PARTICULARS ABOUT NORSE GODS

FREYR, ALSO SPELLED FREY, IS THE RULER OF

PEACE, FERTILITY, RAIN, AND SUNSHINE;

AND IS THE SON OF THE SEA GOD NJÖRD.

ALTHOUGH ORIGINALLY ONE OF THE VANIR TRIBE,

HE IS INCLUDED AMONG THE AESIR AND IS

CONSIDERED THE THIRD MOST IMPORTANT GOD

IN NORSE MYTH AFTER ODIN AND THOR.

WHILE HOLLYWOOD USUALLY DEPICTS THOR AS

A SCANDINAVIAN BLOND, LEGEND STATES THAT

THE GOD OF THUNDER WAS ACTUALLY A REDHEAD.

HE WAS THE SCOURGE OF THE GIANTS,

THE STRONGEST AMONG THE GODS, AND

WAS NEVER AVERSE TO BASHING THE ODD GIANT

ALL THE WAY TO JOTUNHEIM WITH HIS TRUSTED

HAMMER MJÖLNIR.

DESPITE ODIN BEING THE “BOSS” IN THE

NORSE PANTHEON, THOR IS CONSIDERED

THE STRONGEST OF ALL GODS.

HOWEVER, NOT EVEN THE MIGHTY THOR

COULD HANDLE THE HAMMER BAREHANDED!

ACCORDING TO THE MYTHOS, THOR NEEDED

A PAIR OF IRON GLOVES NAMED JÁRNGREIPR

TO HANDLE MJÖLNIR.

MANY VIKINGS USED TO WEAR A SMALL HAMMER

AROUND THEIR NECK FOR GOOD LUCK. ALSO,

WHEN THERE WAS A FEAST THEY WOULD GIVE

THE SIGN OF THOR OVER THEIR FOOD,

MUCH AS CHRISTIANS DO THE SIGN OF

THE CROSS IN AN ACT OF PRAYER.

OUR KNOWLEDGE OF NORSE MYTHOLOGY IS

BASED MAINLY ON DOCUMENTS WRITTEN BETWEEN

THE ELEVENTH AND EIGHTEENTH CENTURIES,

AFTER THE NORSE OFFICIALLY BECAME CHRISTIANS.

HUMAN SACRIFICES WERE NOT UNKNOWN AMONG

THE NORSE, AS QUITE A FEW WERE MADE IN

HONOUR OF ODIN. THERE ARE MANY ACCOUNTS

OF EVEN KINGS BEING SACRIFICED TO ODIN.

KEEP IN MIND THAT A SACRIFICE TO ODIN

GENERALLY REQUIRED A PERSON TO BE

PIERCED WITH A SPEAR AND THEN HANGED.

ST. NICHOLAS AND ODIN

Last but not least, did you know that Santa Claus is a blending of

Odin and the Christian legend of Saint Nicholas? Back in the day,

children in Northern Europe would leave their shoes, filled with

carrots or other edibles, near the chimney for Odin’s horse

Sleipnir to eat while resting from hunting. In exchange,

Odin would leave gifts or candy.