion with this listing, as the Maia I went to was a wee basement shop…read morefull of knick-knacks and quirky gifts on Bath Street, not the huge glass-fronted expanse with coffee shop that people talk about in the reviews... the Buchanan Street one closed in 2011. Anyway, I was on the hunt for a particular 'Glasgow Patter' tea towel and was guided here by my online personal shopper Briony (that's Yelp for you!). Sadly, they only had a Scots patter one, not the Weegie version, so my search continued. But it looks like a nice wee store if you're looking for a gift or greetings cards. It's easy to walk past though as it is in a basement. (Didn't this used to be 23rd Precinct?)

Love this wee gem of a gift shop. Could have spend a small fortune but am trying to be very…read morerestrained, only buy for other people and not be a selfish mare like usual. An eclectic mix of moomin candle whirlers, ipad desks, quirky jewellery, amazing cards and everything in-between. Well worth a wander if you are searching for the illusive gift for that hard to buy for sod at the bottom of your Christmas list who wants for nothing. I was in for stocking fillers for the girls and did not leave disappointed. Smudge is going to be utterly delighted with her scarf wearing panda necklace and Santa was pleasantly surprised at the less than terrifying price tag. With the additional 10% check in discount I felt positively virtuous and absolved of all the sinning I had just been committing in Waterstones. Where my restrained buying for other people plans had failed spectacularly. By the time I had reached the till I had already decided this was going to be a five star review but then the wonderful staff at the till tried to help me lug the buggy up the stairs. I say tried because I may have been using the handy basket at the bottom of the buggy to hide all the books bought in Waterstones, meaning that the buggy weighed more than a family hatchback and actually couldn't be lifted even by two people and Puff just had to suck up bumped up the stairs. A great wee shop that I'll probably be back in again before Christmas. If only because I need some of the amazing Christmas cards with huge Rudolph noses and really my tree isn't going to be finished until I have a rocket decoration hanging from it. I didn't even know I needed a rocket tree decoration, well now I do...

If owned by someone of the name Welsh, this gift shop has to be one of the best named businesses I…read morehave ever encountered. If not, one of the most contrived. Nevertheless, I like this place either way. Admittedly it's a little on the pricey side, but it's far less generic than the sort of quirky gift shops that have become ten a penny in Glasgow and surrounding areas. I found the staff member in here to be most welcoming and some of the products genuinely interesting. There's no real logic to the stock, a globe in one corner, a children's toy in the other. However, it's beautifully presented and the unpredictability is one of the factors that makes it such an appealling shop to browse.

Welsh Rarebits, based in the East Dunbartonshire suburb of Bearsden, sells a range of kitsch…read moreproducts such as table lamps,teddy bears, quaichs, and photograph frames. By kitsch I mean real kitsch, not the trendy ironic kitsch stores you see often see around these days. The shop also sells those little porcelain statues which cost a fortune and are bought by the same sort of people who collect garden gnomes. Not really to my taste but there are loads of people out there who go mad for them. The man who worked in this shop was friendly and cheerful but didn't pester me to buy anything, which I liked.

When my mum comes to Glasgow there is always one place we have to visit without question every time…read more- Millers. As a craft obsessive she is like a child walking into a toyshop. This place has everything you could ever want in terms of craft, art and technical materials and I even find myself feeling all creative as I wander through its two floors. The thing that my mum raves about is the 'fill a box' which allows you to fill a rectangular box full of all different types and colours of card and paper to suit your needs. As long as the box closes then you get it all for £7.25 (or £5-odd for a smaller box). The concept is unique and it is the only place in the vicinity that I know of that does this. They also do a 'bonus card' - you get 10 points for every £1 you spend which you can later redeem against some of your favourite goodies. 1 point equals 1p so you are essentially getting 10% off every time you spend. My only qualm? The prices. A lot of their products could be found online on crafty websites for about half the price.

A cracker of an Art Shop that is particularly popular with art students in the many surrounding…read moreUniversities and Colleges in Glasgow. There are alot of things in here, including a great range of inks and paints as well as paper and pencils. I recently topped up on good high quality paper (with high quality prices!). The selection is excellent across the board with alot of stuff that I don't even know the name of so I won't even embarass myself by trying to find appropriate labels for them. 'Crafty stuff'. The staff are friendly and helpful and the place is always busy which is a good sign, particularly given there is another rival store just up the road that is also excellent. Well worth a look.