
The People of Laaf are a race which turned up in Efteling in 1990, seeking out a nicer place to live. Their village is located in the Fairy Realm in the park, and there you can visit the Laafs and watch them go about their everyday business, including baking, wine making, and attending school. Here is a nice long story about how the Laafs came to be, so grab yourself some Laaf beer (or ordinary beer…) and enjoy…
Written by: Ton van der Ven
Former Creative director of “de Efteling”
Once upon a time….long, long ago, the peace-loving Laafs lived in a land that was heaven on earth. This land was located somewhere above the North Pole, where the Laps now live.
In that time, the North Pole was delightfully warm and the Laafs lived outdoors, not needing to build houses for shelter. Wild goats wandered the hillside and provided the Laafs with milk and cheese. Fruits and berries grew in abundance and streams of clear, cool water flowed across the countryside of the Laafs. It was truly the land of milk and honey. The Laafs all share the same mother and father.
Father Laaf, patriarch of the clan married Mother Lot. Mother Lot is a very important person to the Laafs; not just because she is their mother, but because she also gives all Laafs their immortality. The Laafs are very remarkable folk, but when they grow old, they run out of steam. When this happens, the Laaf must go to Mother Lot who then gives the Laaf some of her steam. The Laaf is rejuvenated by this steam and can then begin life anew.
Father Laaf was the first to run out of steam. This happened at a time when the earth was growing cold. Gradually, the North Pole became covered with ice, as we know it today. The cold turned some of them into a frightful blue color. Father Laaf realized that although a Laaf is a strong creature, temperatures below zero could kill them, so he came up with a solution. The Laafs would dig deep into the earth to where the hot lava bubbled.
When the Laafs had accomplished this task, Mother Lot gathered all of her Laafs who were still above ground and brought them down into the warm safety of the earth. But Father Laaf did not realize that Mother Lot had already gone below. He thought she was still above ground gathering her children.
As he searched for his wife and children, the temperature dropped to a breathtaking 60 below zero. Realizing that Mother Lot must have gone below, he stumbled towards the hole in the earth, but it was too late and he became a victim of the cold just inches before reaching his destination. The Laafs retrieved their frozen father and began the underground journey that would last for thousands of years. Little is known about the travels of the Laafs below. From time to time, they would burrow to the earth’s surface to take a look at the world above, but they could never find a place that appealed to them. Everywhere the Laafs poked a hole in the surface to peek out, a stream of molten lava would come gushing out. Soon there were mountains of lava, which today we call volcanoes, dotting the entire world.
One day, in the year 1989, the Laafs heard cheerful music and laughter coming from the surface above them. They had tunneled below a place called the Efteling in the Netherlands. The Efteling is one of Europe’s oldest and most attractive theme parks. The Laafs decided to investigate the source of the music and made their tunnel to the surface. When they saw the beauty and the colors of the Efteling, the Laafs knew they had finally found a place where they could be happy again.
The Laafs have enjoyed living in the Efteling. There is always something to see and do. From their hiding places, they listen to the stories of the visitors in the park. Some of these visitors come from nearby villages or towns, while others are from very far away. The Laafs, who listen to tales from far away lands have become curious and eager for adventure. They long to see places beyond the boundaries of the Efteling. Mother Lot, always sympathetic to the feelings of her children, is allowing some of her children to now travel to places such as the United States in order to find new adventures. Mother Lot will check on the progress of her children from time to time and asks all who see them to be kind; they have so much to learn after all those years spent underground.
(With thanks to the Efteling for providing the above text on the history of the Laafs.)
© 1990 de Efteling
© 1990 NIOP
De Efteling® and the Laaf People ® are registered trademarks of: De Efteling B.V.Europalaan 1, 5170 AA Kaatsheuvel, Netherlands
Many years ago, the park sold smaller versions of Laafs (smaller being on average

70cm) which you could ‘adopt’ and take home with you. There are garden Laafs and house Laafs, and each one serves a purpose, such as a bird feeder, a dog bowl and many more. Each Laaf came with its own passport and Laaf coin, as well as an ‘L’ somewhere on its person, to show that it was an authentic Laaf.
A few years after the original Laafs were produced for adoption, smaller Laafs were introduced to stores, including garden centres worldwide. I believe that they were made smaller to fit into homes easier, and to not take up as much space as the originals.

An original Laaf called Lastpost, rescued from eBay! He tells you to wipe your feet as you walk past, how kind of him.
The Laafs were created by Ton van de Ven, who was also the brains behind the Dreamflight, Fata Morgana, and countless other attractions at Efteling. At one time, there were also Laaf clothes, dolls, clocks, ornamental houses, and even Laaf beer!

Above are some of the Laaf houses along with their original prices.

As mentioned, the Laafs are helpful souls, and carry out many duties around the home and garden. Above, you can see some garden Laafs, a house Laaf, and some water Laafs. The water Laafs can be hooked up to hoses and water fountains etc, to help add character to your garden and/or pond. One of the garden Laafs can be seen carrying flowers, whilst another carries eggs.
Click here if you’re looking to buy second hand Laven.

eftelinguk.com 
J’AIMERAI FAIRE L’ACHAT DES LAAFS. COMMENT FAIRE?
Ils ne sont plus en production. Le meilleur endroit pour les trouver est eBay! Toutes mes excuses pour mon français!
Efteling UK
j’aimerais compléter ma collection (16) de laaf, comment dois je faire ?
Merci
Dominique Lacommare
Bonjour! The only way to find Laaf folk now is through sites like eBay.
Thanks for stopping by!
I would like to become a distributor for Laafs here inthe US. Anyone know how that might come to be?
I don’t think that is possible, as they are no longer in production!
Efteling UK
I have the Lumen collectible. With Laaf Passport & Adoption Certificate. In the orginal box. I am curious how much is it worth?
Is it a large Laaf or a small one? The larger ones tend to go for a fair bit of money on eBay, sometimes up to the £100 mark. Having the passport and certificate is definitely going to be on your side if you are trying to sell! Of course, it depends what someone is willing to pay for it, but there does always seem to be a lot of bids on the Laafs that show up on eBay. I know that there are some people on our Facebook page who were looking for Laafs if you wanted to upload a photo or something.
Good luck!
I belive it is around 15 inches. How do I download a pic here?
Sounds like it may be a smaller Laaf. If you would like to send it to me I could upload it in a post on here, or you can ‘like’ us on Facebook, and upload one to our wall if you like. Our e-mail is info@eftelinguk.com
Thank you!
have a leprechaun paper towel holder laaf im interested in value and if i could acquire adoption papers and certificate for it
thanks
Do you have a photo? If you don’t have the adoption papers I don’t believe that there is a way of obtaining them, since Laafs have not been in production for many years. Even without these though, Laafs can bring a decent amount of money on eBay, as they are very sought after!
I too have a laaf, I have had it for over 20 years, it is a toilet roll holder and so cute, would love to know how much he is worth he is sitting on a toilet with a very pained expression on his face, very heavy. if someone can help me out I would be ever so grateful. Cheers lynne Australia.
Hi Lynne! Thanks for reading the site. I think I know exactly the Laaf you mean. It is hard to say how much they are worth exactly, as it all depends if you find the right person at the right time. If you check out the ‘completed listings’ on eBay, that should give you a better indication of how much they are going for on there. Of course, I have no idea how popular these little guys are in Australia! I’m surprised that they even made it over there. I hope that you have good luck selling him!
Efteling UK
Hİ,
I have some laafs and I’m looking for some else because I believe thay brings me chance. So would you please help me; where or how can ı find some functional and decorative ones?
We’ve found some useful ones on eBay before. Other than there, we don’t know of another way to get them, so just keep checking eBay 🙂 thank you for contacting us 🙂
Please bring the Laafs back into production…
Dear sir. Madam,
I have a laaf in my collection but he misses something in his hands, i hope you can tell me what he is missing, his serial number is: f.50060.01.027a3.
With kind regards,
Iris
Hi, do you have a photo of him? If you send us one we might be able to tell you. Our e-mail is info@eftelinguk. com. Many thanks.
We have two living happily in our garden, it is so sad they are no longer in production we love them 🙂
Thanks for visiting the site! We’d love to see a photo of them!
Have a Laaf gnome that has an electronics malfunction with the motion sensor. Where can one obtain replacement parts for this?
Hi Rex! Is it the Laaf that tells you to wipe your feet? Unless you can somehow fix it yourself then I’ve no idea, since Efteling don’t make Laafs any more. Have you tried Googling it? If its just the sensor then maybe it can be replaced on its own.
Thanks for the reply.
The gnome in question belongs to someone else I am helping.
What is this particular gnome named?
Per your reference, for what would I Google?
If it’s the one I’m thinking of, we have him and I believe he’s called Lastpost.
Also, you recommended to Google for the sensor.
What specifically would I request in the search line?
I’m not selling ours. I’m sorry I can’t help much with the sensor but try ‘motion sensor replacement’.
If you don’t mind, what is the price you are asking for Lastpost?
HI,I have a few Laaf gnomes,some small (fridge magnets),some bigger..they all have series number,three of them have a little paper attached to their neck with description in Dutch and the bigger ones have a stamp as well…I would like to know more about them…how can I know whether thez are original or not, price,place to sell etc.Thank yu very much!
Hi, thanks for checking us out! If they have a serial number and a stamp they are most likely original. Do they have a little passport with them too? Actual laafs do and we have some Christmas decorations that also have one. Do you have a photo?
Thank you for your reply!I have some photos as well. What exactly is a passport in this case?Sme of them have some sort of certificate attached…
http://thumbs3.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mjSaQIGfokaEjyO2uANn5nw.jpg that is the passport. Fell free to email us with the photos and we can have a look! info@eftelinguk.com
Hi there, I have Lain Laaf, an adorable young salesman. He has been safely in his box in storage until today when I thought it was about time he showed his face. When I extricated him from his original packaging I found he has a broken leg. Can you please tell me how I can repair him. I would love to have him back in my garden for Autumn. the only way he was damaged is if he was dropped in transit as I have shifted a couple of times
Kind regards
Cher
Hi, thanks for getting in touch! One of ours has head his head knocked off twice now (poor guy) and we just used superglue. He’s been fine ever since!
Thanks 🙂 I tried to send you photos of him but wordpress ran into a problem
Feel free to e-mail us info@eftelinguk.com the super glue should work though 🙂
Hola,yo tengo un laaf y me gustaría saber que valor tiene,si es original y cual es su historia, se le rompió la herramienta que tenia en sus manos…gracias
Hola, lo siento, no hablo español! Si él tiene un poco de moneda pegada a él, y tiene un pasaporte, que es la cosa real. También buscar un número de serie en la parte inferior de él. No dude en enviarnos una foto. muchas gracias.
I am sooo sad that these little ones are no longer in production…!! 😦 My husband started the collection for me a few years ago, but only have 3 of them!! Wanted to add to my lonely group but cant find them anywhere!! 😦
Yes, sadly, eBay is the only place really.
Is there anywhere that I can get pictures of the whole collection so I can start crossing them off when I see them on ebay??
Hi Julie. I have a couple of scans of Laaf leaflets I can show you, but there were so many other little ones that I don’t have a whole list. The ones the leaflets show are the larger ones and the slightly smaller ones they made later on. I’ll send them to your e-mail. Thanks for checking out the site!
I HAVE A LARGER LAAF#003874 CALLED TGE POSTMAN. WHERE CAN I FIND A POSSIBLE PRICE FOR HIM IN CASE I DECIDE TO PART WITH HIM. THANKS, PAT
Do you have a photo? It really depends what someone is willing to pay, but larger ones tend to bring more money.
Hi
My Laaf men one with a basket full of lobsters, one lounging on a hammock and the other singing in the rain love them dearly. We have volcanoes in New Zealand hopefully some will pop up….so sad they are no longer in production…regards
I have misplaced my papers on my laaf. How can I search for his name by the serial #
Hello and thank you for checking out the site! There is not really any way that I know of of doing this, as there isn’t even an official Laaf website anymore. However, do you have a photo of it? I may be able to help if I see it!
Thanks.
hi i have 3 laafs lazy art# 19081 scan # 8714661190810, lam art# 19085 scan # 8714661190858 , lood art # 19083 scan 8714661190834 can you give me any info. like year made or are there more of them and what are they called
Hi, do you have any photos? If you want to send them to info@eftelinguk.com I’ll try and help!
I love all my little guys, but I am going to have to down size, and am thinking of finding them a new home. I have the door man who has the programmable (well it was, haven’t touched the recorder part in years). I have the towne cryer toilet paper holder (everyone’s favorite), The grumpy faced toilet brush holder, and the chef paper towel holder. I have the passport for Lax (papertowel holder) and Lastpost. Any ideas on pricing I should go for?
Hi Mary, I’m sending you an e-mail to the e-mail address used here, if you don’t get it, please let me know!
Mary I would be interested please email me plhc27@yahoo.com in buying all three door man toilet paper holder toilet brush holder
please pass on to Mary
i have 15 laaf figures with passports i will probably soon to put on ebay
Feel free to post the link on our Facebook page!
I recently acquired a Laaf figurine that hangs and looks over the fence. I cant find out anything about him. Can someone help me??
Do you happen to have a photo? I might be able to find out the name of him. What else did you wish to know about him?
I have a picture of the Laaf you say you have. His name isl Loens #10010 hope this is helpful.
Are these still available to buy
Sorry but these went out of production several years ago.
Hello I have a larger Laaf figurine of a older Italian Chef it seems to be. His hands are joined in a circle and theres a tree I believe at the bottom of it. I sent you pictures to the email you provided to everyone else. I found him at a Goodwill here in Pennsylvania (USA) and am looking for the name and value basically. Thanks in advance.
Those Laaf folk really do get around! Value depends on what someone will pay for it, they’re not in production anymore so if someone really wants it they might pay more, but over in the UK, they go for roughly 30-40£ a Laaf. I’ve replied to your email.
Were can I buy a Eaaf in the uk I live in East Devon
Hi Chrissy. Unfortunately Laafs have not been in production for many years, so the only place to get them is somewhere like eBay.
Thanks for stopping by!
Bonsoir
J’ai plusieurs Laaf a vendre 9 exactement
Je voudrais savoir le prix pour les vendre
Merci
Sorry I don’t speak French, but I would suggest looking at the sold section on eBay to get an idea of prices. It depends on the Laaf and age, condition etc. Feel free to send photos on our Efteling Fans UK website and I could try and advise you more.
Merci.
Je ne trouve pas pour mettre des photos sur le site
Pouvez vous m’aider
Merci
You can send them in a message if that helps.
Hi, I was curious about a LAAF kitchen gnome I have had for years. I believe his name is LIST and he is the wooden spoon holder. I have looked around and can’t find anything about this gnome and it’s value. It seems pretty rare. Thanks for any info.
Hi Andrew, the best bet if you’re looking for values for selling etc is to go to eBay and look in the completed listings section, sometimes these show up in there. They made quite a few kitchen Laaf folk, there’s an egg holder and a one with a pasta jar. You may be aware that they haven’t made any Laaf folk for several years now, so if someone is looking for the one you have and you’re selling it, you might be in luck! Sorry I can’t help more.
I need to replace my laafs. Please contact me.
I’m sorry but Laafs haven’t been in production for many years now. You could try eBay.
Hi! I believe I have 6 original Laaf figures. Does anyone there assist in identifying which ones they are and current value?
Hi there, if you have photos of them I can try and help identify them. Either send to info@eftelinguk.com or Efteling Fans UK on Facebook. In terms of value, you can look at the sold listing on eBay for an idea, but it all depends what someone is willing to pay.
Hello from Lyle, Minnesota U.S.A.!
I recently acquired a rather large Laaf at a local garage sale. It’s about two feet tall and made of resin, I believe. It’s the one of the man coming out of a hole on a ladder with a shovel, just like on the Laaf Products logo. I’ve looked on eBay and Google and have not seen another one like mine.
I’d love to hear from you if you have any more information. Photos available.
Thank you,
Matt McKay
Hi Matthew I’m going to send you an e-mail!
Hi from New Zealand,
We are the proud owners of 2 Laaf gnomes. The handsome chap in the hammock has lost his coin/medal, is it possible to get another one to replace it please. Of course I would cover all costs involved thank you.
kind regards,
Lyn
Sorry for the slow reply. Laaf statues aren’t made anymore, so you won’t be able to get one. The best you could do is keep checking ebay, or if you can find someone who could make one for you somehow.
Thank you for the enjoyment with the Laafs. I was sorry to read they are no longer produced. I always wanted to add to the small collection I do have. We lost Digger a long time ago. Learned not to put the Laafs were the soil is moist. I hope someday you may decide to start production again. Thank you..
Hi I am the proud owner of 7 off these sweet little men and would like to purchase the spray can that kept them looking fresh or an alternative would WD40 do the trick?
Are you in the UK? I recommend the Halfords clear lacquer, very similar to the original Laaf spray
Hi,
I got one of the laaf Aries statues of the zodiac series, complete with passport and certificate. I tried looking up more info about it and what it would be worth nowadays. Not looking to seel it or anything, I’d like to keep it, but can’t seem to find anything about it. Perhaps you know about more these?
I’ve had a look too, but can’t find a date or anything like that. They do appear on eBay from time to time. There is of course a full set of them that were made, and they also made a similar alphabet set. I’m sorry I can’t tell you more!
I broke my Laaf paper towel holder just the part that slides in to hold the towel in place is there anyway I can replace that part from the manufacturer.
Thank you
Unfortunately, Laaf haven’t been in production for many years now. The best thing I can suggest is to find something similar that might fit. Good luck!
I need the stick that holds the paper towels for my Laaf any suggestions I have been looking for that part does any one have one thanks
I need the stick that holds the paper towels in place. any suggestions as to how to find one does anyone have parts.Thanks
Best I can suggest is stealing one from another paper holder.
I have a large laaf that had a net with a butterfly on, it was my mums and now its come to me, i also have a smaller on that is sitting on a tortoise, the colours are fading and was hoping you could let me know what to use
Kind regards
Amanda
Best thing is model making paints. Lightly sand it first then paint, then spray with clear lacquer.