All's Wool That Ends Wooll

     The 6th day of the Month of Sleeping marks Gnorbu Shearing Day. In recognition of this special time of the year, here are fun things to do with your favourite formerly fuffy Neopet during and after the Shearing Festival!

     1. Knit a scarf

     Gnorbu wool is known to be the softest and warmest in Neopia, so if you're lucky enough to get a bagful of their wool, and you're feeling crafty, watch some how-to videos on VirtupetsTube and knit something! Gnorbu wool does take a little preparation, though, so when you get the raw wool you'll have to clean the wool nice and good. I’d recommend Gnorbu Conditioning Shampoo – if it’s good enough while it’s on your Gnorbu, it’s good enough now. You want to make sure it’s nice and clean – even if your Gnorbu has good hair care habits, once it’s off you can use the hottest water to really scour it. When it's clean, your wool is ready to spin into yarn, and once you have yarn you’re ready to knit up some socks and scarves and hats for your Gnorbu (or you!) to keep warm through the rest of winter.

      2. Get ya Gnorbu a tattoo

     Your Gnorbu is freshly sheared - time to have fun with tattoos, body glitter, and other wearables! In their woolly states, Gnorbus can't quite make full use of these fun customisables - skull and crossbones look a bit poofy, and roses a little bit hairy - but when they're fresh out of the shearing house, they can rock all the things. Let your Gnorbu's personality shine, whether it's delicate florals or tribal throwbacks to that Mystery Island vacation in Y4. The best part is, if your Gnorbu is going through a rebellious teenage phase and gets an edgy Sloth Tattoo, or a Heart Forehead Tattoo (bless), you know it's only temporary and will grow out.

      3. Wear. Sunscreen.

     Almost every Gnorbu owner finds this out the hard way, the first day after the Shearing Festival... their poor soft blue Cloud Gnorbu ends up lobster red. That's not an official rainbow pool colour but it is a risk - nay, rite of passage - that most Gnorbus go through after their first shear. So I'm sparing your poor baby some pain after their first shearing, when they're so sensitive to the sun! Make sure you slap on some sunscreen to protect your baby from the heat. Luckily, Neopia has a wide range of sun protection for you ranging from Factor 15 to Factor 50 Sun Tan Lotion. May I also suggest the aptly named Lovely Gnorbu Hat, a stylish addition to any Gnorbu's wardrobe:

     4. Play Messy Games

     My Gnorbu usually refuses to play Barf Boat because she doesn't want... well... Warf barf in her wool. But Shearing Day comes with all kinds of freedom, including playing all the messy, muddy, barfy games you can think of. My favourites: Ice Cream Machine, Web of Veernax (use baby oil to get the sticky webbing off!), and River Rush. Cleaning off is a breeze when you don't have 120 pounds of mud-soaked wool to wash afterwards. You might as wool get messy ;)

      5. Wear all the wigs

      Most Neopets wear wigs on their heads, like unimaginative plebes, but the body of a sheared Gnorbu is a space of endless possibilities. Your pet can now wear a wig on its head, on its back, on its bum; they can simultaneously rock tricoloured locks, ombre hair-flipping wigs, five-foot-extensions, and three high ponytails, all at once. Yaaaas queen, slay

      6. Eat

     Gnorbu Shearing Day comes with all kinds of Gnorbu-related delicacies. I realize that the thought of eating wool is a bit strange, but this is Neopia and we're used to eating some pretty odd stuff - Chewing Dung, anyone? Honestly, don't knock wool till you try it, it's so finely processed it's basically cotton candy, and its high fibre and has loads of vitamin C! Pictured above are my favourites, the Gnorbu Wool Burger, the Gnorbu Wool and Jelly Sandwich and Gnorbu Wool Noodles. Eat your wool, kids. It's good for ewe.

      7. Celebrate in style!

     Oh my goodness, have you guys seen the new Gnorbu Day releases?! That Poncho is everything. Yes, your Gnorbu is cool enough to rock it. The sandals are so delicate and their little pompoms match the Mountainous Gnorbu Headress. I want it all. Off to restock, I guess. Wish me luck.

      8. Get crafty with plushies

     Okay, first of all, I just want to put it on record that Gnorbu plushies are the actual cutest plushies in Neopia. Secondly - and bear with me, because this is a bit meta - you can make your own Gnorbu plushies stuffed with your Gnorbu's wool! It's fun and environmentally conscious.

     Also, I just wanted an excuse to post pictures of these plushies.

     9. Educate yaself

     As far as I am concerned, there is only one definitive text when it comes to Gnorbu shearing, and it's the Gnorbu Shearing Guide, updated annually by the Gnorbu Wool Institute. This is your go-to reference; don't skimp and try to read blog posts or listen to old wives' tales about traditional shearing. Your Gnorbu deserves the best, most modern approach to this form of craftmanship (some would say, art form). It takes more than a pair of shears!

     You can also consult the well-respected Tales of Gnorbu Tails, which contains educational anecdotes on tail care specifically. That includes the sometimes-awkward regrowth period when your Gnorbu's tail looks rather more like a bottle brush. (Gnorbus are sensitive so make sure you don't tease!)

     So there you have it. I hope this article gave you a few ideas about what to do with your beloved Gnorbu this Shearing Day! It only comes around once a year, so make sure your Gnorbu feels special and well loved.

     Fare thee wool, kind readers!