It’s Autumn and ‘Heks’ Time!
As the days get shorter and the nights get colder, the winter witches of the north take to the sky. Meet Bente (above left). She’s a festive Halloween and Christmas witch. With her pointy red hat and a dress speckled with yellow moons and stars, she hovers mid air on clear line, holding tight to her broom stick.
And the distinctive little fellow on the right is Tobias. He’s one of the Nisse. The Nisse are household spirits said to exist in every Norwegian home. They are typically country dwellers and their preferred homes are barns and out houses, where they spend their time tending to animals and keeping track of the mischievous mice. However, sometimes they do venture into the towns and cities, especially where there are animals to look after. It’s said that if a farmer wants to get the most out of his crops for the coming year, he must pay his respects to the Nisse. According to tradition, he must leave a bowl of porridge in the barn or on the doorstep on Christmas Eve. Here it must remain until the following morning, so the Nisse may feast and party the night away with their family. In the morning when the porridge has gone, the farmer will know that the Nisse is happy and content for the following year.
These wonderful characters and their friends can be found at Colour of Norway, which is an intriguing and colourful shop bursting with Norwegian customs and mythology. Owner and creator, Katrina, is half Norwegian and inherited these customs and traditions from her parents. She now lives in the Yorkshire Dales, where she works hard to share this little known culture with us.
