This year feels a little odd not making any of my little elves, but I love Christmas and I couldn’t help myself – I made one little Santa. A Norwegian character called Julenisse. 18” tall on a leather horse, loaded with toys and shoes, he’s already found a home with one of my collectors in North Carolina.

“Julenisse is the Norwegian name for Santa Claus. Julenisse is a Christmas-associated household spirit or Christmas pixie in Scandinavian folklore. The Julenisse is also known by other names like Jultomte in Sweden, Julemand in Danish and Joulupukki in Finland. The Julenisse is described as a short person, usually under four feet tall, with a red cap and long white beard. They are said to live in the nearby forests, fields, or streams. On Christmas Eve, the Julenisse visits children and delivers presents.

The Julenisse is mischievous but also responsible for protecting the farmstead and its buildings. In Norwegian folklore, there are many different types of “Nisse”, which are mythological creatures that can be traced back to old Norse society. Nisse is said to live a long time, sometimes for hundreds of years.”