Gifts Galore is crammed with fun and one of those shops where you don't know where to look first…read more There's everything in here from soft toys of all sizes (even those excellent giant Hello Kittys that I'm really not allowed to buy because it's silly), to stationery, hair accessories, socks, mugs, posters, and make up. And everything has that awesome Korean twist to it, so if you need stickers of your favourite K-pop artists, here's where you head. The staff don't speak heaps of English but they are really sweet and approachable, and I'm sure their Korean is top-notch! When I had trouble figuring out if the alarm clock I bought there would play music or not (I really can't stand that end-of-the-world beep beep beep of doom), they unpacked the clock, put batteries in, and demonstrated it for me. Now that's good service.

I have been coming here for over a decade, just because you get older doesn't mean you have to grow…read moreup. Gifts Galore has just that, a lot of gifts, packed from wall to wall with cuteness. There are two sides to the store, one mostly stuffed toys and the other is stationary. Everything from pens and notebooks to mini staplers and writing paper, you will find it with Winnie the Pooh, Hello Kitty of Miffy the Rabbit all over it. The fun doesn't stop there, umbrellas, earphones, bento sets and flasks, absolutely everything. Gifts Galore also boast an impressive range of scented pens. If you haven't written with ink that smells of oranges, you're missing out. Such a fun shop, great for the young and young at heart.

What a wonderful store, such a great range of product. If you needed to buy a gift for a female…read morethen this would be a good bet. I often come through Newmarket and admire their window displays which are lots of fun, but inside, there is so much to take in. You cannot go by what you see on their website, you have to go into the store. There is stuff in here you would not need until you saw it, such as an owl ornament and bright coloured candelabras. When Mothers Day is upon you, come here. You could pretty much by anything in here, the store buyers have made the gift selection edit, all you need to do is pay for it. To make things easy, they do have gift wrap and cards too so it is a one stop, Mother pleasing gift shop. Either that or good for female friends.

When it's my mum's birthday, this is the first place I'm going to come to look for a gift to send…read moreback to the UK for her. The store specialises in inoffensive jewellery, nice smelling soaps and body lotions--Mum Mecca. They've got a great selection of Kiwiana- so perfect for gifts to send abroad- and they have a really good selection of jewellery from popular NZ brands such as Kagi and Karen Walker, so it's nice to know that what you're buying is locally sourced. It's not a place you're going to find the most fashion-forward or out of the ordinary gifts, but what they do sell is of great quality and reasonably priced. The store is clearly aware that it is a "gift" shop and that they are selling things for people to buy for other people. The staff are attentive and clearly know what they're talking about, which I imagine must be a godsend to men looking to buy gifts for the women in their life!

This place is the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Remuera shops, it has become…read moresomewhat of a landmark for Remas and it reminds me a lot of being young and visiting with my parents. It is quite an expensive store but it has some beautiful items and the ladies that work in here are always incredibly nice and easy to talk to. It's an excellent place to come for a gift especially for someone who is into homewares e.g. your Mum or Grandma. They stock brands such as Le Creuset, Scanpan, Donna Hay and Bodum. If you are into fine chocolates, Trumps is a stockist of Bennetts of Mangawhai (they make amazing chocolates right here in NZ). You can register your weddings gifts too so that your guests find it easy to choose something and they will have the comfort of knowing it is something that you want. They also take really good passport photos here!

I love Collected. It is possibly one of my favourite shops in terms of homewares, gifts and knick…read moreknacks. Plus everything is super bright that you'll just want to buy the whole shop! They stock Lindi King bracelets (which are all bright colours and come with different charms), wall art, gift cards, candles, home aromatherapy perfumes (the skull ones are amazing), children's gifts and toys, cushions, lampshades, and so much more! I love coming here when I need to buy presents for friends and family, plus staff are always super friendly and helpful and they offer colourful gift wrapping too!

I only just discovered this shop today and it was by accident! They are in the Bloc Building on…read moreNormanby Road (just across the road from the Normanby hotel). On the ground level is the Citta Design shop and then if you go upstairs you'll find the Collected. What a find it is! I wanted so much in the shop. And the really good part is there was some really nice stuff for around $20 or less such as dinner plates, various knick knacks, candles and other stuff made of awesome. There was so much I wanted to purchase. So once I have a bit more cash in the bank, I will definitely be back (come on pay day)!

Presentz is exactly what it sounds like - a great place to find unique, funky, quirky and New…read moreZealand-inspired presents! Presentz is so full of fantastic goodies it is almost overwhelming. I literally don't know where to look first, and suggest just starting in one corner and slowly making your way through the glorious products. Funny, artistic cards. Patterned, oddly shaped pillows. Beautiful umbrellas. Tea towels donning Kiwi icons such as the Four Square guy. Fragrant soaps. A mish-mash of random kitchen utensils. The eclectic mix of knick-knacks and curios in Presentz will inspire and delight even the most particular of customers. Sometimes buying gifts can be a real challenge, but stores like Presentz make it a real breeze. In fact, I thoroughly enjoy myself every time I enter this store. Everything about Presentz screams 'a good time!' and the staff ensure this vibrant fun atmosphere is maintained by being consistently chatty smiley people. Make sure you pop in to Presentz next time you're looking for the perfect gift! Bonus: Located in the Grey Lynn shops, there is lots of on-street parking available, and it's free!

Small in size, big in variety! Presentz is definitely the place to go if you're looking for a…read morequirky present. Always has something new to look at, even on a weekly basis, and many of the items are made in New Zealand. Free gift wrapping as well. Really friendly service every time I go in there. Always my go-to place for that last minute present. Love this place!

This store is great because it doesn't cater to the 'kitschy' side of New Zealand art and design as…read moremuch as some souvenir type stores like it do. It's more of an Art Gallery rather than a store. And affordable too. I love artist Tony Cribbs 'Adventures of Tin man' series and always like to pick something up whenever I see one in a store or gallery. They are just too cute. And funny as well. I always get compliments on them whenever I have people over to mine. They just exemplify the New Zealand sense of humor so well. I like the fact that Mana also has prints of a lot of their artworks so if you can't afford the actual original artwork itself there are still opportunities for you to own a slice of something. I'm currently crushing on one of their artworks, one of a Maori girl/princess wrapped in a traditional woven cloak. I may have to settle on the print of this one myself!

If you're looking for some absolutely beautiful local art, jewellery or gifts for someone visiting…read moreNew Zealand to take home with them or even to send to someone abroad, this place should be your one stop shop. They've got a fairly small but carefully curated collection of glassware, paintings and sculptures alongside jewellery and cards and other nick-nacks. My favourite things in here are the necklaces. Long thin silver chains with bird and flower pendants, which were gorgeous and really unusual. Things like this range from around $40 up to $400, so you're sure to find something no matter what your budget. I've been looking for a Green Stone necklace for my partner for quite some time and have never been able to find one that I really love, but the ones in Mana are the nicest I've seen in Auckland. Plus they were playing Ben Howard on the stereo when I walked in, which just made me like it even more.

High Tide is the kind of gift shop that once you know about it, you'll go back to shop for…read moreyourself. So it's type of gift store that has things you'd actually want to receive yourself, rather than just the okay but slightly pointless stuff you sometimes find in other gift shops. It has a New Zealandy theme without being tacky (think teatowels with the Four Square man and lovely handcreams featuring local ingredients and scents). Everytime I go here the stock seems to have been updated, which must be trickly in a little suburban shop, but is so necessary to keep customers' interest. It also has a bit of a beachy theme going on, which is all sort of fresh, white and blue striped, and relevant to the area too (the beach is just down the road). Best of all, the prices are genuinely reasonable for the quality of the products, and the service is brilliant - very relaxed and chatty.

I think I may have just found my new favourite gift shop - introducing Matchbox Studios!…read more Matchbox Studios originally started up in Wellington three years ago, where they are a large art and crafts store plus an art gallery. I recently discovered them on Instagram and saw that they were opening a store in St Kevins Arcade on K'Road (full of exciting things). I was so thrilled because it is a seriously awesome shop! It is a haven for all things colourful, whether it be art, jewellery, stationery, books, candles or homewares! I loved everything I came across in Matchbox, but here is a taste of what you might find: - Funky colourful cards (for example the Koala dressed in a Hawaiian shirt) - Range of art prints, including skulls (yay!), famous people, grumpy cat, etc. - The Beatles tea bags (check out the picture!) - Candles and soaps (all with very nice scents) and - Colourful cups, straws, plates and napkins - perfect for picnics or parties at home, plus so much more! The shop assistant was friendly and she was really happy when I signed up to their mailing list. How could I not - everything at Matchbox is fabulous and fun! So, if you need a gift or want to decorate your room with bright colours, then I highly recommend you visit Matchbox Studios today - I am sure you won't be disappointed!

Elbow room only on this sunny public holiday on Waiheke Island at True Blue, 'THE' best gift shop…read moreon the island. Let's get serious about shopping for deliciously gorgeous items. Like retro bathing costumes for the ladies, and matching swim caps to go with them - there is a nice selection displayed to the rear of the store. How about the Nelle Tier New Zealand range of body products and perfumes, exclusive to this store on the Island, try the tester out and yo u will be an instant fan! A big baby range here and lots of goodies for the guys. Your home and garden will look considerably more stylish post True Blue purchase. As well a New Zealand artists and craftsmen on display there is a beautiful range of overseas products, Santa Fe inspired, Frida Karlo, Jackie O. Don't pass up a chance to visit.

Pocket is like the Newmarket branch of MADE in the city. Both stores are owned by the same people,…read moreso it makes sense. It's kind of off the beaten track, behind Rialto cinemas in that little area on Kent Street that seems to be growing more and more popular by the day. It's standalone and the layout of the store is quite nice. They stock similar things to MADE - notably APC. They also do Karen Walker, Standard Issue, House of Holland eyewear, etc. There's men's and women's clothes and accessories, and as well as new, they stock some vintage. The staff were nice, friendly without being overbearing. I tried on a few things, walked out with a pair of really stonewashed 90s Levi's. I'd say the store fits somewhere inbetween Area 51/Black Box and Fabric in terms of prices and brands. My fashion/shopping expert friends thought I should give the place three stars but I think it's a bit above 60%, and extra points because I bought something. Worth a visit.

Another new discovery of mine and new favourite, I left this store with my wallet a little sore me…read morethinks, but who cares I got such lovely things! This is a brand new store which is part of the new street complex in Newmarket. It's a really lovely place, laid out beautifully and stocks labels such as Status Anxiety, Louis Vuitton, APC and Karen Walker as well as boasting a pretty awesome vintage section! Their prices were really reasonable and that is what I loved so much about this place, they hadn't conformed to the Newmarket trend and overpriced everything. I purchased a lovely leather bag for only $150 which I though was a real bargain, as well as one of Karen Walker's new season key-rings for only $29! The two staff working there was so nice to talk to and I felt really comfortable with them, not looked down upon which is sadly common in upmarket boutiques. I knew instantly that I had found my new favourite shop and I'm probably going to have to go back tomorrow and get those boots....yay!