Make a Scandinavian Christmas Gnome

Nisse is a mischievous Scandinavian gnome who watches over domestic animals. Norwegian children leave a bowl of porridge out for him on Christmas Eve, just as American children leave cookies and milk for Santa. He is easily crafted from Play-Doh, construction paper and fiberfill. If you make him small enough, you can hang him on your tree. Don't forget to leave treats for your personal in-home gnome!

What You Need:

• Line drawings of Nisse
• Play-Doh, any color
• Polyester fiberfill
• Red construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue-stick or tape
• Pen
• 2 small beads (optional)
•  Warning: supervise younger children with scissors use!

What You Do:

1. First have your child make the basic shapes. Nisse is made of a rectangle for the body, a ball for the head, two small circles for the feet and four skinny strips for the arms and legs. Your Nisse can be any size you like.
2. Attach the head to the body.
3. To make the hat, draw a shape that looks like 1/3 of a pie on your red paper. Size it to fit your Nisse's head.
4. Encourage your child to cut out the hat, and form it into a cone. Tape or glue the ends to form the hat.
5. Nisse's beard is a big triangle that comes down to his knees. Shape polyester fiberfill into a triangle.
6. Now have your child push the fiberfill just far enough into the head and body to make it stick.
7. Attach the feet to the legs.
8. Invite your child to attach the arms and legs to the body. Pose the arms however you wish.
9. Push Nisse's hat into the head slightly to make it stick.
10. Direct your child to make eyes with a pen point, and add beads.
11. Hang Nisse on your tree or place him around the house.