December 4

     

Nisser are presented as a friendly and charming little creature, though the original nisse actually wasn´t that nice. The first story we know about, was told in 981; a farmer had help from a creature, living in a stone. When the farmers son became christian, this creature had to be removed, wich was done. What the creature did to take revenge, is unknown.

Since then nisser have been living at the farms, usualy helping the farmer. A nisse has the size of a 10 year old boy, and dress like the farmer in old days.
When things happened at the farm that couldn´t be explained, it was obviously the nisse who had done it. Maybe he was angry for some reason. An angry nisse can give you many problems.
We still explain mysterious things as “Done by a nisse”.

The first time that we hear about friendly nisser made specially for Christmas, and nisser giving gifts, is in 1836. An artist made paper clip as imagined nisser in different situations, as decoration for his Christmasparty for his artist friends.

If you have time to read more and translate by google: http://www.historie-online.dk/special/jul/nisse.htm