What is Julenisse?
What is Julenisse?
Norwegians have their own version of Santa Claus, called Julenisse. In Scandinavian folklore, a nisse is a short, mythological gnome-like creature with a long white beard and a red cap. Though mischievous, he is responsible for the protection and welfare of the farmstead and its buildings.
Why do Norwegians hide brooms?
Wicked Christmas Norwegians believe that Christmas Eve coincides with the arrival of evil spirits and witches. Logically, therefore, households will hide all their brooms before they go to sleep. Another tradition popular in Scandinavia is that of the Christmas goat (Julebukk in Norway or Julbock in Sweden).
What is Santa called in Norway?
Julenissen
The gifts are sometimes brought by Santa Claus (called ‘Julenissen’ in Norway). Presents are also brought by the small gnomes called ‘Nisse’. There are also hobgoblins (Nisse) decorations.
Is the Norwegian julenisse still a farm sprite?
The Norwegian julenisse, however, retained the appearance of the traditional farm sprite even though the animistic belief in the numinous household spirit had long since been replaced in the modern worldview.
Who was the barn Nisse and St.Nicholas?
The Norwegian “julenissen” is a mixture of the barn-nisse and St. Nicholas. Fjøsnissen (the “barn-nisse”) or “haugkallen” the “netherworld elf”, was the man who had helped tidy the farm, and also the man somehow mysteriously connected with the burial mound.
What did the nisse do if he was not paid?
If the tomte was not given his payment, he would leave the farm or house, or engage in mischief such as tying the cows’ tails together in the barn, turning objects upside-down, and breaking things (like a troll ). The nisse liked his porridge with a pat of butter on the top.
What kind of clothes did the nisse wear?
The nisse/tomte was often imagined as a small, elderly man (size varies from a few inches to about half the height of an adult man), often with a full beard; dressed in the traditional farmer garb, consisting of a pull-over woolen tunic belted at the waist and knee breeches with stockings.
