YULETIDE BABY BOOM!

Remember last December 25th, when my gnomes

Fearsome the Fierce

and

Hengist the Hairy

unexpectedly and miraculously

produced a baby gnome named

Wulfbane the Wee? 

Well, they're at it again!

Fearsome and Hengist are.

I must say,

surprisingly fertile

for a gay couple.

Except this time, they produced

TWO baby gnomes!

Everyone, say hello to:

Tomte the Tiny

who is apparently a prodigy at

real estate wheeling and dealing

and already has his 

own gingerbread place!

And please give

another big welcome to:

Hedley the Half-Pint

who quickly exhibited a

deep affinity with rainbows!

Takes after his Dads, I guess.

Many thanks to the midwives

present at the miracle births:

my sister and Mistress Maddie.

[Photos © Debra She Who Seeks, December 2021 and 2022]

Time for an Advent Calendar!

I love Advent Calendars and have posted about some fun ones I had in the past, like these cheese ones (here and here) and this Avengers one (here).

But this year, I'm doing something different with the tradition --

I first read about Reverse Advent Calendars on the internet a few years ago. I thought it was a very cool idea -- an appropriate way to switch up ye olde countdown tradition from "receiving mode" to "giving mode" instead.

So this year, I'm finally getting around to doing a Reverse Advent Calendar myself. Every day from December 1st to 25th, I'll put aside a non-perishable food item and then, after Christmas, donate them all to the Edmonton Food Bank.

Here's my Reverse Advent Calendar setup --

As you can see, it has a festive theme! The great Xmas gnome tote bag given to me by blogging buddy Shirley sits atop the cute honeybee-gnome tea towel which was a gift from another blogging buddy, Ol'Buzzard and his lovely wife. My gay Yuletide gnomes, Fearsome the Fierce and Hengist the Hairy, are supervising the whole operation. Their baby, Wulfbane the Wee, is tasked with changing the daily date on the Christmassy perpetual calendar beside him.

So, in addition to benefitting a worthy charity, every gnome residing with me now has a special seasonal job to do and will be kept out of mischief for the entire month of December! BONUS!

It's a Yuletide/Festivus/Christmas MIRACLE!

You'll NEVER believe what happened!

My gnomes

Fearsome the Fierce 

and Hengist the Hairy

have had a BABY! 

The baby arrived the morning

of December 25, so

make of that what you will.

And here he is!

Say hello to:

Wulfbane the Wee!

Because he is just a baby,

Wulfbane has not been assigned

any official duties.

His parents will keep him

occupied and out of trouble.

Or . . . 

WILL they?

Man, my Big Basket of Cushions

is getting CROWDED!

[Photos © Debra She Who Seeks, December 2021]

I'll Be Gnome For Christmas

I'm sure you all remember my gnome

FEARSOME THE FIERCE

Official Guardian of the

Big Basket of Cushions.

And I'm sure you also all remember 

my sister's gnome

TEERLINCK THE TENACIOUS

Official Advisor Concerning 

All Puzzles, Games and Mysteries.

Well, unbeknownst to anyone,

it turns out that Teerlinck

has a younger brother named

HENGIST THE HAIRY.

Hengist unexpectedly showed up

at my door last week and has

taken quite a shine to Fearsome.

QUITE A SHINE INDEED!

 

Now they're snuggled up together

in the big basket of cushions,

where Hengist has been appointed

Official Guardian of the 

Portable AM/FM Radio

(which, curiously enough, only gets 

good reception in that exact spot.)

I'm sure the boys will live

happily ever after!

Hey, maybe I should call

the Hallmark Channel

and pitch this as a new

Holiday Romance Movie!

Aren't they always looking

for more diversity?

They could use some!

I got the title for today's post

from this adorable tote bag

just sent to me by blogging buddy

Shirley of BootsandBraids.

Thanks, Shirley! You rock!

[photos © Debra She Who Seeks, 2020 & 2021]

The Gnome Has A Name!

Remember this little guy who needed a name? My sister enjoyed all your suggestions posted in the comments, especially "Conehead the Barberless" and "Ima Gnome." But she remained undecided.

So before choosing a moniker, my sister focused instead on what her gnome's job should be around her abode. As you know, gnomes must have an important "official household task" to perform in order to keep them busy, so they won't simply run amok making mischief. 

My sister informed me that, unlike MY gnome, HER gnome won't just be "guarding any old throw pillows," but will be a valued assistant in her favourite hobby -- solving crossword puzzles, code breaking games, and armchair detective challenges.

As soon as she decided on the gnome's job, the perfect name came to her! My sister is a big fan of the Belgian TV series Professor T (Professor Teerlinck) broadcast on PBS. "The ORIGINAL series, not that crappy British remake," she advises. "That's a VERY PALE IMITATION." I watched the British version (also on PBS) and, you know, it is a perfectly fine and entertaining series. In that one, Professor T is renamed Professor Tempest. 

Are any of you watching Professor T (original or remake)? Here's a short intro to the Belgian series --

And just to be fair and even-handed, here's a promo for the British remake --

My sister's gnome will need great brilliance and detective skills to perform his job, so my sister has named him after her beloved Professor T. Say hello to --

Teerlinck the Tenacious!

Help Name This Gnome!

Remember my gnome, Fearsome the Fierce, 

who came to guard my basket of cushions last year?

Well, my sister loved him so much 

she just HAD to have a gnome of her own, 

so my crafter friend made her one 

in blue and silver. 

Here he is in his new home

at my sister's place.

Isn't he adorable?

But now he needs an appropriate name! 

My sister inquires whether

anyone has some inspired suggestions?

Please share them in the comments!

Remember This Little Guy?

My Nordic gnome objected very strenuously to being put away until next December. He wanted to remain out and about, so I had to find a new household job for him to perform, in order to prevent him from simply running amok making mischief. Wrangling Christmas cards is a seasonal task only.

Therefore, he is now the Permanent Official Guardian of The Big Basket of Cushions in the living room and has settled into his new responsibilities quite well.

And he is no longer nameless. Because of his rather magnificent beard, he has proudly taken the moniker of: 

Fearsome the Fierce! 

He chose this name because he is a great admirer of the blog Fearsome Beard and checks out the featured "Beard of the Day" regularly, if you know what I mean.

[photos © Debra She Who Seeks, 2020 & 2021]

And Now, In Nordic News

Hail, Sister Valkyries and Brother Berserkers!

Earlier this month, My Rare One and I had occasion to dress in our best Viking finery for a photo shoot. 

Despite appearances, we are not bedecked in red feather boas. That's the blood of our enemies. FEAR US.

But the photo shoot wasn't the only Scandihoovian excitement this month!

One of My Rare One's neighbours is a wonderful artist and crafter. She very generously gifted each of us with a Nordic Gnome that she made this Christmas!

When a Gnome enters your home, it is critical to give them an important, useful job to do or else they'll simply run amok making mischief.

So My Rare One's Gnome is busy guarding Ukrainian Easter eggs that My Rare One has made over the years.

Meanwhile, my Gnome is wrangling Christmas cards, keeping them neat, tidy and orderly.

Aren't they adorable?

Squeeeeeee!