Gaylord Palms Hidden Holiday Gnome Hunt Poster 02

These are but a few of the hundreds of posters, featuring the Travelocity gnome, reminding you (and your children – and the adults who act like children) to hunt for the little guys. They all look the same, and are attached to the light fixtures. They say Hidden Holiday Gnome Hunt featuring the Roaming Gnome (presented by Travelocity) How Many Can You Find?

You can find these signs everywhere in Gaylord Palms - from Key West, through Emerald Plaza and Market Square, all across St. Augustine, and into the Everglades. They’re not part of the hunt, although the kids would constantly point to them and say “found one!” laughing at their jokes that never get old.

These signs help me remember the extreme commercialism that binds us to Christmas, as you watch Carnival Cruise lines, Travelocity, and The Gaylord Palms in Orlando collect demographic data from people who would otherwise simply see the ICE! sculptures and then disappear back to their homes. Now, when you fill out your contest entry, you give each of these businesses your contact information so that they can all call you and mail you again and again for summer vacation, Christmas vacation, spring break, and so on.