YEAR 2001
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A Gnome
Christmas Celebration
Don't
worry fellows, good gnomes never get the switch!
Hello, my name is Father Ice Crystal. I
am a Canadian Gnome and want to bring you this special informative
Christmas celebration story...
Every year, around this time, while
many animals and plants peacefully lay dormant, gnomes prepare for
Christmas around the world. In my homeland called Canada, gnomes are
very busy making winter house calls. Male gnomes check on sleeping
mammals. They quietly enter dens to make sure hibernating friends are
snug in their beds. If a gnome suspects that any of his forest friends
are ill he will bring a female gnome out to check on them.
When snow covers the ground gnomes will
travel by ski, snow shoe or sleigh. The latter would be pulled by BIG
snowshoe rabbits. White snowy owls are sometimes called upon to
provide gnomes with fast air travel or to carry them long distances.
 In the northern
hemisphere days are short, with the shortest day being December 21,
and nights are long so gnomes are very active assisting forest animals
to find food and shelter.
City gnomes, often referred to as
garden gnomes, can be seen enjoying family activities like skating on
water ponds and in frozen bird baths. They participate in overnight
expeditions often sheltering in bird houses or under evergreen trees.
While on expedition gnomes will busy themselves collecting seeds and
dried fruits for their winter festivities.
 They will often
frequent Christmas Tree Lots and bring home fallen pine, spruce and
cedar branches to decorate their homes. After Christmas gnome children
learn how to dry these precious forest gifts for various uses. Papa
gnome will teach Children that a gnome's Christmas tree should be
alive. They never cut down small saplings to bring into their homes.
They venture out in search of a special
tree. Then with the help of friends they decorate it with items the
Children make weeks before.
Tree decorations would include pine
cone scales hung from a string. These would be dipped in honey and
rolled in colored sugar grains. Tiny snow flakes are made using cedar
pieces dipped in liquid honey and glistening granulated sugar.
[Ever discover sugar on
your counter? Maybe, just maybe, a gnome was filling a bag for this
very purpose!] Berries are strung together and
wrapped around trees. Red rose hips and frosted blue juniper berries
are also very popular tree adornments along with bird feather
ornaments.
Gnome children love to make home made
icicles to hang on their trees. They make them by placing small sticks
in containers containing water and sugar that has been warmed on the
kitchen stove. As the days pass sugar or "ice" crystals form on the
sticks. These are hung on their Christmas tree and are similar to our
modern day candy canes. Mama gnome will often put some special
seasonal coloring into the sugar water to make glistening colored
icicles. Peppermint leaves added to the sugar water gives these candy
sticks a minty flavor.
Of course, no tree is complete without
a star. Stars are often created with pine needles using bees wax,
honey and sugar crystals. Occasionally, stars will be covered with
glitter made from ground precious rocks and minerals mined by the
gnomes.
We are often given gifts of knitted
caps with snow balls made from soft rabbit fur on the tips for
Christmas. This is one of our favorite gifts. Generally they are
 made by hand by female
gnomes - especially grandmas!
When spotted wearing these special caps
gnomes are often associated with Santa Clause and that great gnome,
the Sandman. When dressed in these caps and our good black boots it is
very easy to see the similarities, but of course you know that we are
much smaller.
When the weather is too cold for
outdoor activities gnomes will warm their homes with pine needles
discarded by humans while working on their favorite hobbies.
 Gnome
hobbies include, knitting, weaving, doll making and carving. During
long winter nights elders tell many legends and assist in teaching
young children. Knitting is a favorite of many female gnomes who
gather fur from rabbit dens. Young wives spend hours weaving
placemats, baskets and floor mats while young girls busy themselves
making apple dolls and special dream pillows (tiny pillows filled with
blends of dried plants, herbs and spices - at Christmas
they like dream pillows filled with cedar, cinnamon and cloves).
Boys are kept occupied learning wood carving and candle making from
their fathers. Then at Christmas gnomes gift one another with a
handmade item.
Christmas Eve
Feast Menu
Female gnomes enjoy hot dandelion tea
blended with herbs and spices. Children sip on aromatic apple cider
while males tend to indulge in mulled fruit wines that have been
specially aged in acorn flasks. Early in the eve they feast on nuts,
honey comb and maple sugar candy. Traditional Christmas meals always
include such dishes as steaming hot corn chowder accompanied by corn
bread. In the lower regions of a gnome home they grow special
Christmas mushrooms. These mushrooms are served with a nut sauce,
sweet potatoes and creamy rice pudding made with dried currents and
cranberries. When available they will roast a whole chestnut in their
ovens filling their home with wonderful aromas. Roasted chestnuts are
one holiday custom that's easy on their consciences. Unlike other
nuts, chestnuts are low in fat. A one-ounce serving of
roasted chestnuts contains less than a gram of fat. What's more,
chestnuts provide important nutrients, such as potassium and vitamin
C.
A special note: do
remember to leave out a bowl of porridge for your gnome friends. They
really appreciate it - as do the birds - and folklore tells us that if
you do this gnomes will bring you good luck.
Every member who places an entry on the
bulletin board in January 2002 will be entitled to have their name
entered into a draw for a very special ceramic gnome called, Father
Ice Crystal
by QueenGnome
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