In the Scandinavian tradition, the gnomes live under the floor boards and help out farm animals and humans. But if you annoy them, they can play tricks on you. On Christmas eve, many Scandinavians still put out a bowl of hot porridge on the doorsteps for the Gnomes to enjoy, to keep them friendly in the year to come.

The Skandium Christmas gnomes, designed by Åsa Götander from Åsas Tomtebod, have become a beloved classic in our shops. They are made with wool from the free roaming sheep found on the Swedish island of Gotland, which are unique in quality.

Using their curly grey wool along with warm water and soap, we create a felt that is then handshaped into caps. The wool is also is turned into beards and hair. We also use sheepskin from arctic Icelandic sheep, which have a long straight fleece in a variety of colours. Each gnome is slightly different, giving them an individual personality.