The Tomten and the Fox 2019

Animation

Family

Runtime

9 mins

Language

Norwegian

Directed by

Are Austenes

Made by

Qvisten Animation

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The Tomten and the Fox Plot Summary

Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for The Tomten and the Fox (2019). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.

On Christmas Eve, the hungry fox Mickel Dennis Storhøi roams a snow-covered forest in search of a meal, nose to the cold wind and paws crunching the frost. He darts after two mice, but the swift little creatures slip away, leaving him empty-handed and more determined to find something to fill his belly. The wintry quiet deepens around him as he stumbles upon a farm, drawn by the warm glow spilling from a living room window where Christmas candy gleams invitingly. He gazes longingly at the sweets, the glow painting the snow with a soft, hopeful light, yet the door to the cozy room remains out of reach, a tantalizing barrier between hunger and comfort.

Beyond the glow, the open door of the chicken coop catches his eye, and for a heartbeat he imagines a quick catch to quiet the ache. But at that moment, the Nisse (Norwegian-Danish) / Tomte (Swedish), the farm’s guardian elf, appears and drags Mickel outside. The Nisse is firm but not cruel, explaining that he is there to take care of the chickens and that stealing is not allowed. Yet the elf also senses the fox’s hunger and, in a quiet, practical gesture, offers a compromise: share the plate of Christmas porridge that a girl has left on the doorstep with Mickel, and make this a winter-night ritual. The fox accepts the offer with a wary but grateful nod, and he eats the porridge, feeling the warmth spread through him as the cold forest air settles around his shoulders.

As Mickel makes his way back toward the forest, he encounters the two mice again. They’re frightened by the sight of the large fox, eyes wide and tense, but Mickel’s mood lightens as he shows a small, unexpected kindness. He picks up a pine cone that had rolled away and gently places it before the mice, a simple token of goodwill that carries a soft, hopeful smile in his expression. With that quiet act of generosity, he continues on his path, the night’s chill tempered by the fragile, growing sense of connection to the world around him. The story unfolds with a gentle rhythm: hunger, restraint, shared warmth, and a brief, human-like mercy from a creature who could easily have acted on instinct. The film lingers on small gestures and serene winter imagery, painting a mood of quiet wonder and seasonal tenderness.

The Tomten and the Fox Timeline

Follow the complete movie timeline of The Tomten and the Fox (2019) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.

Mickel roams the snowy forest on Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve, the hungry fox Mickel wanders through the snowy forest in search of food. He moves slowly with his senses on high alert, driven by hunger. He spots two mice, and his attempt to catch them ends in a clumsy, unsuccessful snap.

Christmas Eve, evening Snowy forest

Mickel eyes two mice and fails to catch them

Further along, Mickel stalks the two mice among the white pines, but they dart away and escape. He tries again, yet the little prey outpaces him and leaves the fox frustrated. The forest remains hushed under the snow.

Christmas Eve, evening Snowy forest

Mickel discovers a distant farm

Mickel discovers a distant farm, its warm glow cutting through the cold. The scent of Christmas treats drifts out, tempting but out of reach. He lingers at the edge, weighing the risk of trespassing for a bite.

Christmas Eve, evening Farm

Glimpsing Christmas candy through a farmhouse window

He glances through a farmhouse window and sees a living room bright with holiday goodies, including Christmas candy. He longs to slip inside, but the door is firmly shut against him. Hunger gnaws as he pushes to find another way in.

Christmas Eve, evening Farmhouse window

Approaching the open chicken coop

The chicken coop door is ajar, tempting Mickel with a meal he cannot easily resist. He edges closer to the coop, thinking to seize a chicken. His plan is interrupted when a presence suddenly appears.

Christmas Eve, evening Farmyard, chicken coop

Dragged outside by the Nisse

Outside the coop, the Nisse drags him away, scolding the fox for trying to steal. The Nisse explains that he is the guardian of the chickens and Mickel must not take what isn't his.

Christmas Eve, evening Farmyard outside coop

Nisse explains duties and warns

The Nisse emphasizes his duty to protect the poultry and warns Mickel to respect the farm's rules. He reminds the fox that hunger is no justification for stealing, and that he will watch over the chickens.

Christmas Eve, evening Farmyard

Porrridge left on the doorstep

A girl places a plate of Christmas porridge on the doorstep for the Nisse, a gesture of hospitality. The plate signals a quiet moment of sharing between humans and magical caretakers.

Christmas Eve, evening Farm doorstep

Nisse offers to share porridge with Mickel

The Nisse offers to share the porridge with Mickel and to make this a winter-night ritual, recognizing the fox's hunger. Mickel agrees and nods, touched by the kindness.

Christmas Eve, evening Farm doorstep

Mickel eats the porridge

Mickel accepts the offer and eats the porridge, savoring warmth and nourishment as relief from his hunger. The porridge brings a moment of comfort in the cold night.

Christmas Eve, evening Farm doorstep

Return journey toward the forest

On the return trip to the forest, Mickel passes the two mice again, the encounter now tempered by the fox's earlier act.

Return trip, night Path between farm and forest

Mickel makes a quiet gesture to the mice

The mice look scared, but Mickel softens and nudges a pine cone back toward them, smiling kindly. He offers no chase this time, choosing a small act of kindness instead.

Return trip, night Edge of forest / path

Mickel continues his walk back to the forest

He resumes his walk back into the forest, the Christmas night quiet around him and a memory of porridge warming his belly. The night ends with a quiet sense of contentment as he continues his journey.

Return trip, night Forest path

The Tomten and the Fox Characters

Explore all characters from The Tomten and the Fox (2019). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.

Mickel the Fox

A hungry fox who roams the snowy forest in search of food. He initially tries to catch two mice and is drawn to the farm’s window where Christmas candy waits inside. Though driven by hunger, he responds with a gentle mood when offered porridge and later shares a small kindness with the mice by giving them a pine cone.

🦊 Fox 🐾 Hungry 🗺️ Wanderer

Nisse (Elf) / Tomte

The farm’s caretaker elf, tasked with protecting the chickens. He confronts Mickel and sets a boundary, but also offers to share the porridge, demonstrating generosity. He serves as a mediator between the forest’s hunger and the farm’s hospitality.

🧝 Elf 🐓 Guardian 🍲 Host

Two Mice

Two small mice initially terrified by the fox, they keep to the shadows as Mickel scouts the farm. After Mickel’s later act of sharing with them (the pine cone), they remain wary but less fearful, illustrating how mercy can soften even frightened creatures.

🐭 Mouse 🫶 Timid 🧩 Allies

The Tomten and the Fox Settings

Learn where and when The Tomten and the Fox (2019) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.

Time period

Christmas Eve

The events unfold on Christmas Eve, a winter night when the forest is hushed and the farm glows with festive light. Hunger, mercy, and protection weave together as the night progresses, culminating in a pact to share food each winter night. The season’s spirit of giving frames the fox’s eventual shift from threat to neighbor.

Location

Snowy Norwegian forest, Farm

Set on a Christmas Eve in a snowy Nordic countryside, the action shifts between a quiet forest and a nearby farm. The forest is the domain of Mickel’s hunger and prowling, while the farm offers warmth, shelter, and the Nisse’s guardianship near the coop. The open chicken coop and the plate of Christmas porridge on the doorstep establish a contrast between hunger and hospitality.

❄️ Snowy 🌲 Forest 🏡 Farm

The Tomten and the Fox Themes

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🍽️

Sharing

Food and generosity drive the story: the Nisse offers to share porridge with the hungry fox, and Mickel accepts. He later pays a small kindness forward by giving a pine cone to the mice. The act of sharing transforms the fox’s relationship with the farm and its inhabitants, turning hunger into community.

💗

Kindness

Kindness replaces fear as the central force. The Nisse protects the chickens and opens his heart to the fox, while Mickel’s gesture toward the mice shows a softer side beneath his hunger. The mice respond with relief rather than panic, illustrating how mercy can ripple through unlikely friendships.

🛡️

Protection

The Nisse embodies guardianship, watching over the farm’s animals and enforcing a moral boundary that prevents theft. The porridge-sharing ritual marks a boundary where hunger is acknowledged but not exploited. Together, these rules create a safe winter circle for both farm and forest inhabitants.

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The Tomten and the Fox Spoiler-Free Summary

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In the hush of a snowy Christmas night, the landscape glitters under a blanket of frost, each tree branch heavy with ice and each breath of wind a soft whisper. A modest farm glows warmly from its windows, the light spilling onto the drifts like a promise of comfort amid the cold. The world is rendered in gentle, painterly strokes that capture the quiet wonder of the season, inviting the viewer to linger over the subtle play of shadows and the soft crackle of distant hearths.

Mickel the fox roams the forest, his amber eyes scanning the white expanse for any hint of sustenance. Hunger drives him forward, turning the tranquil silence into a restless pursuit. The scent of the farm’s holiday fare drifts on the wind, drawing him toward the inviting glow. As he draws near, the delicate balance between curiosity and caution sets the stage for an encounter that could change the rhythm of his solitary wanderings.

Standing at the edge of the farm’s property is Nisse, the guardian elf who watches over the chickens and the homestead with a calm, steadfast presence. He embodies the quiet tradition of the land, combining firm guardianship with an understated kindness. When the fox’s path crosses the elf’s, an unspoken understanding begins to form, hinting at a possible exchange that could ease the harsh edge of winter hunger without disrupting the peace of the household. The story settles into a gentle rhythm of anticipation, where small gestures and the soft glow of Christmas night promise a delicate bridging of worlds.