Ever since I started working, there was never a year that I did not receive a gift coming from…read morePapemelroti. This just goes to show that this rustic-vintage inspired store is on top of a lot people's list for gift items. I can't blame them, it's on top of mine too. The place sells a wide array of stationery made of recycled paper which gives their items the old fashioned vibe without making it look used or scrappy. They also have small trinkets and thingamajigs perfect for giveaways or tabletop displays. What I usually get from this store is their small boxes of inspirational messages that can brighten anyone's day in a jiff. I would just tie a little ribbon around it and it's good to go. I wouldn't have to spend a little extra for gift wrapping. So the next time a friend or family member celebrates anything and you can't think of a present to give, you can always go back to the basics and give this place a visit.

I may be giving out my age here but this shop used to be my best friend when cellular phones and…read morethe internet are not yet household names. I go to Papemelroti when I need to send a love letter to the girl I'm courting. Yes kids, it's that thing where you use an actual pen and paper to communicate with the girl you like. We really used to do that. And you have to wait for a day or even several days just to receive a response. Papemelroti has stationaries and notebooks made out of recycled paper with cute designs and vintage look. The said stationaries and notebooks also have nice designs and even sayings. They also sell trinkets like brass necklaces and bracelets. They even have little jewelry boxes made of recycled materials. The fact that Ms. Patty, who partly owns Papemelroti together with her siblings, is such a nice person is another reason for me to continue patronizing this store. Yes, the first two letters of Papemelroti is from her name. RO is for Robert, the sibling who is the creator of the designs and drawings you see in their products. Their classic and beautiful items should be more than enough reason for customers to continue patronizing them. If you need another reason then it's nice to know that the crafts and trinkets that they sell are handmade by mothers living in destitute areas. Papemelroti provides them with materials and pays them for the labor. Just keep in mind that everytime you purchase an item from Papemelroti, you are also supporting these mothers who found a decent livelihood because of Papemelroti.

This is my go to place for greeting cards, gift wrapping needs, office supplies and books…read more I realize that they are called a book store, but they are more than just a book store. When it comes to pens, I think that they have the biggest selection of pens that I have ever seen. It is nice that you could even try writing with the pen, but who is to say if that pen was the one that has been used the most or least. I realize that it would be difficult to have just one pen sample per type of pen, and their regulars have been spoiled to be able to try any pen to their liking. At least you'll be able to try out the pen before you purchase it. They have a very nice range of pens. You'll be able to find pens made in numerous countries. I recently purchased Cross pens as gifts. I remember being able to drop off a gift for gift wrapping. I do not know if they still have this service. You could always tell when National Book Store did the gift wrapping. This is definitely the place for all the school supplies needed for students. This is also the place for office supplies.

When I was a kid my family always had a Sunday ritual. We start the day with mass, then we have…read morelunch in Pancake House and then we end the day with a trip to National Bookstore. Buying from other stores always made me a tad guilty, but it was different with National Bookstore. As a child, I always felt guilty about buying clothes but never with books or school supplies. Books stay with you forever, clothes you outgrow and once they are over worn, they are immediately discarded. I've always liked going to this particular store because they carry items that you won't see in the Alabang branch. Books here are newer, notebooks sold are better and sale items more varied. Tips: 1. This branch is right across a Wendy's restaurant. 2. It's also has a Rustan's Supermarket beside it. You can make a trip to the grocery after you go shopping here. 3. National Bookstore carries some books that you will find in Fully Booked or Powerbooks but prices here are way cheaper.

For as long as I can remember, this shop has always been considered as the ultimate gift shop…read more People often crowd to this place during special holidays in the quest of finding the perfect gift for their loved ones from a wide selection of items ranging from small trinkets to enormous stuffed animals with names. You can also consider posters with inspirational messages or small ornaments with a humorous touch. What I appreciate in this store, aside from their distinct generic wrapper and gift-wrapping prowess, is that, during Christmas season, their items are arranged based on the usual "somethings" for Kris Kringle. This way possible gift items that match the assigned category for the day or week are grouped together to make selection easier. And since my birthday is coming up, I have my eyes on a stuffed panda. Anyone? *wink

This is like the ultimate gift shop of my younger years. That shop with a migraine inducing…read moreelectric blue logo. This shop is filled with gift ideas from the cute and cuddly to the weird and disgusting. The stuffed toys in Blue Magic are first rate. And they're not limited to just bears. They have stuffed tigers, cats, dogs, turtles and fishes. It's like stepping into the room of a taxidermist. They also have little toys that will surely be enjoyed by tykes. And then there are the gifts for the mature patrons. Condoms in test tubes that you can break open in case of emergency. They also have paperweights shaped like human excrement. Up to now, I can't bring myself to see the supposed hidden cuteness in that paperweight. Like what I said, they have a gamut of choices for all kinds of customers. So if you're looking for a gift and ordinary ones won't do, I'm sure Blue Magic has something for you.

Whenever I have to buy gifts for my guy friends, guy cousins or brothers, I always head to Artwork…read moreto shop. They have very attractive, eye-catching, vibrant, witty, cool (haha, those are a lot of adjectives) designed graphic tees that have Art, Pop Culture and Music themes or influences with a punch of the Filipino culture flare. I've also bought some shirts for myself and their items are affordable. They specialize in graphics tees but they also sell accessories (notebooks, bags, caps & belts) as well. Last Christmas when I bought a shirt for my baby brother, they put in a free canvas tote bag with my purchase. I love it and use it all the time. Even my mum who has more of a classic taste in prints and design loves it. You're not limited to men's t-shirts because they also sell shirts for women and children. Huzzah!

I was looking at old love letters I gave to my husband when we were just starting out ten years…read moreago, when I realized one thing - boy, I sure loved hanging out at National Bookstore then! I was such a fan of their Between You and Me line of greeting cards that I give one to my then boyfriend for every occasion - Christmas, birthday, anniversary, breaking up, making up and days when I'm feeling extra mushy. Sometimes I'd even buy two cards and give it to him on the same day. I'd spend a whole hour at the Greeting Cards section to find a card that fits what I wanted to say at that particular moment, and at that time, the choices were vast. Now that we're in the digital, paperless age, people hardly get and give greeting cards anymore so their selection of cards have diminished. But I still like going to National Bookstore to pick up writing and office supplies (my current obsession? Sharpies!) and hang out with my daughter at the Children's Books section.

It's unlikely that you would ever think of the UP Shopping Center to get gifts, but there are…read moreplaces to get them here, and one of them is the Handog Plain and Simple Gifts store. The little stall has a ton of stuff to give, and while there all mostly cutesy, quirky, "kikay" stuff, it's still a treat to go in to take a peek. They have notebooks, planners, bags, accessories, toys, UP-centric shirts, and likely a lot more besides. It's happened that I just went into the store to have a look, but ended up buying a small coin purse or earphone cord organizer, since they're so darn cute. Their stationery and paper products are distributed from Papemelroti, which might be of interest if you end up in the area and need something like a card, because you forgot someone's birthday, or beautiful cardboard boxes, because you're moving into a dorm.

As a bookworm, a craftswoman, a scrapbooker, a writer, an artist, a musican, a student, a…read moreshopaholic; I can find what I need for all of these personal sides in National Bookstore. Whenever I want a new book to read, I would go straight to NBS because they have updated lists of books that came out usually a month before. I also like how they classify the books, from genre to genre. Not only that, NBS in Q Ave. offers a P-O-B section (previously owned books), in which you can buy reference and educationL books for a much discounted price. Don't worry, they're still in good condition, otherwise they wouldn't sell them. NBS also has an area for crafts and scrapbooking, and almost everything you need for your school project is right there! What's great about NBS is that they also have art materials, and score sheets for musicians such as myself. They also have school supplies which are extensive in brand, quantity, item type and quality. They also sell wonderful planners that suit to your every need and very personality. If you get hungry, go and sit down in their food stalls, and maybe afterwards go to the supermarket to buy groceries for next week!

Growing up, there are two reasons why I loved shopping at National Bookstore. First, National…read moreBookstore carried everything you needed for school - pencils, ball pens, highlighters, tape, pad paper (all kinds), bond paper, construction paper, art paper and even Japanese paper, just to name a few. Second, I wasn't paying for it. National Bookstore has always been my source for that latest Harry Potter book, or even the next segment of the Percy Jackson series. They carry books that kindergarteners could read, all the way up to the romance novels that your auntie or lola would be spending the afternoon with. They also have a lot of informative books and magazines to suit your needs. Now that National Bookstore has so many branches nationwide, their selection and prices are really the best you can get out there. Good quality and good prices really help when you're considering the fundamental needs to your child's education.

Small, school and office supplies stores such as Little Town are lifesavers. For when you have no…read moretime to head to a mall to go to those popular office supplies stores and bookstores, these stores will most likely have what you need to alleviate your Oh-noes-I-ran-out-of-bond-paper-while-printing type of emergencies. You might even get sidetracked by all the OMG CUTE THINGS they also have such as erasers disguised as food, sparkly stickers, hair accessories of all colors, and their marker sets in all these fancy types of ink. If you suffer from an addiction with cute stationery items/office supplies (and I'm sure they're part of a collection that's never to be touched, ever!), consider yourself warned.

Little Town is full of stuff that you're likely to need for your paperwork, be it for school,…read moreoffice or hobby purposes. While the selection is nowhere near that of large chain stores, it is surprisingly sufficient for most needs. Ribbons, cards and various writing implements abound in Little Town's shelves, among others. The "others" category is actually pretty well populated, and can keep fans of cute stationery accessories and other little knick-knacks happily poking around for many minutes. Serious fans of writing implements (in other words, pen collectors whose collections carry a daunting value) should be looking elsewhere. People who just want attractive little additions to their pencil cases, on the other hand, are more than likely to find worthy additions to their stuff in Little Town. The price of items here is pretty reasonable.