1st choice for all my cards. A great range and great prices, the service is good to…read more Not only do they sell cards they aell a range of other things, wedding gifts, novelty items, calenders and paper for Christmas.

Love the card factory they are the best in the area for cheap cheerful cards always go there for…read moreall my cards !

Fans of Paperchase's flagship stores in London and Manchester might be surprised by the size of…read moretheir Brighton branch. The small square footage means there's no room for the gorgeous range of pastels, paints and art paper the shop specialises in. Instead, there's a small selection of cool and quirky diaries, travel journals, stationary and giftware at the back of the store and a large selection of fab greeting cards at the front. The stock isn't as unique as in Malarkey in the North Laines but there's still a great range of birthday, good luck, get well and condolences cards as well as seasonal ranges like Christmas, Halloween and Valentines. Personally, I'm a big fan of the Bikini range they stock with 50s and 60s pin-up girls and boys covered in glitter.

I'd never heard of Paperchase before this afternoon, but I appear to be in the minority. The store…read morewas swarming with people who must have known the wealth of Christmas decorations, cards, and gift wrap that were going to be on sale. Prices were pretty decent - I picked out a really nice 'tree topper' for £4.50. Of course, the shop isn't always centred on Christmas supplies. They have a huge selection of notebooks, loose paper, pens, fancy mechanical pencils, art supplies, day planners, journals...everything to do with paper. I also saw some office décor - picture frames, small clocks and paperweights. I'll definitely remember this shop when I need more school supplies and the Christmas rush is over.

Just about the most charming little shop in Kemptown. Cards…read moreand doodads and trinkets and doohickies. Lovely staff, lovely layout and a card for any occassion.

Looking for a place to stock up on Halloween cards?…read more Head for Malarkey where you'll find hundreds of cool and kitsch greeting cards for every occasion. Since the shop is in Brighton you'd expect a bit of slap and tickle and the stock doesn't disapoint as it ranges from the fun to the filthy. They also sell rude and colourful wrapping paper and daft presents like comedy voodoo dolls, water-pistols and party games. Anyone need a selection of plastic moustaches?

A friend and I were searching for some wacky posters, prints or other such bedroom accessories to…read moreenliven the walls of his new home, when we came across Malarkey, a crazy little avant-garde store in the North Laines area. This place is littered with an insane collection of items ranging from the useful, to the amusing, to the downright vulgar. You'll find comical postcards, greeting cards, wrapping paper, toys for cats, and gift bags, as well as somewhat less essential novelty items, like a 'Do it yourself cure for erectile dysfunction', or a £15 'Nose shower gel dispenser', which, like it sounds, is basically a giant nose, that dispenses shower gel. I thought Malarkey was a really fun store and we had a great time riffling through the treasure-trove assortment of items on display. It's certainly worth visiting if you want to relieve a bit of stress, just fancy a laugh, or want to get something a little different for a friend.

I like this card shop because it is good value and sells a great selection of cards, wrapping…read morepaper, bows and gifts. You can find a card for any occasion at a really good price. The only problem is the layout. The aisles are so skinny that you can't get through with a pram and there is always queues so it can put you off going.

Card Factory is a lovely shop for special occasions. The one thing that I hate about this shop…read morethough is there is no room..I have to go in there first thing in the morning as I have a toddler and it is a nightmare trying to manouvre the buggy!!! If they sorted this out it would get top marks.

This is a small but well-run greeting card and photographic processing shop in Seven Dials,…read moreopposite the 'Good Companions' pub. They have a very good range of cards, including gently humorous ones I have not seen elsewhere, and plenty of those in which you can write your own message. I've never left empty-handed (and I'm quite picky when it comes to birthday cards). They also have a small range of stationery and post-cards. I've not used the photographic services here, but the staff always strike me as very pleasant.

Digital photography means the photo developing side of this business must surely be fairly…read moreredundant these days, but I'm sure they'll survive with the brilliant range of stationery and greetings cards they have here. It's really hard sometimes to find decent cards - they're either soppy pastels or bad jokes, but the range here covers all bases. They have lots of colourful cards with decent pictures, and some humour cards which are actually funny. Also plenty of other useful party stuff such as balloons and streamers, and a small range of standard stationery items. Staff always seem smiley and friendly

I was initially drawn but the bright colours in the window display - this is a wonderful shop with…read moreall sorts of gifts and household items that are bright, colourful, unusual & quirky. A great place for fun gifts and stocking fillers for kids too. Hidden at the back, by the tills are a tray of glass rings filled with coloured liquid & glitter - they are such fun & I will be back on payday to treat myself!!!!

I like this place, I really do. Cute little novelty shop filled with fun, colorful goodies & nice…read morestaff. While it's fun to wander about and see all the little kitchy things and marvel at all the neat-o designs, I do find the prices to be a little out of whack. I had the pleasure of going into one of these shops while in Paris (the chain was founded in Paris, after all), but felt the merchandise there included a few things (some of which I actually purchased) that were unique and high enough quality to warrant a little greater outlay. Here, however, most of the goods were plastic and just didn't look as though they'd survive the tests of time. I had wanted to get a few kid gifts before heading back to the states, but sadly I just couldn't reckon quality and value sufficiently to get them anything from here. Definitely worth a look around, though, it's a fun little shop with fun little things!

I was always jealous of my pre/early teen friends when they received giant Valentine's card that…read morewere probably as high as their waists. I thought - surely that's, like, the biggest romantic gesture? A few years down the line, and I can't think of anything tackier to receive! This tackiness extends to the rest of the shop - which focuses on in your face humour/romance/colour/music/size/'poetry'... rather than the creative/cutesy/pretty/unique/funny - if you're looking for the latter you'll find plenty of choice in the various South Lanes and North Laine card/gift shops. I'd avoid this place if you can - it's good for cheap wrapping paper, but you can end up being there hours trying to find a card that's not ugly/naff.

Clinton cards in the Churchill Square Shopping Centre has quite a different selection from the one…read moreon Western Road - this one has a lot more gift ideas and party supplies. The shop is mostly sectioned into various special events, and each has all possible greeting cards and gifts relevant to the occasion. I noticed new baby, wedding, graduation, and the landmark birthdays. Each comes with decorative photo frames, trinkets, balloons and, of course, greeting cards. Party supplies include personalised confetti, balloons, banners, gift wrap and bags, candles and noisemakers. There are also several displays of random gifts - stuffed animals, key chains, pens, calendars and mugs. A good place to buy and wrap a gift, plus get a card AND buy a pen to sign it with. Done and done.