In the late 1960s, Hans Gustav Ehrenreich decided the world needed a little more joy—and he came up with a plan to offer just that.
The Danish cabinetmaker was no stranger to imaginative objects. In the small “Ehrenreichs Trækunst” workshop, Ehrenreich designed, hand-crafted, and sold his own one-of-a-kind pieces alongside unique wood art from all over the world. But he wanted to do more, to offer something beyond aesthetically pleasing form or useful function. And with the first Hoptimist prototypes, Bimble and Bumble, he was well on his way to creating the “happy movement” he’d hoped for.
Over the next several years, Ehrenreich continued to combine his skills as a craftsman with his desire to make others smile, even if only for a few moments. To the delight of his customers, the Hoptimist family grew, a bird and a frog taking shape alongside the two original characters.
The company’s hot run, unfortunately, didn’t last. The Hoptimists were discontinued in the 1970s, and the company stayed dormant for the next several decades. Until, that is, in 2009, when Ehrenreich’s son Jørn and designer Lotte Steffensen worked together to revive these happy little figurines.
In the years since, the company has grown exponentially, with an ever-increasing cast of characters joining the lineup. No matter the shape, each new addition is designed in the spirit of Ehrenreich’s original idea—to base the character drawings on a circle and an ellipse.
The Hoptimists’ actual function is equally uncomplicated, and equally effective. When you press down on the characters’ heads, the spring in the middle depresses and pops back up again, causing the head to bounce and jitter about. Or, as I often do while thinking through a conundrum, you can lightly and repeatedly tap the top of their heads, making your Hoptimist look as though they’re jabbering at you. It’s a surprisingly effective tool for making someone crack a smile or, like a rubber duck, for finding a solution to whatever has you stuck.
My personal favorite of the Hoptimist lineup is the small Wood Frog. Crafted from FSC™-certified oak and measuring just 1.9” long by 2” wide by 2” high, it’s tiny enough to sit most anywhere, from my desk to my bedside table to a tucked-away corner of the kitchen (in case of cooking-related irritation). The bulging eyes and tiny, round body delight me every time I see it, making me smile even when still.
Of course, there’s far more where that came from. Shiny and matte plastic. Metallics. Oak. A wide array of animals, available in both plastic and wood. Themed characters, including a cowboy and a viking. Babies. Graduates. Kings and queens. Holiday-inspired Hoptimists, including a stylish top-hat-wearing pumpkin. Lamps and speakers. The list goes on. And, with Hoptimists as a whole available in small, medium, and large—and individual Hoptimists often available in one or two different sizes—there’s something for every aesthetic, occasion, or placement preference.
Though the Hoptimists’ initial run was brief, their revival has netted them international popularity. Here in the United States, I see them in places from gift shops to specialty stores, enticing people to bring a little piece of happiness home with them. Thankfully, the Hoptimist website, which can be found HERE, means you don’t have to hunt for one of your own. You just have to choose the one you like best—though, with so many delightful options, that may be a task in and of itself.
