The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1897-12-22
NORW ANDSWEDEN
YUleTlDE CUSTOMS IN THE LAND
OF THE VIKINGS.

/
Superstiticns Regarding NisSen, the Scan
dina-ian Santa Claus-Pranks Of the
Hired Men-Lcgrnd Of the Brothers
Ulv and Grimm.
The peasantry Of Norway and Sweden
generally build their homes as near each
other as convenient. Often five to seven
families live adjoining, constituting Il
miniature village. After the first day
has passed the enjoyment commences.
Dancing is the principal enjoyment for
the youth, while the old prorlc and the
children stay at home and rrhcarsn
| tales that are replctc with orgies and
"NisScl," or 'TomtegulbCn, aS H."
being that corresponds III many respects
to the Scotch brownie. but Is quite
Santa Clauslikc in general appearance.
The tales that arc told have been handed
down frOm generation 10 generation,
! and were ut enc time believed, and even
in some districts considerable crcdrnca
is still given to what is stated about
these unnatural hringS
| NiSScn is the being that Is Of the
! greatest interest tr thc young. He l.
not a bad fellow at all. if he can only
have his way. Whcr" he lives no ON"
knows. 1t is supposed that hc spends
the days sleeping III SON" Of tn" hills
or under the ground Although h" Is
small, he is possessed with super
natural power AID can do much t.
shape the fate of Il person, either coed
or bad Great care j. therefore CXcr
cised to do what is known Will please
NisScn Special attention must II" given
! him Christmas eve. should b" come
around after midnight and his faynrit"
dish, romegrOd. hats not been Placed
outside near the door, trouble will r..
suit
When the people awake in tn" morn
ing, they can expect to find their cattl"
in Il terrible condition. NiS>,n general
II vents his vcngcanr" on the animal:
Of the farm They will be tired the
next G:v, showing thar NiS:'rn has been
plaviug some prank with them. thereby
keeping sleep from them Articles III
the barn will bc found torSy turvv.
! while the horses have been turned
around in their stall but if the dish
! has been placed out for him he Is hap
! pv. lie shows his gratcfulncSs III deeds
! When the hired man in that case goes
! ont to the barn Christmas morning, h"
NAV expect to find all his chores done
! The horses have been currird so they
look file as silk, while the COWS give
twice their usual amount of milk. il
many cases the wood has been split.
Many supcrstitious people on this oc-
casion bar the door with Il piece of steel
They arc afraid of him, and steel is
the only thing that Ni<Sen has no opower
over. He has often been known to have
entered the house and stolen food Many
a hired girl can vouch for the fact that
she has heard him climbing about on
the shelves Of the larder, and even III
few cases he has been seen.
The youth still in manner retain
the habits of their ancestry. ut cventId"
they gather together from the small
villages and visit their ncighborS AS IL
rule, the ground at this time of year Is
heavily covered with snow. and the trip
has to be made on skis This is one Of
the most delightful features of tn" cele-
brati0n. The ski is the national artirl"
of locomotion and the boys and girls
are adopts in the art of standing on
them in the deep declines and rugged
hills. The Young people 20 from neigh.
Dor to ncighbor gathering more of them
They have often no particular deStina
ton, but know they will end some
where When they come to some partlc
ularly large farmhouse, they drop their
skis and 80 inside Here everything is
in readiness for them in the way Of
food, drink and music. The fiddler
strikes up his merry tunes, and those
present are hurled into vortex of mer
riment.
In most parts of the country this fea
ture is III M way marred, and the dance
goes on until late in the morning, when
the Young 20 home, only to meet some
where else the following night.
In some Of the primitiv" parts of Nor
way, as GullbrandSrlulen and NosS.
fights were indulg"d III IN years gone
bv. This custom has not entirely chang
ed, but tn" fate aliries that were so com
mon then do not exist now hen when
couple went I" one ~ 1i'"Se Utilities
the girl would generally take hrr loF
erS funeral gown al"nG tullT expect
ing that b" woutt need 1t b"tcrc the
night had gone.
IN the >nuthrrn part IF Sweden, Iul
lotta. a custom that Is very beautiful, IS
recognized hv the pasantry IN" early
morning mass at ! 30 Christmas day Is
attended by nearly every one. II"
: members Of til" congregation nave o1ten
as far IL S"ren miles to walk through
the SHOW They come from all dlrec'
tiuns in delegations, each carrying
long pole uuon which piece If pitch