Santa’s elves get all the publicity, but gnomes are busy at Christmas time also. The gnomes in the L. Frank Baum story, The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, make the bells worn by the reindeer that jingle during the Christmas Eve flight around the world. (Baum wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in which he also employed gnomes.) In J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Father Christmas Letters, the Red Gnomes travel from Norway to the North Pole to assist Father Christmas and his elves in fighting the wicked goblins. In Scandinavian folklore, Santa gnomes live in the forest and underground until Christmas when they tip-toe into homes to deliver the gifts. The gnomes then stay around the house to protect children and animals from harm.
Wendy Hoffmeister makes the most adorable Christmas Gnomes to display among your holiday decorations on the mantel or hang on your tree or play “Christmas Gnome Hunt” for the gnomes tucked away in their hiding places:
- Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus Gnomes
- Gnome Angels for the tops of Christmas trees
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Gnome
- Gingerbread Man Gnome
- Snowman Gnome
She also makes beautiful Hanukkah Gnomes decorated in blue with a Star of David.
Wendy’s Journey from Babies to Gnomes
Wendy earned a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s of Science degree in Nursing from Western Governors University, a private online university in Utah. She progressed from being a registered nurse in a hospital setting to being a travel nurse throughout Florida and California. She found her specialty in Labor and Delivery while in California, becoming an Assistant Nurse Manager, and eventually settling in Charlottesville, NC.
It was there that she started making gnomes as a hobby. And as we have seen with so many entrepreneurs, one thing led to another and then to an MBA from Western Governors and then to Wendy opening her own business, Wendy’s Gnome Shop. Her daughter, Amber, followed in her mother’s footsteps, first helping to deliver babies, now making gnomes full-time.
Wendy’s gnomes are bringing good luck and prosperity to homes in every US state and many foreign countries. Each 8-inch-high gnome is handmade—no two are alike. Wendy also has a Design-A-Gnome feature for customers to create their own gnomes by choosing the theme, hat, beard, boots and embellishments.
Please note: Wendy’s gnomes are meant for indoor use only. Also, they are not toys; they have small parts that are unsafe for children.
Gnomes like to celebrate other holidays also. Wendy makes gnomes for Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Veteran’s Day, Halloween and Thanksgiving. There are an Easter Bunny Gnome; a red, white and blue Patriotic Gnome for the Fourth of July; and a Lavender Gnome.
The Shark Gnome is a limited edition in honor of Wendy’s appearance on Shark Tank.
