"Julgröt (yule-porridge)" by Johan Aronson

Ah! Julgrot! My family has been making this for years and leaving it out for the tomte. Of course, on this side of the Atlantic no one has any idea what we are doing. Old Swedish habits die hard. Thank you for drawing this.

And when all the porridge was gone next morning, I was sure there really was tomtar I guess the cats and dogs on our farm where wery happy for some julgröt... though, it´s nice to believe in tomtar, we have them in Finland too, I guess I believe in them, just a little bit...

*giggles* I don't ever pick all the strawberries so the pixies have pleanty to eat... Other wise they won't keep the crows away. I didn't know that there was an actualy custome for that sort of thing, thought I was just weird.

I love this lil' guy! He's cute, and kinda earthy looking. Wonder if he approves of the porrage.

You know in Denmark, we put it up on the attic... dunno why... :-s Strange traditions, oh yes, and "tomte" is called a "nisse" in danish ha ha

Johan Aronson replies: "I think it's just for the tomtar/nissar who live on the lofts. But for those that live in the barn you have to put the porrige outdoors. "

Awww this is so adorable
i want to feed him!

I serverer den i sneen udenfor??-not at the attick?..

well hmm ...i´remember.. he doesn´t live inside the house...

har jeg ret??!

Johan Aronson replies: "I think you are right, in Sweden at least the tomtar lives out in the barn."

I believe in the Nisse(Tomte as it is called in Swedish)! The little guys are said to be very old, and some belives it is the farms first owner that watches over his house! It is reported they have done both good and well for humans, and have a large sense of humor, thereby one would think they got some brain. In Norway it is believed that they live under a tree in the center of the farm called "Tuntre/Tunträ?"means something like yard tree. If you spill hot water upon their heads it would not be good, therefore do this somewhere else than under the tree if you want to stay friends. They can also live somewhere around or in the barn. Fantasticly enough, they got a chance to become invisible, or camoflague themselves very well. I remember someone said that under the winter-OL we had here in 94, one of our own channels taped a very small and weird looking being in the background when they filmed a sport-interview or something. If I had only knew where to find that tape Treat others well anyway, even if they're not small :]

Of course there must be porrige for the house-"gnome".
------------------------------------------------------
Självklat måste det ställas ut gröt till tomten.

Johan Aronson replies: "Javisst, annars kan man räkna med en massa extrajobb och förtret som han ställer till med, och en och annan örfil ute i ladan!"

Badass