Ho Ho Home
Posted 20 December 2022
It’s so nearly Christmas! Michael Bublé is well and truly defrosted, Chris Rea is checking his oil and of course, Father Christmas is loading his sleigh. Or at least having a mince pie while he watches his elves do the heavy lifting. Hands up if you’re excited, even if only for the extra bank holidays? Of course, Michael, Chris and the big FC are part of the traditions that come with our Christmas celebrations here, but in other countries things can be a little different.
Looking around the world, some of our favourite festive characters have to be from Scandinavian folklore. Known as Tomte in Sweden and Nisse in Norway, Scandi gnomes are small, loyal creatures with long beards and a love of hard work. They adopt homesteads and help out with all kinds of chores – taking care of homes, barns, family and livestock. Keep them happy and they’ll bring you presents at Christmas, but beware upsetting a gnome as they turn into mischievous little pranksters.
So, why do we love the idea of these gnomes so much? Well, aside from the fact they make sweet Christmas decorations, gnomes love homes – like us! Tomte, Nisse, Footprints, we all love to help make good homes and appreciate the value of having somewhere special to live. For a foster child, finding a loving home can make such a difference not just at Christmas, but all year round. Why? Well..
Firstly, there’s the physical safety of somewhere to be protected from the elements, to find food, rest and escape from the problems of the outside world. For a foster child, the chance to have a safe space, where no one will harm them and where they will be well cared-for can be huge. Being placed in a loving home is so often the start of a special journey.
Next there’s self-worth. When a child feels safe, they can begin to understand their own value. Bit by bit, our awesome foster carers are able to demonstrate love and help those in their care feel accepted. Social media and school friends may be good, but in a home families see each other without filters, the reality side of Instagram versus reality. When a foster child feels loved, valued and accepted exactly as they are, they can grow in all sorts of ways.
And a home can help a child develop their own values too. Having a solid set of role models helps us create a benchmark for everything else that will shape us in the future. A loving home can prepare a child to develop into their own person, enabling them to become the best version of themselves.
So, as we approach Christmas, like the gnomes let’s appreciate homes and all the awesome foster carers out there who open up theirs to give one of the best presents ever. Thank you!
We’ll be around in one way or another all over Christmas, so please contact us if you need to. You’ll find us listening to Chris Rea and trying to keep our home gnome happy.