CULTURAL SMÅLAND
  Many people associate Småland with gnomes and trolls, 
  fairies and sprites... sometimes even with Santa Claus. 
  Fables and myths are universal, but some gnomes ("tomten") 
  are from Småland!
  Did you know that the "farm elf" was all grey until the artist 
  Jenny Nyström (from Småland, of course) gave him his red 
  cap? (Read more here)
  John Bauer, another artist, also liked mythical creatures and
  fairies - see some examples here.
  There is even a Museum of legends in the (relative) vicinity.

  There are writers here, too. A couple who are international cel-
  ebrities are Vilhelm Moberg and Astrid Lindgren - and, of course, 
  our Nobel laureate Pär Lagerkvist.
  
  Some musical celebrities are from here too: one of the really 
  big singers from the 19th century is Christina Nilsson, countess
  de Casa Miranda.
  The contemporary consert pianist Per Tengstrand lives in Växjö,
  as is the international chamber orchestra Musica Vitae.