Forget elf on the shelf: how we fell for gnomes in our homes

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “Once people began listing the gnomes on sites like eBay, their desirability grew even further, with some fetching prices of over £40,” says Katie Chester, the brand’s chief gnome buyer. The rise of gnomes and gonks “aligns seamlessly with the global fascination with Scandinavian design principles and lifestyle philosophies”, says Riani Kenyon, behavioural analyst at consumer insights agency Canvas8. She notes that “their soft felt hats, fluffy beards and plump, handmade textures evoke a tactile DIY charm that aligns perfectly with the broader trend of ‘hygge’”. Etsy’s trends expert Dayna Isom Johnson also notes that the craze for all things gnomic chimes with the rise of “mystical and medieval decor folklore-inspired artwork” that she’s noticed across the marketplace this year.