In the classic Lassie episode "Lassie's Gift of Love," Ruth Martin comments, in response to Mr. Nicholson's stories about Christmas celebrations in other lands, "I guess there must be as many ways to celebrate Christmas as there are nationalities."
Certainly the nisse fall into this category. Wee folk, under four feet tall, these nisser (or pixies) originally inhabited farms. So long as they were well-treated, they helped keep the animals well and assisted (silently) with the farm chores. But don't cross them or they will sour the milk, encourage the pigs to dig out of their pens, and do other mischief!
The julnisse confine themselves specifically to the Christmas season, and for their assistance wish only a bowl of traditional rice pudding for supper. As with the humans of the julnisse's household, there may be an almond hidden in the rice pudding, which entitles one to a prize.
In the 1840s, it became the julnisse who gave gifts to the children of Norway. They don't come down the chimney like Santa Claus, but march directly up to the front door.
In Sweden this small gift-giver is known as the jultomte, in Denmark it's the julemande, and in Finland they go by joulupukki.
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