Christmas gnomes are having a ‘gnome-ment’
Karen Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
The popularity of gnomes has exploded in recent years. At Shop ‘N Save in Washington, a variety of gnome-related Christmas items are being swooped up by gnome enthusiasts.
Courtesy of G Barnett
G Barnett of Chartiers Township holds the gnome crocheted for her by Lacie McDonald. Barnett, who works at Target, loves gnomes, and the TikTok video of McDonald presenting Barnett with the gnome, “Donnie,” has earned more than 225,000 views.
Courtesy of G Barnett
Some of the gnomes that G Barnett has on display at her Chartiers Township home.
Karen Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Gnomes have become popular as Christmas- themed decor.
Courtesy of Lacie McDonald
Lennon McDonald, 7, is all smiles as she cradles gnomes handcrafted by her fiber artist mother, Lacie McDonald. Lacie has crocheted every day since Dec. 26, 2021, and has created several sets of gnome twins (according to folklore, gnomes only have twins) at her daughter’s request.
Courtesy of Lacie McDonald
When Lacie McDonald, of South Strabane, shared G Barnett receiving this green gnome to TikTok, she never dreamed more than one million people would view the video. McDonald delivered the little creature to her favorite gnome-loving Target employee recently, and was delighted to bring joy to Barnett during the holiday season.
Courtesy of Lacie McDonald
Lacie McDonald began crocheting last year, and her first project was a gnome (left). Since crafting that first gnome, she’s made dozens and dozens, including sets of little gnome twins.
Courtesy of Lacie McDonald
Lacie McDonald stitches her next gnome crochet project at her South Strabane home. McDonald, who has loved gnomes for years, crochets live on TikTok and hosts a stitch club at Well Oiled in Canonsburg.
There’s “gnome” doubt about it, those friendly, white-bearded characters in conical hats have taken over the season’s holiday decor.
Holiday gnomes are popping up everywhere this Christmas season, from bedding and pillows, serving ware, and Christmas ornaments and figurines, to sweaters (human and canine), garden flags, and inflatables.
“Christmas gnome decor” has seen a 1,350% spike in searches of the past five years, according to Google.
At Shop ‘N Save in Washington, a large variety of gnomes are on display at the floral department.
“They are just taking over. They took over snowmen. They took over Santa Claus. They’re everywhere. They even out-did the (Christmas) truck,” said Jamie Bedillion, manager at Shop ‘N Save. “People can’t get enough of them.”
Gnomes have long been a part of the Scandinavian Christmas tradition. Much like the American Santa Claus, the Christmas gnome (known as “tomte” in Sweden and “nisse” in Norway) visits the home of good children on Christmas Eve. Children leave a bowl of porridge for the gnome, and in return, the gnome brings presents to their front door.
Bedillion acknowledges gnomes are cute, but isn’t sure why the diminutive supernatural creatures have captured people’s attention.
But G Barnett, of Chartiers Township, an employee at Target, knows exactly why she loves gnomes.
“Just looking at them makes you smile. They’re just so comforting and so beautiful. I just fell in love with them,” said Barnett, who is enjoying TikTok fame after a clip of a Target guest presenting her with a crocheted gnome garnered more than one million views as of Friday.
The guest, Lacie McDonald, who crochets, visited Target in South Strabane Township recently and presented the gnome – named Donnie – to a surprised Barnett, who exclaimed excitedly after she unwrapped him, “Oh! He’s so cute, look at him! Thank you!” and gave McDonald a hug.
Barnett said she was surprised by the gift, adding, “I think I appreciate it so much because I have no artistic ability, and what really impresses me is people like Lacie, and the way they can make such beautiful things.”
McDonald, of South Strabane, started crocheting last year, after her mother fell in love with a rather pricey gnome for sale at a store.
“My mom actually loves gnomes, and has her whole life. She saw this cute gnome that was knitted by a machine. I said, ‘I can probably make something like that,'” said McDonald, who in 2015 dressed her family as gnomes for Halloween. “Well, I was in for a surprise when I found out how hard it was. Reading a pattern in crochet was a different language.”
But McDonald persevered, learning the craft through YouTube tutorials and online research. She finished her first gnome in January, and when her daughter requested a wife and children for that gnome, McDonald was able to practice and perfect her amigurumi (creature crochet pattern) technique. She also amassed a large TikTok following at @crochetinthesky, where she often crochets live both solo and alongside other fiber artists.
McDonald also attends a monthly stitch club at Well Oiled in Canonsburg.
The stay-at-home mom said crafting a free-hand gnome for Barnett was special.
“She’s wonderful. It’s not very common for someone to create some sort of art and actually get to see the recipient’s joy,” McDonald said. “That really meant a lot to me.”
It meant a lot to Barnett, too, who has been asked to pose with fans who saw her on TikTok and visited Target for a photo op. Barnett said she became smitten with gnomes at the start of the pandemic, when she walked into Target one day and saw them on display.
“I have gnomes for everything – Christmas, Thanksgiving, other holidays. I have so many of them. The first time I saw them, I fell in love with them.”
Even Barnett’s fingernails are adorned with gnome decals.
Barnett said she finds herself trying to resist the urge to buy more gnomes for her growing collection.
“If a guest brings a gnome up to the checkout, I’ll ask, ‘Is there another one back there?’ and I hope there isn’t because it’s hard for me not to buy it,” she said with a laugh. “I have to tell myself no, but sometimes it’s hard because I love my gnomes.”