Gnome sweet Gnome!

(A version of this story ran in December 2023)

My wife asked me to go with her to a craft store to look at some Christmas decorations. For a lot of guys, this could’ve been torture. I try to take a longer view. My wife gets to shop and get decorating ideas, while I get to spend some time chit-chatting with her and get lunch or dinner out of the deal. (Truth be told, I find that I get a ton of blogging ideas when I’m shopping with her. I can’t explain it. Who knew that was the trick to breaking writer’s block?)

Of course, a few minutes in our trip, we had a disagreement. She loves the little gnome characters that seem to be popping up everywhere. To her way of thinking, you can never have enough gnomes. She must think she’s “rollin’ with her gnomies.” Meanwhile, I think they’re silly at best, ugly at their worst.

Folklore on gnomes traces back to the late 18th and 19th centuries, when they were believed to be spirits responsible for the care and prosperity of a farm or family. They were tasked with various chores around the home, and might act out when the humans didn’t cater to their gnome needs. They were were thought to have magical powers to protect people and reward them with happiness and treasure.

Gnomes in recent years have become quite popular, especially during Christmas, and gnome decor seems to be popping up everywhere on ornaments to pajamas to outside decorations. The gnomes I’ve seen have pointed hats, long white beards and simple boots and floor-length dresses with aprons. You can never seem to see their eyes. They also seem to have sayings like “there’s gnome place like home” or “welcome gnome” or even “gnome, sweet gnome.”

My wife thinks they’re cute. At the risk of throwing away my pot of gold or even having the little buggers play tricks on me at night, ala The Elf on the Shelf, I think they’re creepy little guys and have little to do with Christmas.

Guess who won the debate in our house? It wasn’t me. We got Fa, La, and La and the family pajamas pictured above, and, of course, and we’ve since added a few more to the house. I’ve become overrun by gnomes.

Who’s with me in thinking they’re creepy?