The first mention of a gonk dates back to the 1600s in Norway, and possibly even earlier than that. A well-known motifs of Nordic folklore the gonks part protector/elf on shelf who watched over homes from evil while also being mischievous themselves but often had a short tempered nature towards others.
The more modern and commercial gonks have been around since the 1960s. They were created by an English inventor called Robert Benson in his garden shed, and went on to become so popular that even celebrities like Ringo Starr or Peter Sellers had them!
Who invented gonks?
Robert Benson invented gonks in the 1960s in the style that we know and love today.
When was the first gonk made?
The first gonks were mentioned in the 1600s in Norway with some people even mentioning that they were in folklore as early as the 13th century.
Are gonks and gnomes the same?
Whilst Gonks look like gnomes, the main difference is that they originate from Scandinavian folklore, are essentially their version of Santa Claus, and you do not see their eyes.
What does a Gonk look like?
They are similar to a gnome in that they have a pointy hat, white beard and dark boots but their hat is over their eyes and they are more associated with Santa Claus as they are considered the Scandinavian version of this famous figure.
