Gnome for Christmas: the Midwinter Household Spirit

This episode draws on the folklore of the household spirit (gnome, tomte, tonttu, nisse, domovoi, et al)and the folk music of Scandinavia to explore the ancient traditions of animism and ancestor veneration at midwinter. Music: Intro theme: “Forest March” by Sylvia Woods “Tomtarnas Julnatt” by Göteborgs Symfonietta (instrumental) “Nisse-Polka” by Sing Song Sisters “Winter Darkness (Mørketid)” by Georg Buljo & Nils Økland “Haugebonden” by Folk Och Rackare “Tomtarnas” Julnatt by Fem Bobbies “Tomtehallingen” by Øyonn Groven Myhren “Tomten” by Kraja “Hej Tomtegubbar” by Nina Persson & Oscar Johansson The book I referred to in the intro: Gnomes and Secrets of the Gnomes Wil Huygen and illustrator Rien Poortvliet Resources for this episode: The Tradition of Household Spirits by Claude Lecouteux Russian Folk Belief by Linda J. Ivanits Tomten by Viktor Rydberg (a video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rJ0Ec-jYg8)