Handmade gnomes at a Christmas market Dec 16, 2025

Handmade gnomes at a Christmas market

They"ve got long beards, red hats and a knack for stealing a tad bit of Santa"s thunder every Christmas. Meet the gnome—known as "tomte" in Sweden and "nisse" in Norway—whose traditions vary across regions. Rooted in Scandinavian folklore, these tiny guardians watch over homes and farms, keeping families safe through long, dark winters. But there"s a catch: treat them kindly or they may play tricks. A warm bowl of porridge on Christmas Eve is their favourite reward. Said to bring luck and laughter, they might even befriend your garden gnomes, since they often resemble them.

© Veronika Seppanen/Shutterstock

palette

Today in History

Let there be lights!
Dec 16, 2023Guild houses of Grand-Place, Brussels, Belgium
Dec 16, 2024Salzburg, Austria

More Desktop Wallpapers:

For Mother’s Day, we salute these marsupial moms
Mar 26, 2024Vinh Hy Bay, Vietnam
Kickoff in Qatar
Ride the wave
Get in tune with International Jazz Day
Feb 14, 2025Happy Valentines Day!
Jul 17, 2024Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Bavaria, Germany
A legend sprung from the ground
Purple mountain majesties
9,000-year-old handprints
Dec 29, 2023Oud-West neighbourhood, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Nov 18, 2023Polar bear mother and cubs, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada
Welcome to the worlds yoga capital
Aug 11, 2024Wooden path to Kennedy Lake, Vancouver Island, Canada
Dragon tails trail to the sea
Apr 17, 2024Rama Navami
Apr 22, 2024Earth Day
Feb 23, 2024Haghartsin Monastery, Armenia
The festival of joy and happiness
Oct 22, 2023Astoria-Megler Bridge, Oregon
May 20, 2025World Bee Day
See-through cephalopod
Mar 16, 2025Baby giant panda, China
The worlds most exclusive beach?
A sacred water tank in Hampi
Leaf-peeping Southern style
Sep 18, 2023Milky Way over Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park
Stairway to heaven?
A cuddling pair of Taiwan yuhina
Jul 3, 2025Rainbow River, Rainbow Springs State Park, Florida, United States