Trolls have a really bad name these days. The internet troll is the first to come up with a google search. UGH. The word conjures visions of creeps on the internet doing extremely negative things.
But there was a time when the word trolls meant little plastic doll with crazy hair sticking up and beady eyes-
and before that they were written about in Norse Mythology and Scandinavian Folklore.
The trolls of the rubbery type, a protruding belly with navel, glassy eyes and colorful hair were around when I was in grade school in the late 60′s.
Did a search for the origin of the troll dolls and they were created in 1959 by a Danish man, Thomas Dam. They are also called Dam dolls.
Chicago John noticed the Christmas troll, dressed as a caroler, on my Sunday breakfast table. The wikipedia post says that some people collect THOUSANDS of them. No kidding. I have a few of the Christmas ones that have been around for years and I brought them out for the grandkids who had fun with them last summer.
When I was with the family in Virginia over the Thanksgiving Holiday, my son’s in-laws had this pair of Pilgrim Trolls on the mantle. They made me laugh when I saw them.
I did turn these two so they were looking at the camera cause initially they just had eyes for one another. (scroll down)
Sounds like they are having a bit of a comeback these days with a new generation. Any troll collectors out there?
Filed under: Photography Tagged: 1959, celebration, childhood, collections, Norse Mythology, nostalgia, Scandinavian Folklore, Thanksgiving decoration, Thomas Dam, toys, travel, troll collectors, troll dolls
