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.

This place is the ultimate store to buy presents for women who have homes. If you are having…read moretrouble finding a good gift, and the future recipient is a women with a home, then head on down to the Homestore my friend. You can literally walk through this store with your eyes closed, pick up something at random, and you have like ninety percent chance of it being a good gift for a women with a home. They stock things which are practical, but also very gifty. There are a lot of things in this shop which people would love to have but probably would never buy for themselves - perfect gift material. After browsing this store for 5 min you will walk out with a gift that is deceivingly thoughtful seeming.

We considered doing a gift registry here for our wedding. We went into the store and an English guy…read moretold us that we would have to wait and see their wedding consultant who would not be here for a couple of hours. We asked him could we not just browse and do it ourselves but he didn't seem to want that. I must say there are some beautiful things for the home in this store - it's a very discerning choice of stock. It's pretty pricey so which is why we did not do our gift registry here in the end. Like I've said some beautiful stuff that would look great in your home but perhaps those getting married might want to look elsewhere - unless of course their guests are rolling in money!

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)!

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!

Nestled comfortably into the very hip and stylish high street is this amazing arty craft store. I…read morelove this store as it reflects the beauty of our country. The shop is not a huge store however has so much selling that you are just spoilt for choice. The owners have put their heart into the foundations and you feel this, as you browse the shelves. If you want to buy an original kiwi gift, this is where you should look. The highlight of this store for me is the Home Textiles Range, really vibrant and creative designs on Table cloths, Table Runners, Tea Towels, and Cushions too, all reflecting creativity, and culture, and it makes me remember that we are living in the largest pacific island city . Worth a look in, even if you can't afford it, step in for some free inspiration.

My first thought when I walk in is always "Are you a tourist shop, or aren't you?". I just can't…read morework it out. But that doesn't mean I don't quite like Pauanesia - it's got a nice range of giftware featuring local designers and makers. I especially love the big stuffed kiwi made from old woolen blankets they have in at the moment. They also have some quite nice jewellery, mostly pendants and rings, and gifty kind of things suitable for, well, tourists? Or maybe people that just quite like New Zealand. Or people overseas who you send gifts to that have a 'kiwi feel' to them. Is it tacky? Is it cute? I think it might be somewhere in between.

The oldest souvenir shop on Queen Street…read more Surprised that there aren't more souvenir shops in the Central Business District. Kiwiana has stood the test of time. Proudly representing Auckland since 1953.

From the owner: The oldest souvenirs store on Queen Street since 1953. We have a wide range of New Zealand made…read morewood carvings and hand made jade products from local studios.

I don't really know what I was expecting from this store when I walked in. Maybe a shop full of…read moreelephant crafts. Elephant shaped things? Are there any elephants in this store? The answer is no, I couldn't find any. On the bright side they do have some other nice things that aren't elephant related. Lots of little knick knacks and crafts all specially handcrafted by Homegrown artisans. Now that can't be a bad thing! It's a really good place to come if you are looking for a very 'kiwi' gift to send to friends and families overseas. And there's a whole lot of kauri/ wood ware. I mean a WHOLE lot. I think maybe they should rename it to something with wood in the title. It might be more reflective of the product they do actually stock.

An absolute nightmare…read more I was excited when I read the reviews and decided to visit. However, when I shipped over $500 worth of gifts it arrived poorly packed and completely destroyed. It has been months and they say they will reimburse me, but never followed through. Also found their exact merchandise for a fraction of the cost elsewhere. Feel completely ripped off. Do yourself a favor. Go somewhere else!

This Redcurrent is such a stunning store, it smells great too thanks to all the MOR, Ecoya and…read moreGlasshouse products, usually there are candles burning in store too. This is a fail safe gift store for females, so many pretty things. The range of kitchenware and tableware is fantastic and I am always surprised by how reasonable the prices are, some stuff is actually rather cheap. A wonderful array of ceramic and glassware items can be found amongst the shelves and birds must be in right now because there are bird candles, glass domes with birds on them and birds painted on ceramics, bird ornaments ... feeling like you need a bird something in your home now? I am. Redcurrent also sell Pashmina, the proper ones. They are beautiful and come in many lovely colours. There are a few other accessories, some leather goods and cotton scarves and jewelry. It is hard to walk out without something and if need be, Redcurrent offer a gift wrapping service.

I love Redcurrent and this was the first of their shops I ever visited…read more My ideal trip to Newmarket always includes ducking down Morrow Street to pop into Redcurrent and then go on to Zarbo for lunch. Don't ever go in unless you have money to spend though, otherwise you'll inevitably end up leaving empty-handed and pining after some little trinket you just can't imagine living without. Unless you are a little less dramatic in nature than me, that is. My favourite things at Redcurrent are their plentiful stock of both the small and large Glasshouse brand scented candles, which I reckon are the best ever. They also stay well-stocked of absolutely gorgeous mid-range jewellery, some really sweet gift ideas for babies and toddlers (including clothing and toys), and some extemely lust-worthy handbags. Redcurrent Newmarket is the perfect place to find a homewares-type gift or a not-too-guilty indugence for yourself.

The name "OK Gift Shop" is pretty funny. It's like, "go here for the gifts for people you don't…read morecare too much about but have to get one for." Ironically enough, this is actually one of the better gift shops I've come across. I don't make a habit of gift shopping, but I try to make a habit of gift receiving, and I wouldn't mind if I got one from here - if I was overseas that is. On the day I went they had a weird little promotion where buy a number and they spin a thing, if you win you get a prize. There must have been about 40 Japanese school kids on a trip in the shop all hoping to win big so I missed out on having a chance, but it looked pretty cool. For once, a shop that actually outshines it's name.

You can find OK Gift Shop in Downtown shopping Centre corner of Customs Street and Albert Street in…read morethe heart of Auckland's city. They are on level one, not easy to miss in this small mall. I was impressed by the fact this souvenir shop sold work by New Zealand artists, probably commissioned based, but so are galleries. It is a great way to buy a unique gift for someone without having to trek out into the outer markets or surrounding suburbs if you on a tight time schedule but want to buy that something a little bit different and not mass produced overseas. Their was photographic art, ceramics with Kiwi iconography and New Zealand's natural timbers made into crafty useful objects. I personally picked up a small ceramic plaque with a kiwi bird on it and a nice green glaze over the top, it was by 'Art Locker' and cost me $9.20. I was pretty happy with that, and I hope my friends in Perth will too, since it is intended for them. A lovely little, well quite big actually, store to keep in mind when on the hunt for presents to go overseas.