What is a Jultomten?
In Sweden, Christmas gifts are brought by the Jultomten. The word Jultomten combines the Swedish word for Christmas, Jul, with the word tomten, which means household fairy or elf. The Jultomten is often depicted as a portly gnome with a white beard and a pointed red cap.
What does Jultomten look like?
Jultomten is often depicted as a corpulent figure with red clothes and a long white beard, similar to, but not the same as, the US image of Santa Claus popularised by the Coca Cola commercials of the 1930s. The Swedish image of Jultomten, a hybrid of St.
Is tomte Santa Claus?
The name of the Swedish Santa Claus is Jultomte, who was not always the Santa Claus of the Swedes. He is a mythical creature, born of legends. According to old Scandinavian legends, Christmas Eve is surrounded by magic and superstition.
What do Sweden eat on Christmas?
Christmas presents are under the lighted tree, candles shine brightly and the smorgasbord (or smörgåsbord, as it’s written in Swedish) has been prepared with all the classic dishes: Christmas ham, pork sausage, an egg and anchovy mixture (gubbröra), herring salad, pickled herring, home-made liver pâté, wort-flavoured …
What is a Swedish elf called?
Father Christmas comes in two forms in Sweden: a gnome-like figure from Swedish folklore, called a jultomte, and a rather jolly old man with a white beard and wearing a fur-trimmed red suit, known the world-over as Santa!
What do Swedes eat on Christmas Eve?
You may be familiar with the Swedish concept of smorgasbord, and on Christmas Eve Swedes celebrate with a julbord. Fish features heavily (smoked salmon, pickled herring and lye-fish), plus ham, sausages, ribs, cabbage, potatoes and of course, meatballs.
Is Santa a Russian or German?
Saint Nicholas was a 4th-century Greek Christian bishop of Myra (now Demre) in the region of Lycia in the Roman Empire, today in Turkey.