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General discussion (archive)Isn't it suspicious that...(20 posts)(20 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted January 17, 2012
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Wishbone: No. They're certainly a part of Danish folklore, which is considerably older than Tolkien.
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Damnation: Indeed, though Dark elves in Norse mythology are also known as dwarves :p
Every time I point this out, people tell me I'm wrong. I was beginning to believe I was wrong, too.

Thank you.
Posted January 17, 2012
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HereForTheBeer: most folks in movies and on TV portraying Santa's Elves... are actually dwarves?
I think "Rare Exports - A Christmas Tale" already settled what the real Santa and "elves" looked like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eyv0vj5f65s&feature=fvst
Posted January 17, 2012
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Fever_Discordia: You think the Reindeer are bad? - There's a song by Ralf Harris that has them replaced by Kangaroos (or '6 white boomers, snow white boomers') for when he's in Australia and another song by someone else that says he uses 'Domonic the Donkey' in the Italian hills!
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Robbeasy: 'Jiggedy-Jig (HEE-HAW HEE_HAW),
It's Dominic the Donkey,
Jiggedy-Jig (HEE-HAW HEE-HAW),
The Italian Christmas Donkey.

Naa-Naa-Naaaaa,
Na-ner-na-na-ne-naaaaaah
Naaa-Naa-Naaaa.
Na-ner-na-na-ne-naaaaaah!!

You have been warned....
Damn you Chris Moyles!
Well, if you're going to link that, I might as well do the Rolf-a-roo one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gosGBYU5vIE
Posted January 17, 2012
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timppu: I think "Rare Exports - A Christmas Tale" already settled what the real Santa and "elves" looked like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eyv0vj5f65s&feature=fvst
I have just two words for that:

- Awe
- Some

Really digging EdgeZombie's version, too!
Posted January 17, 2012
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Wishbone: No. They're certainly a part of Danish folklore, which is considerably older than Tolkien.

If anything, I suspect that the "Santa's Helpers" kind of elf is an invention of the Coca-Cola company (or possibly Disney), much like the modern version of Santa himself is.
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Psyringe: I second that. I think I was at least 25 when I even heard about "Santa Elves" for the first time. They seem to be a very recent invention, much like those silly reindeer. Traditionally (in my area), Saint Nicholas was either alone (and on foot), or travelling together with Knight Rupert. The latter carried a sack of presents (for the good kids) and a stick (to beat the naughty kids). However, by the time I was born, the two characters had already been molded into one, and the Saint Nicholas character had absorbed the attributes of the Knight Rupert character.

None of this bears much relation to the original historical character, of course.
Not Disney or Coca-Cola, but a little bit earlier. "Christmas elves" are 19th C. American. "A Visit from Father Christmas" identified its title character as "a right jolly old elf". Louisa May Alcott's "Christmas Elves" was never published, but the illustrations of childlike elves were. Fat Santa Claus was first drawn by Thomas Nast (1862).

Their origin seems to be the elves of Victorian children's literature, with some influence from the tomte and julenisse. For example, Jenny Nyström's Christmas Cards.
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General discussion (archive)Isn't it suspicious that...(20 posts)(20 posts)
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