[MariJo7]

Originally Posted by Aerynne

Thank you for sharing that cool story!

The thing about the elf that is different from Tonttu is that it is an actual little doll that parents buy and put in different places. There is the creepy idea that it is watching you all the time and reporting back to Santa Claus (and you can see the elf doll up there, on the bookshelf or on the mantle, it might be on top of a kitchen cabinet or the curtain rod or anywhere your parents put it, and they move it from place to place every day or every couple of days).

Sounds creepy indeed. I have not seen anything like that here, not yet, at least. Such customs do spread, however. Perhaps they will be selling Elf dolls here in a couple of years also. I don't thing I'd ever buy one.

The Tonttus are told to peep through the windows during the time before Christmas. If the kids quarrel or do something naughty, Mom might say: "Please, watch your behavior. There might be a Tonttu behind the window right now". But I have not yet seen a spying doll on the shelf.

I have never done much Tonttu stuff. One year I had a Christmas calendar with little presents or chocolates for each day of December before Christmas Eve. The calendar was a big Christmas tree formed clothe on the wall (my aunt had sewn it) with 24 little pouches for the presents. I told the kids that a special Christmas Calendar Tonttu would fill the pouches every night, but he was a very clumsy and forgetful one so if he forgot it, the kids should not be mad at him but wait patiently. Of course the kids knew that this forgetful Calendar Elf was me, but they often asked me about his well being and whereabouts: "How is the Calendar Tonttu? Has he been able to perform his duties?" It was a funny game but we all knew it was just a game.

As I happened to mention the Christmas Calendar...that is a very nice Finnish Christmas tradition that can be applied in many different ways. A christmas Calendar can be anything with 24 little boxes, pouches, envelopes, windows...It can be a Christmas tree made of clothe or cardboard. It can be a rope across the room with 24 little stockings hanging from it. You can make one from 24 match boxes or kitchen paper rolls or colorful envelopes. The most simple Calendars are made of cardboard and have 24 windows with little pictures behind them. The main thing is that you open one window pouche/stocking/box/anything in the morning, starting from 1st December.
The pouches/boxes/whatever can be filled with anything: small presents, chocolate, pictures, poems, cooking recipes, Bible verses...