Raw Irish honey, handcrafted crochet dolls, aromatic candles, chocolates, soaps wrapped in colourful wrappers, and a whole lot more. In the run-up to Christmas, pop-ups are the places to be if you’re looking for unique gifts – for friends and family, and also to put something special under the tree.
And pop-ups are everywhere. We went to one last week – just right here in our backyard if you please. Organised by Elements of Action, at 23 Leinster Road, it brought together a lot of gifting ideas. We spent a beautiful half an hour or so browsing through cashmere knitwear carves designed in Dublin, jewellery, glint glass, batik, linens, candles and more. Most of the products on display were unique – for example, the candles came from Brookfield Farm in Co Tipperary. Produced from the farm bee hives, these hand dipped pure beeswax candles are just gorgeous to own and gift!
If you are tempted by the pictures above, don’t fret. There are more pop-ups where you can get your gifts sorted. Whether they are for your friends and family or yourself! (You can also keep a tab on Elements of Action Instagram handle for future events and pop-ups if you found the products on display simply irresistible – and we are sure you did! Run by Esther and Ed, this is a collaborative design practice working in furniture design, landscape architecture and project management.)
Now coming back to where you can go next. There’s a Christmas pop-up on this Sunday, December 4 at the Royal Marine Hotel , Dun Laoghaire. It promises an array of alluring things – designer clothing, art, leather bags and accessories, skincare, eye wear, ceramics, perfumes, food and drink, textiles, homeware and the like. Organised by the Irish Pop Up Collective, it will showcase 35 Irish brands and businesses.
Plus, there’s also the Lindt pop-up store. Their first ever Dublin store opens on on Wednesday November 30th on South Anne Street. For the next three weeks until December 21st, the store will be a happy place for those doing their Christmas shopping – an assortment of luxury chocolates including bars, sharing boxes and gifts will be up for sale.
There’s also a bit of a treat for the first 100 customers who walk in through the doors on November 30th. They will receive a free Lindt Gold Bar in order to make a purchase. And the good news is that this will be the case every Wednesday!
The Dublin Alternative Market’s Christmas edition is also a perfect opportunity to get some really lovely gifts – this indoor market takes place in the Grand Social on the first Sunday in December.
Some popular pop-ups are also about what you can grab by the kilo. Ah yes, we are talking about pop-ups where you shop by weight. For example, this one in Carlow where you can grab all that you want for €30 per kilo! It’s vintage and pre loved clothing, and with great music and a vibe, you may feel like a winner with what you put into your sack! There’s also a similar one in Kildare, so if that’s closer to where you’re, you can head there.
Mart Gallery and Studios in Rathmines has something really nice in arts and crafts – it’s on till December 4, and we popped in to discover some gorgeous products and stalls. You could buy such original and distinct gifts for all your friends and family, just have a look at the photographs below. (There are handmade Christmas cards, jewellery, paintings and prints, dry flower bouquets, soaps and so much more.)
We will keep bringing you more information on different kinds of pop-ups, and events, so keep an eye out. As always, if you want us to include or cover something specific – do write in.
