Ribenissen Alfred with children W: 4.8 cm H: 13.1 cm L: 6.2 cm

Elves have always held a special place in my heart, and the charming Ribenisser from Ib Laursen are certainly no exception.

These little elves are full of personality and have the loveliest, nostalgic look, which fits perfectly with a cozy Danish Christmas. There’s something truly special about them—perhaps because they feel both familiar and at the same time each has its own little quirk.

Each Ribenisse has its own name, age, and story. Take Alfred, for example, who is 419 Christmas Eves old. He lives with his family of five in an old warehouse near the river. The children are two at 110 and one at 116 Christmas Eves, and the house is filled with life from morning till night. The family makes paper hearts and builds snowmen in the yard, even when the snow barely covers the cobblestones. There’s both noise, laughter, and a bit of rice pudding on the walls—just as it should be in December.

Each elf also comes in its own little box, which makes it extra special. This makes the Ribenisser perfect as a small gift, but also lovely to collect and bring out year after year as a cherished Christmas tradition.

The Ribenisser are decorative on their own, but I think they look their very best when several are grouped together. It could be on a table, in the windowsill, on a shelf, or as part of a larger Christmas display.

And precisely because there are several different ones, it’s also fun to build your own little collection over time. There’s no doubt that they are perfect for collecting.

The Ribenisser are made of polyresin, also known as synthetic resin.