In Norway, brooms are traditionally hidden on Christmas Eve to keep witches from stealing them for a night ride.
The custom belongs to older Scandinavian Christmas folklore, when supernatural beings and restless spirits were believed to be especially active during the midwinter holiday. A broom was not merely a cleaning tool: in European witch folklore, it was a familiar image of magical flight. Hiding it supposedly prevented witches from borrowing it.
The practice is a superstition rather than an official religious ritual, and it is not followed universally in modern Norway. Some accounts also mention putting away other household implements, such as fire shovels and tongs, but brooms are the best-known and canonical answer.
Norwegian Christmas Eve, or Julaften, is celebrated on December 24. Other customs include festive meals, decorated trees, gifts, and the appearance of Julenissen, the Norwegian Christmas gift-bringer, whose folklore combines older Scandinavian traditions with Santa Claus imagery.