About
The álfablót, sacrifice to the elves, was a private household rite. The skald Sigvatr Þórðarson, travelling in Sweden around 1019, tells in his Austrfararvísur how he was turned away from farm after farm because an álfablót was being held inside. Kormáks saga also describes offering a bull's blood and meat at an elf mound to heal a wound. It seems to have been a quiet, family matter, closed to outsiders.
Customs
- Keeping the rite within the household, with the doors closed to visitors
- Offering food and drink to the elves and household spirits
- Honouring the ancestral dead, with whom the elves may be linked
- Leaving offerings at a mound, stone or special place on the land
Food
- Porridge with butter
- Bread
- Milk or ale
- Apples
A simple ritual
- Choose a quiet evening at home and let this be a private rite for your household.
- Light a candle in a safe holder.
- Set out a small bowl of porridge with butter or a cup of milk.
- Thank the elves and the spirits of your home and land for their goodwill.
- Leave the offering overnight, then return it to the earth in the morning.
- Put out the candle before you go to bed.
Never leave candles or fires unattended, and keep them away from pets and children.