From a freshly brewed cup of coffee to a vase full of beautiful blooms, there are plenty of simple things in life which bring us joy. However, let’s be honest for a second. Sometimes those little bundles of happiness can be a bit quirky. For instance, maybe you find delight in a small golden Maneki-neko (Japanese waving cat statue) or a shelf full of unique Polish pottery pieces. I’m not ashamed to admit one of my odd harbingers of joy are gnomes.

They are historical

Gnomes have been a thing in Europe for centuries. In ancient Rome, statues of Priapus (a lesser god of fertility) were planted in gardens to help ward off bad juju and ensure a bountiful harvest. Spurred on by a Swiss chemist in the 1500s, gnomes were established as small, mischievous magical earth-dwellers who roamed through gardens and fields helping crops grow. However, they weren’t the cute chubby little guys we know and love. It wasn’t until the early 1800s when they were firmly rooted in German folklore and fairytales that they became the instantly recognizable red hat-adorned shenanigan makers.

Garden gnomes grew in popularity when a British nobleman imported 21 terra cotta statues from German sculptor Philip Griebel in the 1840s. Gnomes were found in wealthy gardens throughout the U.K. until their decline in the early 20th century. When Disney released “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves,” a renewed love affair began. Although most are manufactured elsewhere, Griebel’s company is the lone company still producing the classic pottery in Germany.

Find your own

My fondness for gnomes goes back about eight years. A friend and I were going to a garden party-themed event and rather than going with the traditional fancy hat and dress, we decided to take the theme literally. We dressed as garden gnomes, complete with red conical hats with white yarn beards attached. From this singular event, I giggle every time I see one and think of my friend. I’ve amassed a small collection of Christmas “Heinzelmännchen” and was gifted Bubba, a New Orleans Saints garden gnome to help bring my favorite football team good luck.

You can find these cheeky little statues at most garden stores in Germany, especially during the warmer spring months. While they may not live up to their promise of helping around the garden, at least they’ll bring you a smile.