Nisse are believed to be spirits but some see them as a type of house elf or gnome's...
In ancient times the Nisse was believed to be an ancestors or spirit and are often believed to be spirite of the farmer who originally cleared the forest to build the farm. in other words a spirit that never leaves the farm or homestead they built in their day.
The name Nisse may be derived from the Old Norse word “niðsi”, meaning (dear little relative)
In pre-Christian times, the original farmer / land owner was often buried on his farm in a mound.
He was sometimes referred to as the haugkall or haugebonde, from the Old Norse haugr meaning mound. Mounds are common places in Scandinavian folklore as the resting places for ancestral spirits .
===========================
Other legend's describe them as a member of the Hilda Folk / hidden folk a type a fairy or gnome like creature, humanoid in appearance and small in stature usually no more then 3 feet in height....
Modern day nisse are often associated with Christmas and the yule time.
=========================
Nisse are believed to live in the houses and barns of the farm and secretly act as their protector.
If treated well, they will protect the family and animals from bad luck and misfortune and may even help out with the farm work and animal care.
However, they are very strong for there size and known to be short tempered, especially when they fill offended, once insulted they will usually play tricks, steal items, and may even maim or kill.
Traditionally, Blots are held every solstice and a gift (never payment) is left for the nisse, for protecting the home and family.
----------------------
A blót is a type of offering / sacrifice it could be dedicated to any of the Norse gods, the spirits of the land, or to ancestors. The sacrifice involved aspects of a sacramental meals or feast.
-----------------------
And you must ALWAYS remember to put out a bowl of porridge with butter and honey for him on Christmas Eve (Winter Solstice or Jul) to show your appreciation for his watchfulness!
This tradition is similar to the way cookies and milk are put out for Santa Claus.
Just like Santa's cookies the porridge would be gone in the morning the nisse also brings presents sometimes .
--------------------------------------------------
The nisse is also known as a tomte in some area's it's seen as a small gnome like creature most commonly found on or near farms and is often associated with Christmas.
Norwegian Julenissen, Sweden has the Jultomten, the Finish Joulutonttu and the Danish Julemanden
The nisse is also sometimes accompanied by the Yule Goat (Julbocken).
The pair appear on Christmas Eve knocking on the doors of people's homes and handing out presents.
==================================================
19th century Swedish Christmas card by Jenny Nystrom
-------------------------------------------------In the 1840s the farm nisse became one of the main image's of Christmas in Denmark, and was then called julenisse (Yule Nisse).
In 1881, the Swedish magazine Ny Illustrerad Tidning published Viktor Rydberg poem "Tomten", where the tomte is alone awake in the cold Christmas night, pondering the mysteries of life and death. This poem featured the first painting by Jenny Nystrom which was later made into a Christmas Card (Picture Above) which she depicted as a white-bearded, red-capped friendly figure and he has been associated with Christmas ever since.
Not long after this other regions started adopting this nisse as a Christmas figure along with the emerging Father Christmas /Santa traditions ..
the new Danish tradition, a variant of the nisse/tomte, called the jultomte in Sweden and julenisse in Norway, started bringing the Christmas presents in Sweden and Norway, instead of the traditional julbock (Yule Goat).
=========================
================================
======================================
Other appearances ...
An angry nisse is featured in the popular children's book by Swedish author Selma Lagerlof called Nils Holgerssons suderbara resa genom syerige (Nils Holgersson's Wonderful Journey Through Sweden). The angry nisse turns the naughty child Nils into a nisse in the beginning of the book, and Nils then travels across Sweden on the back of a goose.
In The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, hobs / nisse/ house elf's ...are eyeless creatures who burn in light. They serve the Queen Mab of The Winter Court of the Sidhe.
In Njord Kane's : The Hidden Hollow the nisse are part of nature’s hidden folk who are both helpful and manipulative.
-------------------------------
Have a great Christmas! and Don't forget to leave out a bowl of porridge :)
:D God Jul :D
====================
May not be a post next week, if i don't the week following will have two posts.... hope you all have a great weekend :)
===================
Merry Christmas !
.
No comments:
Post a Comment