This holiday season, take a cue from the French cultural critic Roland Barthes and consider the future consequences of the gifts you buy your children. “Toys always mean something,” Barthes once wrote.
Instead of purchasing an unlovingly made G.I. Joe action figure, peruse Pixi & Cie, a shop in Paris’s Left Bank that offers an array of gorgeous, hand-painted metal figurines. Alexis Poliakoff, the head toy-maker, often finds inspiration in European comic books, from Titeuf to Asterix’s best friend, Obelix. Don’t miss their extensive selection of Smurfs, especially this tableau of 48 Smurfs gathering for a family photo. Nearby, in Saint-Germain, L’Oiseau de Paradis, which has offered artisanal toys since 1932, provides a range of Adventures of Tintin figurines. Catch Tintin and his sidekick, Snowy, popping out of a vase while on a spy mission or embarking on a new adventure.
