Bing & Grøndahl Christmas plate 1963 The Christmas elf is waiting for the porridge

Bing & Grøndahl Christmas plate 1963 with the motif The Christmas elf is waiting for the porridge captures one of the most beloved Danish Christmas stories. Here we meet the elf in a quiet moment, sitting side by side with the farm's cat, while both gaze ahead toward the awaited Christmas porridge. The motif is warm, folkloric, and full of the special atmosphere that has made the blue Christmas plates a fixed part of the Danish Christmas through generations.

Henry Thelander has created a year edition where the story can almost be read directly in the scene. The elf sits in the foreground under a vaulted opening, while a person in the background comes walking with the porridge. The cat is placed close to the elf, as if it too knows the ritual and is waiting along. The composition gives the motif depth and makes the title The Christmas elf is waiting for the porridge into more than just a name; it becomes the very action on the plate.

The motif connects beautifully to the old tradition of setting out rice pudding for the farm elf at Christmas time. In folk belief, the elf had to be treated properly if luck was to remain on the farm. This gives this Christmas plate both cultural-historical charm and an immediate recognizability, which makes it particularly atmospheric in December, but also interesting the rest of the year as classic Danish porcelain with history and soul.

Bing & Grøndahl's series began in 1895 and was the world's first Christmas plate series. Since 1895, a new plate has been issued every year, and each year edition constitutes its own completed release. After the year's final firing, the mould was destroyed, so that the individual year edition could not later be put into production again. This is part of the explanation for why these plates continue to attract great interest among collectors.

As this year edition is from 1963, it can also be used as a small plate all year round, for example for cake or dessert. At Christmas time, it is also ideal to bring out when the table is to have a touch of classic blue Christmas tradition. As an older original, it adds personality to the home and is a beautiful example of how good craftsmanship can live on and create joy in new generations.

Product information:
Brand: Bing & Grøndahl
Artist: Henry Thelander
Series: Christmas plates
Year edition: 1963
Motif: The Christmas elf is waiting for the porridge
Material: Porcelain
Dimensions: Ø 18 cm
Hanging: Two holes on the back for hanging