The Christmas elf Signe with Christmas book W: 6.5 cm H: 9.7 cm L: 7 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 Signe, for example, who is 377 Christmas Eves old. She prefers to sit by the window in a small house with a view of the cathedral spire, where she reads old books about Christmas. She loves it when someone stops outside and looks in with a smile—especially the butcher, who always nods. Then she’ll turn the pages a bit more loudly, because you never know who might be listening.

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 delightful 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 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.