Latest news with #gnomes
Daily Mail
07-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Shopper in tears over Bunnings employee's unexpected act: 'Are you joking?'
Christian Hull has been brought to tears by a Bunnings employee's random act of kindness during a recent store visit. The Aussie podcast host was trying to get his hands on the sought-after Bride and Groom gnomes from the popular children's TV series Bluey. One of the workers at the store informed Christian that most of the popular $19 gnomes were already sold out but suggested he check the range in aisles 13 and 14. However, the two gnomes he wanted were nowhere to be found. 'Are there any secretly out the back?' Christian cheekily asked. In an unexpected move, employee Alicia told the comedian she had set aside the Bride and Groom gnomes for him, knowing he had been looking for the pair. 'Did you actually?' Christian said in disbelief. The worker, who's among Christian's 1.9 million followers on TikTok, decided to put the gnomes on hold for him after seeing his plea on social media. 'Are you joking?' he said. 'Oh my god, I'm gonna cry with absolute joy and happiness.' Christian burst into tears as the employee returned with the gnomes. Filled with emotion, he then started hiding his face under his hand, laughing hysterically as he realised: 'I'm a grown man.' 'Oh my god,' he added. The shopper said he couldn't believe his luck. 'I legitimately thought I was going to come in here, and they'd be all gone,' he said. 'But thank you to Alicia from Bunnings, who I'm campaigning for a pay rise.' 'Oh my god, I secured the gnomes I have the husbands and a wife,' he said. 'I repeat, I have husbands and a wife. How the f*** did I manage that? Well we all know how - it was Alicia. She was the absolute best human ever.' Sitting in his car in the Bunnings carpark, Christian said: 'Genuinely, hand on heart, (I thought I) was going to film my disappointment.' The shopper joked he had 'slept through' the 'buying craze' on launch day so he thought he'd 'miss out yet again' on the wildly popular Bluey gnomes. However, he thanked the employee for her kind gesture after she helped him secure the two gnomes he needed for his collection. 'What a rollercoaster,' he said. His video has been viewed more than 640,000 times - with many saying they were delighted to see the Bunnings employee going above and beyond for Christian. 'I love this for you. As a fellow Bunnings gal Alicia is a SLAY for doing this,' one said. 'This is so beautiful. I used to work in retail and had a few special customers I would keep certain items for that I knew they'd like. This is what exceptional customer service looks like, going above and beyond,' another shared. 'Alicia. What a legend,' one suggested. 'Alicia is the real MVP,' another added. The Bluey gnomes have been flying off shelves across Australia in recent weeks - just a year after they sold out in just hours.
Daily Mail
29-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Bunnings brings back popular $22.50 item after selling out in just HOURS: 'OMG I need them all'
Bunnings Warehouse is bringing back a wildly popular $22.50 item after previously selling out within hours of hitting shelves. The Bluey garden gnomes are making a comeback, along with three new additions - Gerald and Bride and Groom Gnomes - which are expected to fly off shelves. After a huge success last year, fan-favourite characters Hecuba, Tony, Jeremy and Meditation Gnomes are back on shelves - with many shoppers eager to get their hands on the sought-after ceramics. 'We're thrilled to bring another slice of Bluey's world into homes across Australia - this time with our Bluey-inspired kids' homewares range, and of course, the much-loved Bluey gnomes,' Bunnings general manager marketing Justine Mills said. 'It's clear how much fans connect with the show given how quickly last year's Bluey gnomes flew off the shelves. 'We know they will be eager to build on their collections, and we're excited to see how customers respond to our new range and in-store activities... Bluey and Bunnings couldn't stay apart - the duo just works.' The gnomes sparked a frenzy last year - with shoppers revealing they missed out on them as they had already been snapped up by the time they got to the store. They were so popular that Bunnings was forced to introduce a purchase limit, allowing customers to buy only four gnomes per transaction. Fans have already expressed their excitement over the return of the gnomes, with one mum revealing: 'Wow this is going to cost me a fortune - I want them all.' For families looking for a mid-winter makeover, homewares from Bluey and Bingo's bedroom will be available in real life products in-store and online. From the iconic watermelon rug to light-up paper lanterns and glow-in-the-dark stickers, Bunnings is stocking everything you need to transform your kid's space with a Bluey twist. The warehouse giant has joined forces with BBC Studios and Ludo Studio again to unveil an adorable Bluey range, with Hammerbarn branded socks, key rings, bucket hat and children's tote bag available across all stores. 'Partnering with Bunnings once more allows us to deliver fresh, engaging experiences that celebrate Bluey's quintessential Aussie-ness and connect deeply with fans,' BBC Studios Australia & New Zealand, Director of Brands & Licensing, Scott Modra said. 'This partnership continues to resonate so strongly with families, and it's been incredible to see how Bluey has become part of the everyday language and play of kids across the country. 'From the gnomes to the new bedroom range, this collaboration is all about sparking imagination and fun - and we can't wait to see how fans embrace it this year.' From Wednesday, July 30, Bunnings stores across Australia will launch DIY activities and a scavenger hunt for families to enjoy - plus new Bluey products and Hammerbarn merchandise - inspired by the show's much-loved hardware store.
BBC News
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Hundreds of tiny gnomes hidden across town 'to make people' smile'
Hundreds of tiny gnomes have been hidden in nooks and crannies across a Lancashire town by a seven-year-old girl "to make other people smile".The colourful, bearded miniatures, found behind plant pots and windowsills in Accrington, were created by 3D printing shop owner Michael for his daughter Amara. He said she "loves to go hide them around town", and "it makes her feel happy" to think finding one of the gnomes might brighten someone's day. The gnome takeover has caused some confusion among residents, with one person posting online: "My daughter keeps finding these tiny gnomes around town... Does anybody know why?" Michael owns Geeks 'n' Gizmos, a shop selling 3D printed gaming miniatures, and began making the creatures for his daughter. The gnomes are tiny, between two and three centimetres tall. Michael said he has been inundated with messages since residents began discovering the said there have been "so many people wanting to find them, saying they're gonna go out just to look for gnomes."The shop owner said he plans to keep making them for his daughter to hide, and has encouraged people to take photos of the gnomes and post them online."It could be a little happy thing for Accrington town I think. It keeps her happy, and makes other people happy as well," he said. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Telegraph
12-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Think you're an expert on gnomes? This book will change everything
The sartorial image of the garden gnome – once so maligned that the RHS banned it from the Chelsea Flower Show – has greatly improved since it emerged that the King has one at Highgrove. At the same time, the gnome in literature has been undergoing its own reinvention. The first references date to the Renaissance, when the Swiss physician Paracelsus described them as 'diminutive figures two spans in height who do not like to mix with humans' – a premise developed in different ways by 20th-century writers such as CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien. But today's gnome has suddenly become cuddly, as proved by a wave of picture books such as The Gnomes and Their Hats (by Prima Jenkins), in which a group of warm-hearted gnomes teach us lessons about diversity and acceptance. The Gnome Book, by the Dutch illustrator Loes Riphagen, marks another step in the gnome's rebranding. The book is narrated by Kick, who is 'as tall as six sweets piled on top of each other'. 'As you can see, I'm a gnome,' he explains. 'A real one. I'm guessing you think you know a lot about me? Well, actually, you don't!' You can say that again. For, as Kick goes on to tell readers of five-plus, the life of a modern gnome is very different from the fairy-tale image of toadstools and forest glades to which we may still naïvely adhere. For a start, most of them live in towns: 'There's a lot of space between the walls and under the floors of houses. That's where we make our homes.' And while they don't have jobs, they're ingenious inventors, making motor cars out of matchboxes and aeroplanes out of plastic bottles. At the local gnome school, meanwhile, Kick learns everything from music and art, to more nuanced skills such as communicating with snails by sign language. He's also given lessons in basic survival: the first line of defence, if spotted by a human, is to pretend to be a garden gnome. ('Whenever anyone sees you, you have to freeze and stare into space with a dumb expression.') But while Riphagen makes play out of demystifying the gnome, the charm of her book (translated by Michele Hutchison) lies in the carefully thought-out details that distinguish gnomes from human beings, which she captures in expressive illustrations. As Kick explains, gnomes have only four fingers on each hand – 'I don't have a little finger like you do' – and their heads 'slowly get pointy as we grow old'. Still, when it comes to affairs of the heart, they're softer than ET. '[They] can't help feeling each other's feelings. So when Mud lost his lucky stone, all the other gnomes in the country started crying.' Any child who thinks they know all about gnomes will find plenty to challenge their assumptions. And yet at the heart of The Gnome Book lies one of the oldest morals of children's fiction: however great our differences, we're more alike than we think.
South China Morning Post
16-02-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Write a funny caption for this unique way of taking a bath
Ha-ha-happenings Participants dressed in costumes slide down a hill in bathtubs during the 11th Bathtub Race at Stoos, Switzerland. Photo: AP Enjoy the audio version of this article! A quirky race in Switzerland last month made 'running a bath' quite literal. In Stoos, participants in costumes raced down a mountain in bathtubs. This year's costumes included pigeons, gnomes, firemen, and Teletubbies. The event started by accident when a plumber's van accidentally let a bathtub slide down the snow, inspiring the idea for the race. Ruchi Shah Send us a funny caption by filling out the form. The deadline is at 12pm on February 19. We'll publish the best ones next week. Last week's top captions An Oregon state resident has confessed to placing googly eyes on city sculptures, sparking a viral sensation. Photo: AP Wong Chun-hei (aged 10), Yaumati Catholic Primary School: Humans, don't do anything illegal! My big eyes are watching you! Maisie Lo Sze-man (aged 11), CCC Kei Wai Primary School: What happened to your eyes? Are you feeling surprised? Enjoy the audio version of this article!
