Teenage Kicks

Over and over we hear how difficult it is to buy for teenagers!  But really?  Can't think why! Here are some great teenage gift ideas!

The bottle light transforms literally any bottle instantly into mood lighting......kick back and enjoy a video on this smart phone projector - quite simply a cinema in a box!  Going on a gap year?  Document the countries visited with this Deluxe Scratch Map by Luckies! Fascinated by the Stars?  the glow in the dark star map will satisfy every stargazers dream! Press play and instantly liven up any social situation with the Pocket Tin Speakers.....
1.Bottle Light - rechargeable £11.25 
2.Smartphone Projector £17.95
3.De Luxe World Scratch Map £24.95
4. Glow in the Dark Star Map - £19.95
5. Pocket Tin Speakers - £23.95

Meet the Team - Service with a Smile

Enza (left above) is a familiar smiling face to everyone in the Archway area, (she's lived here for 32 years!)  Experienced and knowledgeable in retail she has worked at map gift shop for over 2 years - she absolutely loves Christmas - this season she will mostly be wearing one of her many sparkly christmas jumpers!

Nadia (right above) is the first of our thespian crew!  Talented and funny we are lucky to have her in between acting jobs! Check out a clip from her showreel here acting alongside fellow thespian Declan (left below), who has just returned to us after a whistle stop tour of The Shawshank Redemption! Roisha (right below) has been our long standing Saturday Star for as long as I can remember!  Now at Uni in Sheffield studying Geography we are delighted she has come back to help us out during her Christmas holiday!

Our very own genuinely talented Loser - Sophie (in Green), who when not wrapping gifts with us runs her own theatre production company Tit4Twat. 

And finally - at the helm - Ian Morris a steal at only £49.95

Christmas Wrapped up!

We wrap everything even the tiniest gifts for free at map gift shop.  We have offered this service from day one and our customers really appreciate it!  Obviously we are really really busy at this time of year but we are still happy to wrap for you! Why not pop to Deli Junction 2 doors down for an excellent coffee, or a glass of something stronger at St John's Tavern while we do the work - an excellent way to really enjoy your christmas shopping!

Drinking Buddies - Let's Party!

1. Bartending Glasses £9.95
2.Mix Master Cocktail Shaker £19.50
3.Drinking Buddies Drink Markers £9.25
4 Bosom Buddies Drink Markers £9.25

Everyone loves a Drinking Buddy, get your party started this season with a Master Class in Cocktail shaking, become a bartender in no time with a 'Bartending' Glass set and make sure no one loses their drink with the fun 'Bosom' & Drinking Buddies' drinks markers!  Party sorted!

Space - The Final Frontier

1. Rocket Night Light £32.50
2. Walking Robot Spaceman £33.50
3.Tin Rocket Sky Express £33.50
4. Cosmic Glow - Stick on Planets & Stars £8.25
5. Robot Lunch Bot - Classic Tin Lunch Box £17.95
6. Build a Robot Book £14.99
7. Roby Robot £38.95

Glow in the Dark Star Map by Luckies - £19.95

Christmas Tree Competition - Win a £50 Gift Voucher

Are you decorating your Christmas Tree this weekend?  We are gearing up for a bumper weekend this weekend, as you all get festive with your creations!  

This year we are running a Christmas Tree Competition!  

£50 Gift Voucher Prize!

Lots of our customers and friends come each year to buy one or two special decorations to add to their collection over the years.  It would be lovely to see some of our decorations through the years in situ on your trees!

Just email your pictures with Christmas Tree Competition as a subject to map@mapgiftshop.com

We will announce the winner on the 20th December by email, facebook & twitter - so there will be time spend your voucher before Christmas!

Met Christmas Tree 'Give a Gift' Appeal

You may have noticed the tree in the lobby at Archway Station?  

Last year we were really privileged to be invited to take part in Met Christmas Tree 'Give a Gift'  initiative.  The people of Archway were tree-mendously generous and together with other local businesses we were able to give 300 children in need presents that they wouldn't otherwise have received.

The Met Police are running the appeal again this year and it couldn't be simpler!  Just take a tag from the Christmas Tree at Archway station, attach it to a gift - unwrapped but in a gift bag, and drop it into us.  We will then pass it to the Islington Met police to allocated to a child in need.

Gifts should be no more than £20 in value. Below are some ideas for suitable presents:

• For infants: Rattles, chunky colourful toys, shape sorters, plastic or soft toys with nothing that can be pulled off, board books, mobiles, stacking toys, nesting cubes
• For pre-schoolers: Crayons, pens, paper, crafty toys, picture books, dolls, vehicles, musical instruments, push toys, dressing up/role play, pull toys, wooden puzzles
• For school-aged children: Vehicles, footballs, clothes, craft kits, sports equipment, books, board games, puzzles, art supplies and stationery, hats, gloves, scarves, fashion accessories.

We'd really appreciate your gifts by this Friday 4 December.

Thanks very much for your continued support

More Monday Madness - Loyalty Card Holders 50% Discount‏

For one day only Monday 30th November - we are offering a 50% discount on all Christmas Gift Bags!

Get ahead with your wrapping this Christmas!

We're Ready, you Set? It's time to Go Shopping

We have pulled out all the stops this year and we are full to the brim of gorgeous gifts and great ideas for everyone.  If you are looking for inspiration, feast your eyes on this virtual tour of our shelves.

We have some great toiletry ranges this year including the award winning Kelloggs range from Mad Beauty - prices start from £5.95

The ever popular candle in a tin by County Candles £9.50

Kicking back, the line up of cute cuddlies from Jellycat 

New Designs from PiP Studio

We have literally dozen of journals for literary types

Gifts for Guys

New in Robots and Rockets

Fantabulous card games fro Roald Dahl

Quirky must haves for the home

Not all the products shown in the photos are on our website - if there is something you can see - but can't find it on the website - then please contact us through our contact page and we will be delighted to tell you more.

We did it! - Time Out Love London Awards 2015

London has spoken!  A massive 75,000 londoners voted in the second annual Love London Awards! Thank you to everyone who nominated and voted for us!  We did it - we won (again)!

 Last night the Time Out Love London Awards were announced! See full list of winners here!

What we're trying to say is we did it - Thanks for voting! #tooexcitedtogetoursignsinthephoto!

More Monday Madness - Double Points giveaway today!

We are giving away double points on Monday 16th November!

The baubles are up!  New products are arriving each day - it's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!  We're very proud of our 2015 range of decorations!  We have sourced the very best baubles around this year - do pop by!  Present your loyalty card at the checkout and get Double Points!

The shop looks mesmerizing! Have a look at our 2015 Decoration Lookbook! here

this weeks edit - our 2015 Christmas Decoration Lookbook

The baubles are up!  The new products are arriving each day - it's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!  We're very proud of our 2015 range of decorations - we've sourced the very best baubles around - pop by!  The shop looks mesmerizing!

Gorgeously opulent - this look encompases all shades of blue & green - the whole range inspired by the powerfully symbolic peacock! This look will make a truly glorious display!

Winter wouldn't be the same without our little woodland friends all made from natural materials - wood, bristle and twigs sprinkled with shimmering snow & a dusting of glitter for extra magic.  

These decorations make really good gifts - each one is hand-painted with an extraordinary attention to detail, making them a unique tree decoration which will be treasured for years!

Each year I buy my kids a bauble!  Our tree has no theme but is an eclectic mix of memories and their interests each year!  The retro decorations reflect a nostalgic christmas and will be treasured for years!

A sophisticated story for the traditionalists!

Up in Lights - illuminated ideas for great gifts!

We love these lights - inspired by our own map gift shop signage, we sourced these stylish Carnival Lights, finished in rust or industrial steel - these really do make a stunning statement in any room!

All the Letters and Symbols are now available online here. We are quoting a 14 day delivery - so please contact us via our contact page or tel 020 7687 4005 if the lights are required more quickly & we can give you updated information. The lights require a mains transformer at £5 which can power up to 5 linkable letters - we strongly recommend mains usage. Batteries are a good option for a party or wedding where mains outlets may not be practical, but remember to use good quality batteries. 

New in is this brilliant lightbox which has a real cinema/movie feel to it and allows you to light up your own phrase or message. 
This could even be your opportunity to have your name in lights!

Included is a pack of 69 letters, numbers and symbols (yes Twitter and Instagram fans, there is a hashtag) - with another 6 blank tiles for you to make your own if you're feeling creative.
The Lightbox is also available with multi-coloured letters.

'Up in Lights' - Buy 2 initials plus Ampersand for £29.85 (excluding batteries) normally priced at £35.85 (these lights are not featured on website, please get in touch through our contact page here to place your order or check availability on 020 7687 4005.

this weeks edit - stylishly spooky skulls

A stirring reminder that too much sugar can be bad for you!

Mystical and charming - these unusual Phrenology & Palmistry Guide Candles in Glass Jars make brilliant and interesting gifts

Phrenology (from Greek φρήν (phrēn), meaning "mind", and λόγος (logos), meaning "knowledge") is a pseudoscience primarily focused on measurements of the human skull......

Marvellously macabre these spooky skull salt and pepper shakers make a great gift.

Solid silver Skulls from our Tooth & Claw range have an eerie attention to detail!

Time Out Love London Awards - Vote Now

We need you!  We have been shortlisted! 
It's time for the important bit - let's get voting.  Please vote for us in the Time Out Love London Awards 2015

Last year a massive 250,000 Londoners got passionate about their postcodes and voted in the Time Out Love London Awards 2014.  We are really proud to have won this award last year - Best Independent Shop in Upper Holloway N19 & we'd really love to win the category again!  Please click on VOTE NOW - find your neighborhood, we are listed under Upper Holloway, you're almost there just click on shops and you'll find us!  Please take a moment to Vote for your other favourite bars, coffee shops and restaurants that make your area of London great!

Time Out Love London Awards 2015

That’s right, after inspiring more than 250,000 of you to get passionate about your postcodes last year, the Time Out Love London Awards are back for 2015.

Hurrah - we have been nominated!  Regulars (who have been paying attention) will know that we won this prestigious award in 2014 for best independent shop in N19, and we have proudly displayed our 'trophy' (aka a window sticker) all year!

There has been a little controversy and confusion this year surrounding the nomination phase and the name or our area.  We are big fans of Archway, both it's name and nature, so much so we have branded a whole range of our products, and we vehemently resist the temptation to condone any nonsense of an unnecessary area renaming.  But in terms of postcodes Archway doesn't exist.  We are Upper Holloway as designated by the Post Office almost 100 years ago, and the Time Out Love London Award has taken these post code areas rather than the name of our town centre!  Surely it can only be due to this confusion that there weren't enough venues nominated in the pubs & bars category for Time Out to open it up to the vote?  I think St john's Tavern & Charlotte Despard (both winners last year) can rightfully feel a little miffed!

Rant over........It’s time for you to champion your favourite bits of Upper Holloway that everyone else who lives here knows as Archway.  So click here, have a look at who has been nominated in Upper Holloway & get voting!