While Rhode Islanders decorate a termite for Christmas, other cultures have their own quirks and traditions. The town of Gävle [say: yeah-vleh] puts up a giant straw statue of a goat. Then they wait—and sometimes even bet—on whether the goat will make it to Christmas.
The reason they worry about the goat is because every year someone tries to burn it down. In the past 50 years, the goat has only survived through Christmas 35 times! If it survives, they celebrate by burning it officially on New Year’s Eve.
How did this Goat Burning Start?
“For hundreds of years, people in northern Europe had big festivals in December called Yule. Those traditions became part of Christmas celebrations in places like Sweden. One of those traditions was the Yule goat.”
CBC
This Yule goat helps deliver presents and sometimes Santa Claus would ride a goat instead of his sleigh. The most popular Christmas decorations in Sweden happen to be mall straw goats!
In 1966, the town square of Gävle decided to erect a giant Yule goat out of super-flammable straw. While they expect someone to try to burn it, they also go out of their way to protect the goat. Even though the burning is considered a tradition, it is also illegal.
The goat has guards, security cameras and fences to protect it. It is also sprayed with water and flameproof chemicals. 15 out of the last 50+ years it has even managed to survive December! But let’s talk about the times that it hasn’t.
An American tourist spent two weeks in a Swedish jail back in 2001 after his Swedish friend convinced him that burning the goat was okay. In 2009, someone managed to disable the cameras and snuck in to burn it. Finally in 2005, a group of people dressed as Santa and gingerbread men fired flaming arrows into the goat.
It has also been destroyed in non flammable ways at least once. In 1976, someone drove a car into its back legs. There was also an incident just a few years ago in 2010 when two men offered a guard a bribe to let them fly the goat away via helicopter. Needless to say, this goat is very popular with pranksters.
Is the Stress and Crazy Security Worth it?
The town is apparently as suborn as their horned mascot. They are proud of their tradition that also happens to attract tourists from near and far! It was even in the Guinness Book of World Records for its massive size.
Every year the town is overly hopeful about the Gävle goat’s chance of survival. The saddest time was in 2016, when the Yule goat celebrated its 50th anniversary. Someone managed to burn it down the same night it was unveiled!
This year it was unveiled just two days ago. From my understanding, it is still standing! I took the liberty of borrowing this photo from the unveiling. Oh by the way, it is 13 meters (42 feet) tall! Thank you The Local.
