Who is Tomte? - American Swedish Institute (2024)

FAQs

Who is Tomte? - American Swedish Institute? ›

Tomte is a charming character from Swedish folklore who rules over their household with an iron thumb. Traditionally, tomten are known to wear grey robes and a woolly red hat. They may look like gnomes, but don't let that fool you, tomten have many more duties than their holiday creature lookalikes.

A nisse (Danish: [ˈne̝sə], Norwegian: [ˈnɪ̂sːə]), tomte ( Swedish: [ˈtɔ̂mːtɛ]), tomtenisse, or tonttu ( Finnish: [ˈtontːu]) is a mythological creature from Nordic folklore today typically associated with the winter solstice and the Christmas season.

The tomte was considered to be the very first inhabitant of the farm and helped care for the farm animals and assisted with the general welfare of the land. The Tomte was an honest fellow. He has been depicted as a very small person with a long beard and dressed as a farmer.

According to folklore, a tomte is a magical creature who brings good luck to those who take care of him. But he also brings along a few little surprises if not treated well!

The answer is that a gnome is in called “Tomte” and they do live in Sweden. It is a just a translation from Swedish to English.

According to Scandinavian legend, the Tomte (singular form of Tomten) lives in the corner of the barn's hayloft.

No one has ever seen Tomten, the people only know that he is there. Sometimes the people only find his small footprints in the snow. Tomten takes care of the animals and gives them comfort through a cold winter's night. He promises them that spring will be there soon.

Tomte, derived from the Swedish word “tomt,” or plot of land, literally means “homestead man.” If you've ever heard the beloved character referred to as a “nisse” it is likely in reference to a Norwegian variant of the mythological figure, as Nisse is a Norwegian nickname for the name Nils.

Christmas (Swedish: jul, IPA: [ˈjʉːl]) is celebrated throughout December and traditionally until St. Knut's Day on January 13. The main celebration and the exchange of gifts in many families takes place on Christmas Eve, December 24.

Are gnomes from Scandinavia? They don't really comes from Scandinavia since they are quite common in all the Nordic countries, Britain and Ireland. Here they are called “tomtar” in Swedish and “nissar” in Denmark and Norway. Nisse (folklore) - Wikipedia.

Does Sweden believe in Santa Claus? ›

Santa Claus is a jolly tradition in many Christmas stories, and it is no different for the Swedish children. There has been an evolution of this Christmas icon from an angry man who guards local agriculture to the rosy cheeked warm fellow known today. He is believed to look similar to a gnome and goes by Jultomten.

A tomte is described as, a little bearded man, just three feet high, with a long beard and scruffy plain clothes. His feet are covered in traditional work boots and he sports a red cap!

In fact, gnomes have a heavy influence on Scandinavian folklore, first originating in the early 19th century! In Norway, these small, bearded, and mischievous little creatures are referred to as "Nisser", and were thought to protect the homestead of Scandinavian families throughout Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland!

A tomte is described as, a little bearded man, just three feet high, with a long beard and scruffy plain clothes. His feet are covered in traditional work boots and he sports a red cap!