These days there aren't many tomten left. There is a simple explanation for that - there aren't many farms left! And that is where the tomten lives. He really hates cities and too many humans beings!

He lives in the hayloft in a cozy little corner. He looks after the farm and the animals and talks to them in his "tomten language".

Tomten does not show himself very often. Sometimes you can catch a glimpse of him in the dark areas of the stable or barn. He is small, about the size of a six or seven year old boy. Usually the tomten has a long gray or snowy beard and his face is old and wrinkled. Most of the time he is wearing gray clothes made of frieze and on his head he has a pointed cap. Usually the cap is red. The red cap on a tomten existed in Swedish folktales hundreds of years before "jultomten" (Santa Claus) came into the Swedish tradition.

You have to be nice to your farm tomten! Then he will help you bake, carry your chopped wood, groom the horses, clean out the stable and spread the manure on the fields. And at Christmas you reward your brownie by giving him a big plate of porridge with butter.

But sometimes you can be TOO nice to the farm tomten! For example, if you give him nice new clothes for Christmas he might think that he is SO good-looking that he doesn't want to get dirty at all!

A tomten has no humor, so you better be careful. Never make fun of him because he is small and not very strong. Then the luck of your farm is gone and the tomten has moved to your neighbor's farm!