Travelling gnome prank

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"Roaming Gnome" redirects here. For the Travelocity mascot, see Where is my Gnome?.

One gnome with Big Ben in London

The travelling gnome prank is a method of returning a garden gnome "to the wild". It involves stealing a gnome, taking it on a trip, and photographing it at famous landmarks, with the photos being returned to the owner.

There are many clubs and organizations dedicated to the prank; the best-known of these is the Garden Gnome Liberation Front.

[edit] Origins

The tradition was first recorded in Australia in the 1980s. Although not definitive, the following blurb appeared in the Regular Shorts feature of the Sydney Morning Herald of September 24, 1986: 'An Eastern suburbs gnome-owner was distressed when she discovered her gnome had been stolen at the weekend. A note was found in its place: "Dear mum, couldn't stand the solitude any longer. Gone off to see the world. Don't be worried, I'll be back soon. Love Bilbo xxx."'

[edit] References in popular culture

It was popularized by several films, including the 2001 movie Amélie, where it was featured as a subplot.

As a recurring easter egg, the programmers of the 2004 simulation game Sim City 4 implemented a gnome sprite in all the game's build-able landmarks. It would reveal itself to players at random intervals during gameplay.

In The Sims 3, the Mysterious Mr. Gnome is a special item that is randomly found in the catacombs, while fishing, when sending ore or gems to their respective refiners, or as an 'acquisition' from being promoted in the thief career track. The Mysterious Mr. Gnome is known to travel around your sim's property (although he is never seen in the act of moving from one place to another), and to do things such as watch tv, float, and do hand stands.

In the animated series Home Movies one can find a garden gnome in some form in every episode.

In 2004 it was featured in the viral marketing campaign Where is my Gnome? used by online travel agency Travelocity. Since then, the "Roaming Gnome" has become Travelocity's mascot.

The Matthew Good Band used this idea as the theme for the music video for their song 'Anti-pop'.

In the 2007 game Half-Life 2: Episode Two, an Achievement requires the player to carry a Garden Gnome throughout most of the game and place him into a rocket which in turn would launch him into space. Doing this will unlock the "Little Rocket Man" achievement on both the XBOX 360 and the PC.

In 2008 punk cabaret duo The Dresden Dolls released the song Night Reconnaissance. The song is about the lead singer, Amanda Palmer, recalling how she'd steal Garden Gnomes from middle class neighbourhoods as retribution for how she was treated in high school. The Garden Gnomes are then used as actors in a play staged in a barn loft.

Storylines involving travelling garden gnomes have appeared in soaps including both Coronation Street (Norris Cole pranking Derek Wilton) and Neighbours (Dr Karl Kennedy pranking Marlene Kratz)