In the sea of "I Heart Scotland" hoodies hanging outside tourist shops, there stands the Bonnie…read moreBlue Gallery. It's a bit of a haven for locals since (hoorah!) there are no Scotland t shirts or Nessie magnets in sight. Instead, it prides itself on selling personalised, kooky gifts that are homely and original. I was a big fan of this shop because it was filled to the brim of handmade clay cat ornaments, not to mention a really cute cat dish with little kitties popping over the brim of it. There were some pretty cups that I was almost tempted to buy, didn't in the end, and now want to go back for. They were only 7 quid and featured little sketches of different animal breeds (think Edward Monkton). I was torn between buying one with colourful dinosaurs on it or, quel surprise, the one with cats all over it. They had some lovely fridge magnets, crockery, lamps and hand knitted bags. They had some gifts with a supernatural quality, such as handmade castle ornaments that looked like they had been inspired by the sublime look of Highland manors. This store was cosy, cute and tastefully Scottish themed without having to scream about it. What a refreshing gift shop on the Royal Mile - I would recommend it to the locals as much as tourists!

This isn't another run of the mill gift shop on Edinburgh's Royal Mile. The beauty of the gifts and…read moretrinkets in The Bonnie Blue Gallery is that they are mainly all handmade and unique items, making it perfect for gifts that show you really care. No Up Yer Kilt fridge magnets here. I remember receiving a coin purse for my birthday about 3 years ago from a relative and discovering it was from Bonnie Blue, so I have been in and out of this shop for a few years now, and each time I have picked up something or other for gifts or as a wee treat for myself because the products are beautiful and different. The prices reflect this but I wouldn't say that it's an expensive shop-you simply pay for the great quality. Not to be lumped in with old fuddy duddy stores that sell tweed and cashmere and not much else, Bonnie Blue is suitable for gifts for all ages, and I guarantee the recipient will love it!

Casablanca is an utterly delightful card shop just off the tourist beaten track in Newington…read more Selling a number of quirky gifts, from old fashioned wind up toys and wooden snakes to gorgeous girly ornaments, there's something for everyone inside. They have some older, refined styles of cards, gift wrap and gifts but a lot of their collection is contemporary and funky. It's fairly big inside so they have room for a lot of stock, and you could lose yourself for a good while in here deciding what you want to buy for a loved one. Personally I loved their tiny candles in porcelain heart candle holders - five for 2 pounds was a steal! They would be great for birthday parties or for dinner soiree's. All in all, it's a lovely shop with lots of variety, and I'm glad the name of the store enticed me in! What's a store like you doing in a place like this? It's bringing a great selection of gifts and quirky collectables to the community of Newington, that's what!

Casablanca is a nice gift shop. Pure and simple. It's not somewhere I would personally come and…read moreshop, other than for presents for others perhaps. But I still appreciate it. Glass ornaments, fridge magnets, wall hangings. It's a pretty eclectic range. Gifts on offer here are usually of better taste (as opposed to tatty), a little pricier and probably geared toward middle aged women. Although this is a generalisation and as Marj points out in her review, there is something in here for everyone, making it very pleasant to browse in. They also sell a nice range of arty gift cards. When I was looking around the owner was having a pleasant conversation with a fellow browser who must have been a complete stranger. Her welcoming and friendly attitude was a nice touch. I expect this is the sort of place that goes out of its way to help.

I love, love, LOVE this little shop. I stumbled upon it randomly and peered in the window which…read moreintrigued me enough to go in. The shop is full of quirky, interesting knick knacks. Things that would make great, interesting gifts or a treat for yourself. They had some really lovely, moderately priced jewelery which I had to buy for myself. It would have been wrong not to! I loved the kitchen goods which included plates with pictures of food on it, for example a fry up, jelly beans or tomatoes. There is lots of really lovely items for your home that are quite unique, I was tempted by the retro soup bowls. I mentally went round this shop noting which items I would give to which person on their next birthday. I'm going to make a conscious effort to the return to this shop for my Christmas shopping. It is so much more exciting than the rather stale High Street shops.

Halibut and Herring... what an awesome name and it makes me chuckle every time I say it. This…read morequirky little gift shop is just so much fun and the vibrant exterior with a fun font displaying the shop name makes it very inviting. This shop is just as gorgeous inside as it is from outside with the stock beautifully organised with colourful shelves and cool lighting. They stock an extensive range of gifts but to be honest, I'd want to keep the knick knacks for myself rather than give them away as they're so cute! They have bath and body items, jewellery, bags, purses and various other quirky trinkets ensuring that there's something for every girls tastes.

Cute wee gift shop at Haymarket. I had passed it a few times commuting to work and took the chance…read moreto pop in on my way home. Nicely laid out inside and lots of quirky things everywhere you looked. A little pricey but good quality stuff. I took the chance to grab a bargain looking through all their birthday cards that were reduced in price. I always have a couple of spare cards in the house and tend to stock up on them when I get a chance like this. 10 cards bought that were £2.50- £3.25 each now half price. Nice shop, will need to keep it in mind for little birthday gifts.

The cute, the kitsch, the quirky; that which induces the 'awww!' - I love it all. So it's no…read moresurprise that I fell head over heels for Pippin, as it embodies all of the above. When in search of a gift in Edinburgh before heading home, the oh-so-cute Pippin sign caught my eye. I headed over to the sweetest of shops with the sweetest of stock. Although there are some baby clothes in the window display and more inside, this is a relatively small part of the store and its offerings. There are plenty of lovely candles, brooches and cards to browse from a variety of different designers. Just the sort of things you'd find on etsy, which is totally up my alley. The gift was for a candle-loving friend headed to Aus so I decided that, naturally, a nice candle would be just perfect. - They had quite the selection! One range slightly cheaper and the other a little more expensive as to suit all budgets which is great. I sniffed and I sniffed till I found just the one. Would I like it gift-wrapped? 'Oh, yes, please!' So my gift looked suitably pretty in its blue wrapping paper. And at no extra cost. What a nice touch! What could make me fall even more in love with Pippin? 'Pippin supports British designers and companies, providing our customers with high quality hand picked products.' To me, that's super cute!

I love this shop. Not only are the products on offer fantastic-- french traditional furnishings and…read morehome accessories, but the staff in the store are very friendly and extremely helpful. I always manage to pop in when I'm down in Stockbridge and the store is truly a little gem.

This little shop is jammed packed with great home and garden accessories, jewellery, french…read moreceramics and one-off items. A great shop!

This gift shop and emporium of pretty items for the home is like a little treasure cavern of things…read moreto look at and go "awww", while whatever male you're with rolls his eyes and lurks at the side of the shop uncomfortably. Sorry to stereotype, I'm sure lots of boys secretly, or not so secretly, enjoy a scented candle or fluffy baby slipper as much as most females do. I'm somewhere in between, I like loveliness and items of a girly nature, but I'm not outrageously emotional over such things either. I'd say Flux and its multitude of goods is also somewhere in between, mixing pretty and practicality. Considering that the shop space isn't too huge, they've managed to fit countless cute little bits around it, so your eyes are always darting about looking at some other colour or miniature item that catches them. There are some great dinosaur lamps and wine bottle accessories, those little Japanese dolls which look amazingly cute, but I'm not entirely sure what their function is, plus some really pretty jewellery from local designers, lots of greetings cards, colourful glasses and a wee corner of baby clothes.

Positioned in the ever "up and coming" part of town, The Shore, it might be the only gift shop in…read moreEdinburgh that doesn't have 40 similar shops in a one mile radius. But in typical of our city's style, it's so overpriced, but pretty things fills itself and the brunette behind the counter is always really helpful, even when you're just looking aimlessly without the intention of buying anything. Surprisingly, it has a great collection of dirty cards and as I used to work round the corner, it was perfect for important clients birthdays which my boss would wince at. Hurrah!

I won't be setting foot inside this shop ever again! The owner was quite irritable and unpleasant…read moresimply because I asked if she stocked hoop earrings (which I required for a flamenco performance). She answered in a snooty, condescending manner that no, they "do not stock any type of "fashion" lines". Rather presumptuous!

This is a treasure trove of a place. Run a by a lovely man who always makes sure to say hi, ask how…read moreyou are and check whether you need help. Equally he will happily let you browse for as long as you like, which is good because you'll need a while. Organized haphazardly don't go in here with a specific object in mind, come in here to be inspired. This is always the first place I visit when looking for presents and never leave empty handed!! There is a great range of cards and postcards for all occasions, a random selection of books and loads of gorgeous stationary. They also have jewellery and a few arts and crafts sets for kids and adults alike.

The Christmas Shop is my favourite shop in Edinburgh. If you are ever feeling a bit down, walking…read moreinto this store will instantly cheer you up with its constant and infectious festive cheer. Situated on the edge of the Grassmarket area of Edinburgh, the Christmas Shop is just a short walk from the city centre and so it is an easy place to reach and it is definitely worth a visit. This place is your one-stop shop for all things Christmas related as they sell everything you could require for the perfect Christmas decorations. Christmas Shop sells a huge range of themed decorations such as Irish, Welsh and London, which includes London buses and Guardsmen. The decorations are very reasonably priced too, with the little tree ornaments starting at about five pounds. Christmas Shop also sells a beautiful selection of handmade glass baubles, tinsel, angels, stars and bows. There is no excuse for not being prepared for your Christmas decorations anymore as this store is open ALL YEAR ROUND!! A really quaint and unique shop which is guaranteed to make you fell all festive, regardless of what time of year it is.

I simply ADORE Christmas so I get super excited when I come across such shops! I was a little…read moredisappointed.. I think the shop front is misleading, once inside only one corner felt truly Christmassy, the rest was full of tourist tatt. BUT the corner that was Christmassy was very cute, the Christmas decorations are more traditional in design and quite well made. Plenty of tartan clad designs which would make for lovely souvenirs. I really liked the Henry the 8th and his 6 wives collection, very unique and definitely a conversation starter on any tree. I planned on picking up a bauble here but ended up getting a Santa playing the bagpipes from the Georgian House gift shop. Definitely worth a browse. I imagine it gets pretty busy around Christmas.