Elves with pine cones | Papercraft

Six little pixies have headed into the woods and are returning home with their arms full of pinecones. They come marching in a row, each with their own little piece of nature – ready to bring the Christmas spirit of the forest indoors.

A charming paper cutout with a classic, nostalgic feel, where the pixies, fir, and forest cones bring to mind a simple, old-fashioned Christmas featuring decorations from nature.

Let the pixies move in for Christmas

Cut out the six little pixies and find a cozy spot for their small procession. They can stand on a shelf, on the windowsill, or nestled among fir, cones, and other Christmas decorations.

If you have more of the paper cutouts from the series, the pixies can also be combined to create little Christmas stories around the home. Perhaps they will meet the pixies with the matches on their way?

Hand-painted Danish paper cutout

The paper cutout is designed by Tall Hat Tales and has a charming, hand-painted look, where the small details give each pixie its own personality.

The motif combines two things that belong to the Nordic Christmas: pixies and nature. The cones make the paper cutout particularly lovely when paired with fir, dried branches, and other natural Christmas decorations.

From farm spirit to Christmas pixie

The "nisse" (pixie) has been part of Danish folklore long before it became a cozy figure in our Christmas decorations.

In the old days, it was imagined that a farm could have its own resident spirit, also called a "gårdbo" or "vætte." It belonged on the farm all year round and was, among other things, considered the protector of the animals. In return, it expected to be treated properly. This was especially true at Christmastime, when it was important to stay on good terms with it.

The old pixie was thus far from just the cute and cheerful figure we know today. It could be both temperamental and vengeful if the people on the farm did not show it the respect it felt it deserved.

During the 1800s, the character of the pixie gradually changed. In the new bourgeois Christmas, it became the more good-natured Christmas pixie with a wife, children, rice porridge, and Christmas presents. It is largely this version that has since become an integral part of the Danish Christmas.

The six little pixies with their pinecones thus draw on a long Nordic tradition, even if they look somewhat more peaceful than their ancestors.

Product information

• Unique Danish design
• Motif featuring six little pixies carrying pinecones in from the forest
• Printed on sturdy 300-gram paper
• A5 format
• Double-sided printing
• Figures are to be cut out yourself
• Suitable as Christmas decorations, hanging ornaments, table decor, and place cards
• The motifs are hand-painted, so the front and back may vary slightly

Need the right tools?

For the fine details in papercraft, we recommend a sharp craft knife and a good cutting mat. You can purchase our cutting set for papercraft and paper cutting, which includes an NT-Cutter precision knife with 10 blades and a Linex cutting mat.