Honouring the House Spirit

Your family may use one of many names for your house spirit. It may be called a husvaettr, a tomte, a nisse, a brownie, or a housewight (or many other things!) This is the spirit that protects your house and family. Think of it as a minor god or goddess that is specific to your home. The house spirit will help your house to stay in good repair, and help with family cohesiveness and protection. 

If you forget to clean up after yourself the house spirit may play tricks. They may move objects to get your attention and remind you to clean up your mess! If you have lost an item, whether or not the house spirit hid it or not, you can ask for the aid of the house spirit in finding it. You can gift an offering of cream, milk, coffee, porridge, honey and ask for their help getting the item back. 

Some families also believe if you accidentally drop a food item then it now belongs to the house spirit and should be given to them. 

It is common to leave out a gift of porridge with a pat of butter on top for the house spirit the night before Yule to thank the spirit for protecting your home.

You can also make regular offerings to your house spirit to help build a better relationship with it.

Here is a simple rite you can follow.

You will need:

- a cup of milk or a small amount of honey in a dish

- a space to leave offerings (sometimes this is a shelf, or a spot in the kitchen or above the hearth or near the furnace. discuss it with your family what will be best.)

What you do:

Place your offering on the place your family has agreed upon while saying, "Spirit of this home please accept this gift. Thank you for watching over this home and me and my family."

Ancestor Veneration for Kids

It is easy to venerate ancestors as a family. "Venerate" is a fancy word that means to honour or show respect to. 

What you need:

• a low table
• photos of ancestors
• a bowl
• a pitcher or jug with water
• incense or steam diffuser

Steps: 

1. Wash your hands and face.
2. Gather supplies on the low table.
3. Sit, stand, or kneel in front of the low table. (You want to still be able to reach the things on it.)
4. With adult help, light the incense or start the steam diffuser. Use it to purify yourself by wafting the steam or smoke over yourself with your hands. While you do this you can say these words:
5. "I am pure, I am clean, I am present in Midgard."
6. Look at the pictures of your ancestors and knock on the table 3 times to call them in.
7. Pick up the jug or pitcher and say:
8. "From Urd's Well, pour out these memories. Let this water bless me and my family line."
9. Pour out the water carefully into the bowl.
10. Now you can tell your ancestors anything you want to share. If you want to ask them for something you should give them a special gift. It can be food or a pretty rock or flower you found, or whatever else you think they would like.
11. Take as long as you want. If you have incense burning wait for it to burn out. Then you should clean up the incense and any offerings that shouldn't stay there for whatever reason. Ask your family how they want things cleaned up, as each family will have its own rules.

Vetrnætr Colouring Page

 

Midsommar Colouring Page

 

Jól Colouring Page

 

Sigrblót Colouring Page

 

Welcome!

 Welcome youth and families! This blog is meant for Heathen kids, to learn about all things Heathen and have fun, too!