Question on sorta illegal Holiday tradition in Gavle Sweden?

[Nathan45]

I saw this on youtube, and its one of those things that sounds too good to check, but the claim is in Sweden that town of Gavle builds a giant straw goat statue for Christmas, and there is a town tradition that you try to destroy it, like some frathouse stealing a rival teams mascot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jocXWO4Tr-Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jocXWO4Tr-Q

Is this video actually accurate?

[Micael]

Yes, it’s essentially correct. It is built every year, there’s some people who try to burn it down, and others who try to prevent it from burning down. It is illegal arson, and is prosecuted if they catch who did it.

Tom Scott did a longer video of it some years ago in which he visits Gävle and explains it: https://youtu.be/-zjJpFYtx9s

The goat has got social media accounts as well such as on X: https://x.com/gavlebocken?s=21&t=wWd6ltvssh4tJG_Vm2jjAA

The background as to why there’s a giant straw goat in the first place is that straw goats of a much more modest size have long been a part of Swedish Christmas traditions. Such as these:



I and my family have several of these for instance. Back in the day the tradition was that Julbocken (the Christmas goat) was the one who brought Christmas gift. Here’s a depiction of that from a Children’s book set in the 1840’s:


This changed due to influence from other countries during the 19th century to instead incorporate a Santa Claus figure (Jultomten) as the bringer of gifts. The tradition however survived in the form of these straw goats that’s used for decorating.

[pengolod_sc]

Uncle Blue looks like he's feeling miffed at being upstaged by another Christmas goat.

[Micael]

Uncle Blue looks like he's feeling miffed at being upstaged by another Christmas goat.

Wouldn’t you be?

[MikeKozlowski]

...Wait till you guys see a Cleveland Christmas.

Mike

[Micael]

...Wait till you guys see a Cleveland Christmas.

Mike

I’m not sure I want to see a 30 ft tall Drew Carey made from straw.

[MikeKozlowski]

...Wait till you guys see a Cleveland Christmas.

Mike

I’m not sure I want to see a 30 ft tall Drew Carey made from straw.

Micael,

Oh, it's worse than that.

FAR worse than that:



Mike

[jemhouston]

...Wait till you guys see a Cleveland Christmas.

Mike

It's still better than a Cleveland Thanksgiving, "I swear to God I thought turkeys could fly." Wild ones can, domestic ones can't.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGFtV6-ALoQ

[MikeKozlowski]

...Wait till you guys see a Cleveland Christmas.

Mike

It's still better than a Cleveland Thanksgiving, "I swear to God I thought turkeys could fly." Wild ones can, domestic ones can't.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGFtV6-ALoQ

Jem,

That was Cincinatti. John Lyle's the guy you wanna talk to.

Mike

[jemhouston]

My bad