Just the other day we talked about popup shops, and I wondered half-jokingly if a couple of British economists catching up on the trend was the mark of it ending or it’s launch into full-swing territory. It’s safe to say that for the season at least, popups are in full swing.

One area retailer taking advantage of excess retail space is Top Ten Toys. In addition to their 7,000 sq ft space in Greenwood, the ethically and educationally focused fun-stuff sellers have set up shop on the second floor of Pacific Place.

Fairly traded and totally non-toxic toys share space with playthings that are just plain smart, fun, and interesting.

My pick for the younger ones: sweet knitted finger puppets made by artisans in Peru (pictured above); for older kids: a 1,000 piece jigsaw (find it on the puzzle wall pictured here) featuring the mid-mod, minimalist art work of Charley Harper, the patron saint of all design-centric parents and their aesthetically tuned-in offspring.

Oh, and just next door to the temporary toy boutique: A temporary paperie. P.S. Stores, that retailer of wrappings, bows, cards, and other stuff you didn’t know you needed is downtown for the month of December, too.

Stay tuned for more news about temporary shops, and drop me a line if there’s one out there that I don’t know about!

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More gift ideas:

Good Cheer; Bold, playful gifts for kids of all ages – for less than $45

Eat, Drink, Buy Merry; Delicious gifts from gourmet retailers

Art of Craft; Gorgeous goods from museum gift shops

Diggable Plants; Gifts that’ll grown on them