THE York mum behind the craze for Terry's Chocolate Orange gonks says interest in the whacky festive treats has rocketed since she launched her Facebook group and appeared in The Press.
Mum-of-two Chelle Holmes set up a Facebook group and shared a video tutorial on how to make a Terry's Chocolate Orange gonk just five weeks ago.
An article on the group and the craze appeared in The Press last week and was followed up by other media.
Chelle, who runs her own cake decorating business, said everything just went "berserk" with thousands of enthusiastic crafts people joining in and sharing their handiwork on the Facebook page: Terry's Chocolate Orange Decorating UK, which now has almost 9,000 members.
Some of the gonks made by members of Chelle's Facebook page: Santa and Robin by Trudy Smith, Peaky Blinder by Trish Braithwaite and Poirot by Liz Murthar
Many are making 100s of Chocolate Orange-covered gonks to sell ahead of Christmas - often at £10 a piece - and say it is helping them earn much-needed cash during the current Covid pandemic.
Read more: York mum sparks global craze for Terry's Chocolate Orange gonks
Talented crafters can make up to four Chocolate Orange gonks an hour.
Designs include Santa, a robin, a Scotsman in a kilt and even a Peaky Blinder. Some crafters have made gonks as mini mascots for leading football teams such as Manchester United and Arsenal. You can even buy a gonk of Hercule Poirot!
Lesley Kavanagh made the Scotsman in a kilt gonk and the army one is by Beckie Harris
Gonks - ornamental gnome-like creatures - have become one of this year's most sought-after Christmas decoration and toy after celebrities such as Loose Woman star Stacey Solomon and social media influencer and cleaning guru Mrs Hinch shared photos of their favourites on the internet.
Mrs Hinch and Stacey Solomon who helped fuel the gonk craze
Chelle said: "Stacey Solomon and Mrs Hinch have got into gonks as Christmas decorations. My friend showed me one and it gave me the idea to decorate a gonk using a Terry's Chocolate Orange.
"I set up the Facebook group around Halloween and did a video tutorial on how to make a Terry's Chocolate Orange gonk. We only had a few hundred members then - but it just went berserk - now everybody is making gonks - and they are still at it.
"It's the weirdest thing ever!"
Talented cake decorators use coloured icing to craft the gonks.
Although receiving a Terry's Chocolate Orange at Christmas may seem a British tradition, people are making these gonks across the world, including in Australia and the US.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel