Scandinavia is beautiful, full of incredible places to explore and delicious foods to eat. But one of the things that makes the Scandinavian countries so compelling is their rich folklore.

You'll find many unique stories throughout Norway, Sweden, and Denmark of mythical creatures and sprites, ranging from fairies to trolls.

One of the better-known creatures from Scandinavian lore is the gnome. Tomte (Swedish) or Tonttu (Finnish), also called Nisse in Norway, are solitary, mischievous domestic spirits responsible for the protection and welfare of a farmstead and its buildings. 

They are believed to originally stem from the soul of the first farm owner, later becoming spirit figures and ensuring the farm's continuous care. 

Tomte literally means 'homestead man' and is derived from the word 'tomt', which means homestead or building.

They appreciate people looking after their homes and farms and being good to their animals. They are particularly fond of cats.

A tomte is described as a little old man, two to three feet high, with a long white beard, wearing grey, brown, or navy clothes with traditional boots and sporting a bright red cap on his head. There are different dress codes for the different types of tomtes. For example, the ones living in the stables with the animals wear mostly grey clothes, while those in the main house are dressed more neatly, combining some color with grey, such as blue or dark green.

Christmas Tomten play a part in determining whether you get a handful of presents each year. You can only meet the Tomte during Christmas, and they'll often share rhymes when handing out gifts. In addition, Scandinavian households leave a bowl of porridge with butter out for their tomte on Christmas Eve as a symbol of respect. If the tomte doesn't get his porridge, he might get upset and start playing pranks on the family.

Scandinavians cherish their tomte as they keep spirits up during the dark winter nights leading up to Christmas and protect against misfortune.