Norwegian Christmas gnomes are called Nisse and originate from Nordic folklore which is associated with winter and, in particular, the Christmas season.
What is a Norwegian Nisse?
In Norway, the Nisse is a household spirit and their job is to take care of the house and land to protect it from evil. They are described as having long white hair, if a man a beard, and wear a red cap. The guardian spirits of Scandinavia have a long history, but the Nisse is one that was prominent in Denmark, Sweden and Norway during late-eighteenth or early nineteenth centuries. Many farms claimed they had their own little guy who would help out on tasks like grooming horses and carrying bales of hay for them – he even helped with harvesting!
The Nisse, or “Christmas Spirit,” is a creature that can take on many forms. Some are friendly and some not so much but no matter how you’re feeling it’s best to be careful because if your household doesn’t keep its Nisse satisfied–usually by leaving out one bowl of porridge with butter in it on Christmas Eve–the spirit will turn against their masters! In those days this happened back when Scandinavians would give gifts at the end-of year celebration called Julenisse and have been associated with the Christmas season ever since.
Do Norwegians believe in gnomes?
The belief in elves and gnomes is universal, with Scandinavia being no exception. Norwegians believe these tiny creatures to be guarding their animals from evil influences – just like they would for any other country on Earth!
What are Scandinavian Christmas gnomes called?
The Julenisse, a Scandinavian tradition dating back to prehistory. He doesn’t necessarily live in the North Pole but he spends his time nearby and sometimes on Greenland or Finland where there are Christmas Markets that have been around since 16th century when people started moving away from warmer climates into colder ones during winter months because it was easier than trying maintain heat inside homes without any windows which would make things very stuffy indeed!
