Christmas gnomes bring a true touch of tradition to this year’s Christmas stamps. Of course, this is not their first appearance in the Christmas mail.
They have been the most popular motif on Norwegian Christmas cards for more than a century. However, they did not appear on a Christmas stamp until 1992, and now they are back yet again.
In Norwegian folklore, the “nisse” or gnome was closely associated with the farm and with Christmas. He had to be well looked after, and the farmer always took care to put out some Christmas porridge for him. It was considered lucky to have a gnome on the farm and he was usually friendly, helpful and kind to the animals. Originally he was called “tomt” or “toftekall”, but in time he became known as Nikuls, a variant of the popular St. Nicholas, then Nils and finally “Nisse”.
The gnome lived in the barn. He was small (“no bigger than a horse’s head”) and had a long beard. He liked to wear grey, preferably breeches, and a red stocking cap. If he was given good food and drink on Christmas Eve, he behaved perfectly. If he was not pleased, he could be moody and unpredictable and was not above playing tricks on the farmer. There are several tales about the farmer who tries to escape from a mischievous gnome. He packs his belongings ready to go, but to no avail. On the top of the load sits a gleeful gnome. Some problems follow you wherever you go
Subjects: Christmas gnomes
Design: Kjell Midthun
Values: NOK 7.00 (A-Priority, domestic)
Issue: 1,405,500 booklets containing 10 stamps each
Printing: Photogravure by Royal Joh. Enschedé, Netherlands
Sales prices:
First day cover: NOK 18.00
Presentation pack: NOK 19.00
Collector’s set: NOK 42.00
Collector’s sheet:
NOK 34.00