The Christmas elf Hans with sled W: 8 cm H: 9.1 cm L: 10.5 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 that 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 Hans, for example, who is 342 Christmas Eves old. He zooms down the little hill by Slotsbanken on his old sled, which creaks in just the right way. Passersby sometimes think they can hear laughter in the dark, and it’s probably Hans. He passes by the coal merchant’s gate, where there’s always a wave, and after more than three hundred years on the same hill, he still hasn’t tired of the ride.

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 collector’s items.

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