Christmas Gonks: The Complete Guide

Why are gonks linked with Christmas?

In Scandinavian folklore, the tomte or nisse was a year-round farm spirit. During the 19th century, though, it became firmly tied to Christmas. In 1881 the Swedish poet Viktor Rydberg published Tomten, a winter poem about a lone tomte keeping watch over a sleeping farm, and the illustrator Jenny Nyström went on to paint friendly, red-capped tomtar for Christmas cards and magazines. Her pictures helped turn the grumpy farm spirit into the cheerful Christmas figure we recognise.

Today, the jultomte in Sweden and the julenisse in Norway and Denmark play a role similar to Father Christmas, and many families still leave out Christmas porridge for him. The modern British Christmas gonk borrows that look and that cosy spirit. For the full story, see the history of gonks.

Popular styles of Christmas gonk

Christmas gonks come in more shapes than any other seasonal range. The main ones are:

Our guide to types of gonk goes into each one in more detail.

Christmas gonk colours and themes

Red and white gonks with fluffy white beards are the classic look, and they suit a traditional tree. But shops now offer whole ranges built around a colour scheme, so you can match your gonks to the rest of your decorations:

• Traditional: red, white and green, often with pom-poms and bells.
• Scandi and natural: grey, cream, oatmeal and sage green, sometimes with knitted or corduroy hats.
• Tartan: red or grey tartan hats for a Scottish or country-house feel.
• Pastel and pink: blush pink, white and silver, popular for modern trees.
• Sparkle: sequinned or glittery hats. Lovely on a shelf, but sequins can come loose, so keep these away from small children.

For ideas on putting it all together, see decorating with gonks.

When do Christmas gonks go on sale?

In recent years, garden centres and homeware shops have started putting out Christmas gonks in early autumn, often alongside their Halloween stock. Supermarkets and discount shops usually follow from October or November. Sought-after designs, especially giant gonks and limited colours, can sell out well before Christmas, so if you've seen one you love, it is worth buying early. Our journal article when do gonks go on sale? has a month-by-month calendar.

How to choose a Christmas gonk

1. Decide where it will go. Measure the shelf or spot first. Listed heights usually include the hat, which can be most of the gonk.
2. Pick a colour scheme that suits your tree and room, or start a mix-and-match gang.
3. Check who it is for. For a child, choose a soft toy that is clearly labelled as a toy and carries a UKCA or CE mark. Many gonks say "decoration only, not a toy". Read are gonks safe for children?
4. Look at the details: weighted base, wired legs or hat, batteries, and whether it is for indoor use only.
5. Think about storage. Giant gonks look wonderful but take up a lot of loft space for eleven months. See how to store gonks.

Christmas traditions you can try with a gonk

• Christmas Eve porridge. Borrow the Scandinavian custom and leave out a little bowl of rice pudding or porridge with butter for your gonk.
• A December hiding game. Move a gonk to a new spot each morning for children to find. Our article on a gonk hide-and-seek game explains how.
• A new gonk every year. Many families add one gonk each Christmas, so the gang grows with the children.
• Make your own. A sock gonk takes under an hour. Follow our step-by-step guide.

Where to buy Christmas gonks

You'll find Christmas gonks at garden centres, homeware shops, supermarkets, charity shops, Etsy makers, Amazon and eBay. Each has its strengths. Compare them in our guide to where to buy gonks in the UK, look for present ideas in gonk gift ideas, or browse our hand-picked Christmas gonks.