Swiss Garden Gnomes

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Garden gnomes or Gartenzwergeare everywhere. On the 5 minute walk from my son’s school to the grocery store, there are 12. At first, I found them a bit creepy, but I have grown to love these little guys and I think they are so cute. Most people have a couple, but some people go gnome crazy. I have seen gardens with 20 gnomes or more.

Garden gnomes originate in Germany. They have been around for at least 200 years and traveled to the rest of Europe shortly after. In Switzerland, they have been around for almost as long as in Germany.

It has become a common prank to steal garden gnomes and there is even an organization called the Garden Gnome Liberation Front. It started in Paris and has now become global. They demand that gnomes be released into the wild and not continue with their oppression as garden slaves. Vive la libération!

Sometimes a “liberated” gnome is sent around the world with pictures being taken of their travels. Travelocity capitalized on this idea and uses the roaming gnome as its mascot. It’s all fun and games, but some of these people have gotten in trouble and had to face criminal charges for theft. I would feel bad stealing a gnome, because they can be a bit pricey.

I do feel like I should buy a couple and make my balcony more Swiss. I also need some little flower boxes. Since the weather is starting to get nice, I am going to Swissify my outdoor area.

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