The fjallvættir (mountain spirits) working underground.
J.Th. Lundbye, 1845.

🍄 Hyperborean Gnomes 🍄

🍄 Hyperborean Gnomes 🍄 Part 2

Santa and his flying reindeer are cool, but have you ever seen a tomte on a moose?
These jolly guys are bringing bags of Yule gifts.

Leaving offerings for the protective house spirits...

Art by John Bauer

The "Barbegazi" (from French "barbe-glacée", "frost-beard") hailing from Alpine folklore is a type of gnome fond of the snowy summits and mountainous terrain.
Hiding in their caves or cottages during summer, they emerge during the winter using their enormous feet as skis to traverse the mountainsides.

Jólasveinarnir, or “The Yule Lads” are the sons of the giantess Grýla. They are 13 dwarves that arrive one by one starting on December 12 and staying each for 13 days, with the final leaving on January 6.

Tomte and a squirrel on a Yule card by Lars Carlsson.

Yule card by Leif Holmqvist.

Yule card by Calle Svensson.

“Midvinternattens köld är hård,
stjärnorna gnistra och glimma.
Alla sova i enslig gård
djupt under midnattstimma.
Månen vandrar sin tysta ban,
snön lyser vit på fur och gran,
snön lyser vit på taken.
Endast tomten är vaken.”

English translation:
“Harsh is the cold of Midwinter's night,
the stars sparkle and twinkle.
All asleep in lonely farm,
deep during midnight hour.
The moon wanders its silent path,
the snow gleams white on pine and fir,
the snow gleams white on the roofs.
Only the tomte is awake.”

The first segment of the Yule poem "Tomten" by Viktor Rydberg.

Here's a video I helped out with last winter.
Also contains short footage of our offering of porridge. Happy Yule! 🎄

https://youtu.be/Q_VOi6rf4UA