Cheap as you like, this place solves the ever-present problem of friends and family members…read moreconstantly turning a year older. I don't think people really keep cards, I certainly don't, so spending a load of dosh on something that's appreciated momentarily (and mostly for the thought anyway) seems pretty pointless to me. Step in Card Factory, with their range of economical Birthday, Valentines, Mother's Day, etc greetings. The best thing is, the cards from this place don't actually look that cheap, so no one will accuse you of being tight and not really caring that they're now 32, or whatever. Great.

The Card Factory is cheap and cheerful and I love it! I always resented Clinton's and Birthdays for…read morecharging £3 for a bit of cardboard with a pretty picture on it. In the Card Factory you can get pretty much the exact same card for a mere 59p!! This particular store is located in the centre of Broadmead. It is a small shop and they sure do cram a lot inside. It is constantly rammed packed too so you will find yourself breathing in tightly to squeeze past customers. There also isn't any real place to queue up so customers end up queuing next to the card displays which again causes a lot of deep sighs and mutters under their breathes from the other shoppers. Product wise, the Card Factory has an impressive range of sensible, flowery cards to rude and humorous ones. They also have a selection of gifts such as photo frames etc. It's so much better than Clinton's down the road and I reckon the quality of cards is just as high but at a 10th of the price. Note:- they accept credit cards, but your bill must come to over £5 so make sure you have some cash on you. Also be prepared for long queues at all times, especially in the run up to special events EG. Valentines day, Mother's day, Christmas etc.

This brings it all back! I remember the days when a 7UP pencil cas was a must have, when if you…read moredidn't have an earaser and corrector pen you were nobody, and when your rubber was a statement of your personality! What a hayday of stationary, and when you speak about your stationary past to your friends you all seem to share that glint of pleasure in your eye... wonderful! Stationary world is a more adult version of those wonderful childhood experiences, you can get some fantastic artistic materials, like mini canvases, binded drawing books and a wide array of paintbrushes. But have no fear, if you head in there are still many things your inner child will appreciate!

Back in the day when the first week of September was set aside for being measured for school…read moreuniforms and buying a new cartridge pen, my childhood self would often be found in Stationary World. But that was over 10 years ago and with the increase of Paperchases, Whsmiths and Scribblers I thought my much loved stationers would be just a distant memory. That was until I came across this little beauty on Park Street. As soon as I walked in I was taken back my school days, where having a cool pencil case was extremely important and buying glitter pens was considered to be very chic. I loved the fact that it was exactly how I remembered it - full to the brim of watercolour palates, colour pencils and sketch pads. All their items are reasonably priced for the quality, but are probably a bit higher than the average high-street stationers. I'm pleased it's still going strong for future generations. But sadly, I'd probably pop along to Paperchase to pick up my stationary these days.

I wanted to thank this shop for saving me the horror of a moody, chocolate deprived girlfriend at…read moreEaster. This shop was immensely useful to me the day before Easter (obviously, when I chose to do my egg shopping everywhere else had sold out). Not only did they have some stock left but it was very reasonably priced and they even wrote a personal message on the eggs using icing. And these weren't just any chocolate Easter eggs, they were by Thorntons, so as well as being very tasty they earned me serious brownie points with the girlfriend. Well until I ate more than my share. The Card Bar is now sharing this space with Thorntons. So perfect for any guy who's done something he needs to apologise for...I'm kidding...everybody knows that's what flowers are for. To be honest I haven't bought a card from here for a long time, but I do know they have a huge selection. As you'd expect being a shop whose sole intention is to sell cards.

With a name like Sky there are certain prerequisites that one would expect to be upheld. For…read morestarters it must be a clear and blue place surely. Second it must have a light and airy feel and finally you have to feel free. Here we have a shop that ticks all the boxes with flying, umm colours. To say this is a shop that sells greetings cards and wrapping paper may very well not be putting it in the truest light possible. Rather it is a shop where artistic expression has run free and splashed pieces of art onto card and paper like the sunshine. More so it's a place where soft jazzy grooves fill the air and you get the impression that every last detail has been planned for with love. In short, I dig this place and highly recommend it.

Sort of a gallery, sort of a framers, and sort of a card shop, Sky is happy-go-lucky place where…read moreyou're sure to find stylish art or (if you don't have that sort of money) snazzy cards. The exterior is blue (like the sky, get it?..) and its light and airy inside. Unlike some places selling art it doesn't feel buttoned up. You can just have a wonder round without feeling like you should have three hundred quid in your wallet. The card selection is really good too. It's a little sophisticated - you won't find pink teddy bear cards here. I like this, if I wanted something more everyday I can go to WH Smiths. Whilst feeling stylish and intelligent Sky is somewhere that feels enjoyably relaxed.

Since I was a teenager I have loved the Paperchase chain. Their quirky stationary, their…read morebeautifully designed wrapping paper and their comical cards makes them my number one choice when it comes to birthday, Christmases and Bar mitzvahs. But what I love most about the Clifton branch is how they go to town on their window displays. Situated on the edge of Clifton Triangle, their fairy lights and neon signs shine out from the sea of bland and beige. Paperchase have stayed true to their vision of offering top-end design at a high street price which is why this small shop is always packed to the rafters whenever I go in.

After the demise of Boarders the place to buy Paperchase products narrowed to just House of Fraser…read moreuntil this dedicated store opened up on the Triangle, just a few doors down from where Boarders used to be. I'm a sucker for stationary anyway but Paperchase makes the experience of buying birthday cards or wrapping paper way more fun. The choice of cards and paper in this store is huge - way bigger than in a department store concession, although it can be a little on the pricey side. Having said that, if you like something like a diary or notepad it is worth waiting a few weeks as the sales here are fantastic, with products often being reduced by more than 50%. The travel journals and notebooks are a particularly nice way of showcasing a trip or holiday, though these are not often in the sale.

So, in the depths of Clifton, amongst the expensive but casual bars, the organic shops, and the…read more'interesting' but expensive furniture shops you wouldn't necessarily expect to find an authentic Mexican art and craft shop, or maybe you would! It is fair trade after all! Nevertheless there's a real nice mix of colourful things to feast your eyes on in here, from Mexican food to Mexican silver jewellery, and could be a useful stop on your Christmas present buying stops, you may find something a little more unique and individual to give. Most interestingly, if you're having a party and fancy a Mexican vibe invite Otomi and they'll spice it up no end!

Huddled away down Clifton Arcade, sits a real rarity. Mexican shops are few and far between in the…read moreSouth west of England. This vibrant and eclectic shop sells all things Mexican, ranging from food to jewellery to hammocks to cards and glasswear. It really is an interesting place to wonder into and have a nose. Shipments come in from Mexico on a regular basis, so stock is varied and changeable, but in an interesting way, rather than leaving you bewildered. The owners take the time to travel to great lengths to collect items to sell, making sure their stock is of the highest quality at affordable prices. It really is a perfect place to come if you want to buy something slightly different and interesting as a gift for a friend of loved one, putting a new and exciting spin on all the identi-gift shops you can find in the area.

Gone are the days when Clinton Cards was the only place to go on the high street when you needed a…read moregreeting card or some wrapping paper. Now high streets across Britain are overrun with variations on a theme: brightly lit, tacky, depressing gift shops that persist in the peculiar belief that mugs make good birthday presents. This shop has nothing about it that sets it apart from any of the others, Cards Galore, Card Factory, Card Empire or whatever else the high street will come up with next. If this is what birthdays look like, I never want to have another one. Why does it all have to be so pink, glittery and disgusting? The flashing 40th birthday badges by the till really cemented how depressing this all is for me. I could imagine some drunk newly 40-year-old slumped in a chair at the end of the party, badge flashing bleakly... Anyway, if you need cards and wrappings and trimmings and all that stuff, do come here, obviously, because you'll find everything you need. It won't be a particular bargain here as opposed to any other card shop, so don't let the cheap appearance fool you.

Basically an alternative version of Clinton Cards, Birthdays sells tons of naff greetings cards,…read morecuddly bears and mugs, etc to people who either suffer from a lack of imagination or are just too busy to care. I'd always thought that this place was pretty cheap, but it turns out I was mistaken, as the unimaginative, cuddly bear emblazoned Mother's Day card I bought this afternoon, set me back a cool £3. Honestly, I'm not a cheapskate - I just can't stand card shops in general. I'm aware that £3 isn't exactly breaking the bank, but all the cards are basically the same, so you might as well head to Card Factory just down the road and pick up something for half the price.

This garish gift shop on Cotham Hill is enough to put any boy, or un-girlie girl off just by the…read morepinker than pink paint on the outside of the builder. But once you're inside its glittery doors you'll find a whole host feminine gifts to make you cringe either further. There's birthday cards, candles, soaps and bath bombs in abundance here to buy for cutesy girls, mums or girlfriends. Sadly I just can't seem to see past the pink and have over visited Soukous twice. But there's no denying that they do gifts for girls like no other shop in Clifton.

Another little business on Cotham Hill which is kept alive by the Student Loans Company, Soukous'…read morebright pink facade draws in the anxious males looking for girlie gifts and girlie girls looking for pink paraphernalia. If you're looking for fairy lights or fancy quilts, this is a great place to come. Also, Soukous stock Banksy cards if you fancy sending a Bristolian greeting to a friend. My personal favourite are the jelly bean candles, they've come in useful a few times!