Tomte, The Good Spirit
Homestead Man, The Good Nisse, Dear Little Relative, Yard Fellow, Mound Man
Perhaps one of the most persistent, resilient and unappreciated of all deities is none other than the diminutive house god known as Tomte or Nisse. Descriptions of these Gods of The Home range from being but a few inches tall to nearly half the size of a full grown man, faces hidden beneath large white beards, heads topped with woven or pointed caps, with stout bodies proudly adorned in garb typical of farmers and work writes of their region, though a few sizes too small for any human to enjoy.
What makes the Tomte so important? Well, he is not one God but many!
He; for it is always a he, is most commonly one of the many ancestral spirits from which the owners of the homestead descend. Often, but not always, the Tomte which chooses to aid; and he does choose, to safeguard his families interests was the first to tend the land or might be the soul of a departed loved one buried in any of the many mounds; both known and forgotten, which dot the realm. Each Tomte is its own entity, individuals all, each with his own distinct personality and passions, though what they have in common is their station. They often delight in tending to both the land and home helping keep their family in good standing as best they can. Being humble and giving by nature, these house Gods do not ask much, often contenting themselves to making their own private space in the pantry, a forgotten corner of the barn or even workshop. Their dedication to their families is such that it is not unheard of that if their families are forced to move to the city, that they very well might follow them contenting themselves to finding space under the floorboards to remain near.
They do all this out of Love, Love for their family, and of course Love of Porridge! Can't forget the Porridge! Oh no, it's very important this Porridge. But wait! I'm getting to the Porridge.
At The Yuletide, gifts of porridge with a generous pad of butter are expected... nay! Demanded! By the Tomte for all of his selfless care given throughout the year to his beloved family. This gift of porridge and butter; by the appreciative family, is joyously given to the Tomte as a token of gratitude and appreciation to the Tomte. Failure to make this meager sacrifice; gift really, is far worse than forgetting a rarely seen relative during the holidays. No! It is among the grandest of insults one might levy! Should the good Tomte Nisse be forgot or worse yet, ignored in these most joyous of times he is quite likely to go from helping keep the home and any attached lands in good order to creating a relentless state of chaos and problems as one might rightfully expect from one who but gives and gives of themselves for the betterment of their loved ones. Understandably this might, and probably will lead to milk being knocked over, homes left in a state of stark disorder, hay vanishing or in the case of grievous neglect cows or even entire herds being lifted up by the Tomte and carried fields away.
However, remembering such a simple and meager kindness as leaving him a bowl of porridge once in awhile ensures the bond between ancestor and descendant remain strong assuring him of the returned care and thoughtfulness of his family. Thus the Tomte will gladly, even eagerly help tend to the fields and animals, or any manner of helpful thing, even going so far as to steal much needed resources from neighbors when resources are low if the situation demands. Though be warned, they are also known to steal small things around the house that may be useful to them or simply suit their fancy; such as remotes, batteries, doilies, figurines, pens, wire, string or even the odd bit of broken glass, all of this, even should they be quite content in their arrangement with their family.
These qualities and more have also made the presence of a Tomte a measure of honor and even luck for those who had the good fortune to have one. It is widely known after all that the homes, farms and workshops of these Tomte Gods are far more successful and easy to tend than that of their neighbors... the tendency of the Tomte to steal from nosey or problematic neighbors when need arises also doesn't hurt, though it might be problematic on occasion.
All of this "good fortune" however relies on the mortals making sure their Dear Little Relative is appreciated, and so is less luck and more skill and appreciation.
So fair warning, if you have a Tomte, don't forget the Porridge, but more importantly the butter And the porridge or what was a once a fortunate family might very well become cursed by an angry relative with both the strength and stamina of a God.
However, should they know they are appreciated then they will bring only great blessings, for how many are so lucky to have a sacred ancestor choose to spend their afterlife with them as a helpful ghost?