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This is an old fashioned sign from the store called Tomtar och Troll (Santa’s and Troll’s) which is situated in the Old Town part of Stockholm. Yes, I know, the only red on the Santa’s is the Santa hat. I’m not really sure though if this only are Santa’s Elves (tomtenissar) or maybe farm santa’s.
From the beginning in Swedish folklore, they were farm santa’s (gårdstomtar) which were believed to take care of a farmer’s home and family and protect them from bad luck, especially in the nights, when the family were sleeping. That’s also why we have the tradition of putting out a bowl with porridge to him on the farms. The word Tomte comes from the house lot = tomt in Swedish.
During the years, the American Santa Claus style has been adopted over here too, with the red Santa dress, though we still call him Tomten, so he is not quite the same as the more traditional farm Santa’s (tomtar), which is the smaller ones dressed in gray.
Today is the day when most of the Swedes are Christmas decorating their homes and so will we do too. Though we don’t have much decorations since our apartment is so small and we really hadn’t planned on staying home during Christmas. We still don’t know how it will be.
We will not have any Christmas tree. Swedes generally don’t put up the (indoors) Christmas tree yet. That will not be up until as earliest a week before Christmas Eve. Most Swedes waits until just a few days before Christmas Eve to get one and the decoration of it is done the evening before Christmas Eve.
The outdoors Christmas trees may be there from the beginning of December. Even in an apartment block like this one, we have a few Christmas trees outside.
Excursion from Hurghada to Luxor – The Convoy
(Continues until Tuesday with Karnak, Valley of the Kings, Hatchepsut)
Awesome. I like that sign.
Friday’s Child’s last blog post..Photo Hunter #56
That was cool to learn about that. Great post and the red hat stood out so I noticed it right away.
The Rocky Mountain Retreat’s last blog post..Photo Hunt Theme- RED
That is fascinating–I always wondered where the word Tomten came from. I always loved that fairytale.
Heather’s last blog post..Saturday Photo Hunt: Red
Thank you for the very interesting lesson in Swedish culture. I’ll be back to wander through your other posts.
Kathy’s last blog post..Photo Hunt–Theme: Red
Whoa! That looks antique (= Happy weekend!
pelfy’s last blog post..Photo hunt – Red
That is so cute! I am totally un-Christmasy this year. Not sure why. Maybe the food poisoning is still with me.
oh its pretty…
genny’s last blog post..Photo Hunters – Red
I love the little Tomte figures – a cousin of my Mom’s has collected them for YEARS and sits them out, all over the place, in her house – some on the mantle, the tv, the buffet, other peek out from behind pictures or chairs, and such. A week from this Sunday, our church will celebrate the Pageant of St. Lucia – which we’ve done consistently for the past 27 years now – both my daughters had the “honor” of serving as St. Lucia for the Pageant and in our church, that is, indeed, a very big honor too! Even the chore of picking the wax out of their hair the next day didn’t seem all that bad to them because, after all, they had been St. Lucia for a day! We celebrate it on the Sunday closest to December 13th.
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I enjoyed the post and a good photo for the theme. Have a happy weekend.
carver’s last blog post..Photo Hunter: Red
That is exactly the same in Germany. In Belgium the Christmas trees only really came up in the 70th or even later. It was very hard to find a tree ! Today of course they copied too but the decoration only starts beginning December. I do my Christmas decoration also today with the advent wreath and the four candles. The tree we put up usually one or two weeks before Christmas. We will have one although we go to Amsterdam for Christmas eve. I always have quite a lot of visitors who like to come to see my decoration. (not too much, I hate overloaded rooms and trees).
Meanwhile you can warm yourself up in the Egyptian heat !! My convoy is ready to go.
Nice to read about christmas in Sweden. There are so many things to say about christmas in each country. Of course I think to write a post about . I don’t think I will have time to decorate our house this weekend, perhaps in the evening. Daughters want to make shopping with me this afternoon; But no question to buy christmas decorations. Shoes, clothes and delicate undershirts are in their mind, I think!
claudie’s last blog post..My teenager’s world!
I have a little Tomtar figurine that I brought back from me as a souvenir of a six weeks spent in Sweden.
I like this picture for our theme – the red hat stands out on the sign.
What interesting information about the Sweden Christmas and Santa! Does the porridge disappear the next day?
eastcoastlife’s last blog post..Photohunters – Red
Yes, eastcoastlife, the porridge does disappear. (But I suspect that it’s some other creature eating it, some animals
Very cute sign! Thanks for providing some of the history behind the sign. Very interesting.
I love learning about other culture’s traditions.
Dragonheart’s last blog post..Photo Hunters: Red
I just came over here from Gattina’s Egyptian tour….
LOVE your idea for red…well, I LOVE Santas!!
The sign is adorable and love the very red hat
It is very interesting to read about other countries’ traditions!
Children in Spain leave cookies and bowls filled with water for the 3 Kings’ camels on the evening of Jan 5th…My son always got a big kick out of the empty dish and bowl the next morning… They are the ones bringing the presents in Spain, Santa Claus in the present form is a new way of celebrating and adding more fun to the holidays.
Mar’s last blog post..photo hunt: r e d
Hi Captain,
I hope you leave a tipple for him as well , as I’m sure he will be sick of porridge after a bit, to much is not good for your digestion either….
Cheers Mark
They are so adorable! I’d like to find a book about them and read it to the kids if there are some available.
SwordGirl’s last blog post..Friday fill-in 27
Very nice photohunt, love it thanks for sharing them…
Mine is up too:
Every Beat Of My Heart
Anna’s last blog post..Scrap Addict Sundays – (Dream)
Good stuff, have a nice Sunday.
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Porridge? Porridge as I know it, made from oatmeal? I thought that was a very Scottish thing even though I was brought up on it in Ireland. Great to read about your tomtars and trolls. Trolls I’ve heard about but tomtars are new to me
A.’s last blog post..Keeping families afloat
Santa’s and Trolls together? Though he was teamed up with elves,… lol. Great photo though. Have a good week.
kissedalotatoads’s last blog post..Saturday Photo Hunt :RED
This is cute. It looked rather antique but it has its own beauty. We don’t see such sign over here in Malaysia. Basically, all the signs here are using light boxes. Nice sharing here. Season’s greetings!
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Ai, Ai captain,
interesting to read about Swedish pre christmas tradiotions. They are exactly the same as we do have in Norway, except the Santa Lucia is much more important in Sweden than in Norway.
We are still in Buenos Aires. It is one PC in the hotel lobby. Most of the time it´s occupied. And not good for uploading pictures.
Habe a wonderful time.
Toraa’s last blog post..Still in Buenos Aires
Sorry this is late. What a fabulous sign. I like the pictures on it.
Sara from farmingfriends
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