CardGains Celebrates The Greats and Gift of the Year Awards 2026 Winners

This May, the gifting world gathered at the Royal Lancaster London to celebrate the very best in retail. The winners of The Greats Gift Retailer Awards 2026 were revealed during the Gift Awards ceremony, alongside the Gift of the Year 2026 awards, organised by the Giftware Association.

These awards highlight the creativity, innovation, and dedication driving the gifting industry, and at CardGains, we’re thrilled to shine a spotlight on the winners making waves this year.

We were especially excited to sponsor the Best Affordable Gift category, which celebrates products that deliver maximum impact without breaking the bank. Ohh Deer were the winners, taking home the award for their Tiny Notes A7 notebooks. Our Managing Director, Penny Shaw, had the pleasure of presenting this award.

“Thrilled to have won our very first Gift of the Year award,” said Mark Callaby, co-founder of Ohh Deer. “These little guys have been a huge success for us since we launched them, and we’re so happy they won Best Affordable Gift. It’s never how big it is…it’s how you wiggle that worm!”

From clever designs to standout customer experiences, these awards celebrate the people and products shaping the future of gifting. At CardGains, we’re proud to support and celebrate the creativity that keeps the gifting industry vibrant, fun, and full of surprises.

The winners are:

Independent Gift Retailer of the Year - London, South, South East & East Anglia (sponsored by Gift Republic)
Brand Academy, London

Independent Gift Retailer of the Year - Midlands & Wales (sponsored by The Gift & Lifestyle Consortium)
KooKoo Madame, Caerphilly, Pontypridd and Talbot Green

Independent Gift Retailer of the Year -  North & N. Ireland (sponsored by Joe Davies)
The Barn At The Hollies and Hollies on the High Street, Little Budworth

Independent Gift Retailer of the Year - West & South West (sponsored by Dizzy Heights Agencies) 
Soukous, Bristol

Independent Gift Retailer of the Year – Scotland (sponsored by The Giftware Association)
Groats Gifts, John o’ Groats

Best Newcomer Gift Retailer (sponsored by The Puppet Company/Wilberry Toys)
CAHM, Farsley

Best Specialist Multiple Retailer Of Gifts (sponsored by Boxer Gifts)
Oliver Bonas

Best Department Store Retailer of Gifts (sponsored by Paper Salad)
Morley Stores

Best Non-Specialist Retailer Of Gifts (sponsored by Talking Tables)
The Savill Garden Visitor Centre Gift Shop, Windsor Great Park

Best Garden Centre Retailer Of Gifts (1-4 centres) (sponsored by Cereria Molla 1899)
Okells Garden Centre, Tarvin

Best Garden Centre Retailer Of Gifts (5+ centres) (sponsored by Inis the Energy of the Sea)
British Garden Centres

Best In-Store/Window Display (sponsored by Gisela Graham)
Paper Tiger, Edinburgh

Best Retailer Initiative (sponsored by Candlelight Products)
Bill & Bert’s for its What’s In The Box? initiative

The winners are:

Best Affordable Gift Product (sponsor CardGains)
Tiny Notes A7 Notebooks from Ohh Deer

Best Beauty, Bath & Spa Product (sponsor Top Drawer)
Tiny Town Soaps from Neon Magpie

Best Branded Gift Product (sponsor Pembe The Pink Cat)
Fox Under the Moon Sentiment Jewellery from Joe Davies

Best Cards, Wrap & Stationery Product (sponsor Progressive Greetings Live)
The Bouquet In A Book: Spring from David & Charles

Best Children’s Educational Or Preschool Product (sponsor PreschoolNews.net)
Fun Things To Do… Range from Pikkii

Best Contemporary Gift Product (sponsor Spring Fair)
Flower Measuring Spoons from Sass & Belle

Best Design & Craft Product (sponsor London International Stationery Show)
Pocket Crochet Kits from Gift Republic

Best Ethical & Sustainable Gift Product (sponsor Products of Change)
The Self-Watering Ocean Pot from POTR

Best Fashion Accessories, Textiles & Jewellery Product (sponsor Skylight Media)
Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser Bracelets with Semi-Precious Stones from Kodes

Best Festive & Occasions Product (sponsor Harrogate Christmas & Gift Fair)
The Art File Tales of Christmas Puzzle Advent Calendar from Gibsons Games

Best Food & Drink Product (sponsor HousewaresNews.net)
The Coffee & Croissant Club Truffle Tin from The Chocolate Gift Company

Best Games & Puzzles Product (sponsor London Toy Fair)
The Art File Classic Games Collection from Gibsons Games

Best Garden & Outdoors Product (sponsor Autumn Fair)
Flower Bookmarks from If

Best Health, Well-being & Accessible Gift Product (sponsor N Smith Packaging & Display)
Anxiety Toolkits from Sunshine Lane

Best Heritage Gift Product (sponsor Trade Counter Distribution)
National Trust Collection from Gibsons Games

Best Home Fragrance Product (sponsor Progressive Gifts & Home)
Carnival Collection from Zesty Lemons London

Best Home & Kitchen Gift Product (sponsor Ambiente)
Aperitivo Spritz Collection from Rex London

Best Made In The UK Gift Product (sponsor The Giftware Association)
Car Diffusers Collection from Rosy Roo

Best Novelty, Tech & Gadgets Product (sponsor Sourcing Support Asia)
Zipcharger from Thinking Gifts Company

Best Pet Gift Product (sponsor Method UK)
Dog Travel Bowls from The Little Dog Laughed

The Judges’ Choice Award (sponsor Home & Gift, Harrogate)
Car Diffusers Collection from Rosy Roo

The Gift Awards Outstanding Achievement Award (sponsor British Allied Trades Federation)
Sue Marks, editor of Progressive Gifts & Home and GiftsandHome.net