The illuminating history of the Gävle Goat
December 6, 2013 9:40 AM Subscribe
The Gävle Goat is a house-sized Swedish Yule Goat made of straw erected at the start of Advent each year and sponsored by merchants from the southern half of Gävle. While the 2013 incarnation is currently unharmed, the goat is a magnet for vandalism and 22 of 37 goats since 1966 have been destroyed, usually by burning. Some burn just days after construction even with ice coats and fire-proofing. The event is frequent enough that there are bookmaking odds on whether this year's goat will survive.
A second "little brother" goat is erected by students from the Natural Science Club of the School of Vasa. It too has a less than 50% survival rate and is usually burned or thrown into the river.
Gävle Goat history highlights (fill list in Swedish):
2001: Burnt down by an American visitor who was jailed and forced to pay restitution. Here is a letter (translated into Swedish) from Lawrence Jones about why he did it.
2005: Burned via a flaming arrow shot by arsonists dressed as Santa and gingerbread men
2009: Webcams observing the goat were put out of commission with a DoS attack and the goat was burned to its frame. The Natural Science Club's goat was earlier stolen by truck.
2010: A guard was offered payment to step aside so the goat could be stolen by helicopter
The 2013 Gävle Goat has its own twitter feed where it nervously assures the world that it might live to see Christmas. You can see for yourself via webcam.
Previously on Metafilter (1, 2, 3)
A second "little brother" goat is erected by students from the Natural Science Club of the School of Vasa. It too has a less than 50% survival rate and is usually burned or thrown into the river.
Gävle Goat history highlights (fill list in Swedish):
2001: Burnt down by an American visitor who was jailed and forced to pay restitution. Here is a letter (translated into Swedish) from Lawrence Jones about why he did it.
2005: Burned via a flaming arrow shot by arsonists dressed as Santa and gingerbread men
2009: Webcams observing the goat were put out of commission with a DoS attack and the goat was burned to its frame. The Natural Science Club's goat was earlier stolen by truck.
2010: A guard was offered payment to step aside so the goat could be stolen by helicopter
The 2013 Gävle Goat has its own twitter feed where it nervously assures the world that it might live to see Christmas. You can see for yourself via webcam.
Previously on Metafilter (1, 2, 3)
Carpe caprem.
posted by ocschwar at 9:51 AM on December 6, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by ocschwar at 9:51 AM on December 6, 2013 [5 favorites]
"That's something you don't see every day, Chauncey."
"What's that, Edgar?"
"A Swedish Burning Man with ninjas."
posted by ardgedee at 10:01 AM on December 6, 2013 [10 favorites]
"What's that, Edgar?"
"A Swedish Burning Man with ninjas."
posted by ardgedee at 10:01 AM on December 6, 2013 [10 favorites]
Burned via a flaming arrow shot by arsonists dressed as Santa and gingerbread men
This is the best thing I have ever heard, tbh.
posted by elizardbits at 10:06 AM on December 6, 2013 [23 favorites]
This is the best thing I have ever heard, tbh.
posted by elizardbits at 10:06 AM on December 6, 2013 [23 favorites]
I mean we sort of forget that even with all the meatballs and ABBA and volvos and muppet chefs and happy health care for all, Swedes are super metal.
posted by elizardbits at 10:08 AM on December 6, 2013 [13 favorites]
posted by elizardbits at 10:08 AM on December 6, 2013 [13 favorites]
Hopefully the Burning Goat festival doesn't have skjortasnopp.
posted by BrotherCaine at 10:13 AM on December 6, 2013
posted by BrotherCaine at 10:13 AM on December 6, 2013
So, what do they do if the goat doesn't burn?
Does the surviving goat makes its appearance (with a bit of patch-up) next year or is it thrown away?
posted by TheLittlePrince at 10:17 AM on December 6, 2013
Does the surviving goat makes its appearance (with a bit of patch-up) next year or is it thrown away?
posted by TheLittlePrince at 10:17 AM on December 6, 2013
I fell down the Gävle Goat wormhole because of a comment on an Awl article about firefighters who love to start fires. Just based on that one comment, the letter written by Mr. Jones above, and various comments I saw while putting this together, it's like this giant straw figure triggers something in the lizard brain of humans that says "BURN IT TO THE GROUND". I don't know if it's the large quantity of flammable materials, the idol-like shape of the goat, or the location that does it, but there is something in the combination that makes people a little crazy.
posted by Alison at 10:27 AM on December 6, 2013 [8 favorites]
posted by Alison at 10:27 AM on December 6, 2013 [8 favorites]
The crazy is always there, slicked down like a cowlick of madness by the sticky shellac of society.
posted by elizardbits at 10:31 AM on December 6, 2013 [10 favorites]
posted by elizardbits at 10:31 AM on December 6, 2013 [10 favorites]
Of course people burn it. As I wrote about the Yule Goat some years ago:
He wasn't precisely a welcome figure in Finland, where, instead of giving gifts, he demanded them. Scandinavians believed the goat watched them, invisibly, to make sure they were preparing for Christmas properly, because Christmas isn't a hard enough holiday, and what is really needed is an invisible goat watching you and judging you silently. This tradition is still around, by the way — the goat is a Christmas ornament made out of wood, and neighbors will try to sneak them into each others' houses, just to remind their neighbors that they are being watched, and what could be more neighborly? Sometimes Father Christmas rides the yule goat when delivering presents, coming from his home in the mountains of Korvatunturi in Lapland, Finland, where presumably he spends the rest of the year practicing the tango, which inexplicably is tremendously popular in Finland.
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 10:32 AM on December 6, 2013 [9 favorites]
He wasn't precisely a welcome figure in Finland, where, instead of giving gifts, he demanded them. Scandinavians believed the goat watched them, invisibly, to make sure they were preparing for Christmas properly, because Christmas isn't a hard enough holiday, and what is really needed is an invisible goat watching you and judging you silently. This tradition is still around, by the way — the goat is a Christmas ornament made out of wood, and neighbors will try to sneak them into each others' houses, just to remind their neighbors that they are being watched, and what could be more neighborly? Sometimes Father Christmas rides the yule goat when delivering presents, coming from his home in the mountains of Korvatunturi in Lapland, Finland, where presumably he spends the rest of the year practicing the tango, which inexplicably is tremendously popular in Finland.
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 10:32 AM on December 6, 2013 [9 favorites]
Burned via a flaming arrow shot by arsonists dressed as Santa and gingerbread men
This is the best thing I have ever heard, tbh.
I was gonna say, arsonists dressed as Santa and gingerbread men who shoot flaming arrows are the best kind of arsonists.
posted by Foosnark at 10:42 AM on December 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
This is the best thing I have ever heard, tbh.
I was gonna say, arsonists dressed as Santa and gingerbread men who shoot flaming arrows are the best kind of arsonists.
posted by Foosnark at 10:42 AM on December 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
Also, the Gävle goat Timeline on Wikipedia is the best kind of timeline.
1967 Nothing happened.
1968 The goat survived. A fence was built around the goat. Previously it was popular for children to play hide-and-seek inside and around the goat. There was also a rumor that one night a couple had sex inside the goat. In subsequent years the inside of the goat was protected by a chicken-wire net.
posted by Foosnark at 10:46 AM on December 6, 2013 [4 favorites]
1967 Nothing happened.
1968 The goat survived. A fence was built around the goat. Previously it was popular for children to play hide-and-seek inside and around the goat. There was also a rumor that one night a couple had sex inside the goat. In subsequent years the inside of the goat was protected by a chicken-wire net.
posted by Foosnark at 10:46 AM on December 6, 2013 [4 favorites]
Of course, that story makes kids cry, 'cause the goat gets burned 2 out of 3 readings.
We all know what happened at the last public reading of The Pet Goat!
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 10:51 AM on December 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
We all know what happened at the last public reading of The Pet Goat!
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 10:51 AM on December 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
"22 of 37 goats" is a magical concatenation. Entirely pleasant to say.
posted by Iridic at 11:02 AM on December 6, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Iridic at 11:02 AM on December 6, 2013 [3 favorites]
2001 Goat set on fire on 23 December by Lawrence Jones, a 51-year-old visitor from Cleveland, Ohio, who spent 18 days in jail and was subsequently convicted and ordered to pay 100,000 Swedish kronor in damages. The court confiscated Jones's cigarette lighter with the argument that he clearly was not able to handle it. Jones stated in court that he was no "goat burner", and believed that he was taking part in a completely legal goat-burning tradition.
Listen, Lawrence - either you burned the goat thinking it was a local tradition, making you a "goat burner," or you didn't burn it. You can't take part in a(n unoffical) burning tradition without being a goat burner.
posted by filthy light thief at 11:03 AM on December 6, 2013 [6 favorites]
Listen, Lawrence - either you burned the goat thinking it was a local tradition, making you a "goat burner," or you didn't burn it. You can't take part in a(n unoffical) burning tradition without being a goat burner.
posted by filthy light thief at 11:03 AM on December 6, 2013 [6 favorites]
You burn one goat ...
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 11:04 AM on December 6, 2013 [14 favorites]
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 11:04 AM on December 6, 2013 [14 favorites]
I think a bookie would have to be an idiot to allow bets on this. What's to keep an arsonist from making a huge bet on early burning?
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 11:06 AM on December 6, 2013
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 11:06 AM on December 6, 2013
Wait so they build a giant wickergoat at the center of town and the point isn't to burn it?
Confused.
posted by Sara C. at 11:12 AM on December 6, 2013 [5 favorites]
Confused.
posted by Sara C. at 11:12 AM on December 6, 2013 [5 favorites]
[muffled immigrant song screaming in the distance]
posted by elizardbits at 11:14 AM on December 6, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by elizardbits at 11:14 AM on December 6, 2013 [4 favorites]
[muffled Edward Woodward screaming inside the goat]
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 11:19 AM on December 6, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 11:19 AM on December 6, 2013 [5 favorites]
This tradition is still around, by the way — the goat is a Christmas ornament made out of wood, and neighbors will try to sneak them into each others' houses, just to remind their neighbors that they are being watched
I am sooooo doing this to my inlaws.
posted by ocschwar at 11:22 AM on December 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
I am sooooo doing this to my inlaws.
posted by ocschwar at 11:22 AM on December 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
If I were a security guard I would totally look away for a helicopter heist, because helicopter heists are awesome.
Of course, with my luck they'd just claim they were doing a helicopter heist and then when I was looking away it would be a boring arson job with no helicopter in sight.
posted by ckape at 11:24 AM on December 6, 2013 [3 favorites]
Of course, with my luck they'd just claim they were doing a helicopter heist and then when I was looking away it would be a boring arson job with no helicopter in sight.
posted by ckape at 11:24 AM on December 6, 2013 [3 favorites]
I just ordered a Yule Goat of my own, by the way. I loves them. Hopefully nobody will burn this.
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 11:24 AM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 11:24 AM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
Yeah, I'm thinking about it. My wife wants one of those creepy old-fashioned tall Santa nutcrackers to put an eyepatch on, so this would go right along with it.
posted by Foosnark at 11:28 AM on December 6, 2013
posted by Foosnark at 11:28 AM on December 6, 2013
Google Translate does an excellent job on that Swedish timeline:
1966 begins Gävle Capricorn history. Path side Mud came upon the idea of a huge straw goat that would be put on Palace Square in Gävle. On 1 December, the 13 meters high, 7 meters long and 3 tons of heavy trestle in place. On New Year's night at midnight went buck up in smoke. The perpetrator was found and charged with aggravated criminal damage.
In 1967, the tick remain untouched.
In 1968, the goat also remain untouched.
1969 goat was burned on New Year's Eve .
1970 became the first goat burned six hours after posting . Two intoxicated youths were tied by the deed . With the help of various donors was the goat , however again , this time made out of reeds.
1971 The merchants grew tired of burned stands , and he laid the bending operation. Association of Natural Science from Vasaskolan took over instead. Their little goat was smashed .
1972 sank buck up because of sabotage.
1973 went buck an unclear fate.
1974 goat was burned down .
1975 still an unclear fate.
1976 drove a hot rod broke the buck .
1977 uncertain fate again .
1978 suggested the goat broke again .
1979 goat was burned before it was even set up . New builds and impregnated , also sabotaged and broken .
1980 burned down on Christmas Eve.
1981 spared .
1982 burned down on Lucia.
1983 broken leg.
1984 burned down the night of Lucia.
1985 12.5 feet high ports tick in the Guiness Book of Records for the first time. Burnt in January.
1986 The merchants take up bending the building again . From now on , it's always two bucks, Merchants Halonen and Vaasa School . The big buck was, however, burned down the night of Christmas Eve.
1987 well -impregnated tick. Burned down , however, the week before Christmas.
1988 made it tick. Will the game event in English odds lists.
1989 goat burned before it was even built . It was collected money from the public to the new trestle that burned down in January. In March 1990, built another new buck up, then the set of the movie "Black Jack" .
1990 was spared the goat . This year set many volunteer guard.
1991 gave the goat joined by an advertising sled which turned out to be a black construction. Brann on Christmas morning . Rebuilt to comply with the Stockholm on campaign against the regiment (I 14) closure.
1992 burned for eight days , even Vaasa School goat was burned the same night . Rebuilt , but burned December 20. Bock burner to all three goats were arrested.
1993 would buck come by once in the Guinness Book of Records. This place got Vaasa School buck by 16 meters. The shoe was resolved .
1994 spared
1995 burned down on Christmas morning . Rebuilt to stand when the 550 - year anniversary began .
1996 survived. Guard Established by the first time by webcam.
1997 fared buck with limiting the damage of rockets.
1998 was on fire on December 11 , despite snowstorms. Was rebuilt.
1999 burning hours of the goat erection . Up to Lucia again .
2000 burned it a few days before New Year.
2001 days before Christmas , it was a 51 year-old American visiting Sweden as tuttade fire at the city's pride.
2002 spared .
2003 goat burned two nights before Lucia . A new buck was there a week later and it survived unscathed .
2004 goat burned on December 21, just three days before July No new trestle was built.
2005 goat burned 3 December 21:08 . A new trestle was built on December 8 and it did .
2006 passed the buck a pyromaniac attack during the night of 15 December. A little singed on the right leg. Since the goat stood untouched.
2007 The goat was impregnated with flame retardants and was not the victim of arsonists .
2008 was not the goat impregnated with flame-retardant without straw came without additives from Mackmyra whiskey production . The trestle was on fire on 27 December.
2009 goat was burned the night of 23 December. Meanwhile subjected webcams for a hacker attack , so pyromaniac engines did not appear in the pictures.
2010 made it tick. Helicopter coup was revealed there were plans to kidnap Gävle Goat to Stockholm by helicopter .
2011 did Gävle Goat only for five days. As early as December 2 , he stood in flames.
2012 burned Gävle Goat down the night of December 13. The fire started in the left hind leg .
posted by Curious Artificer at 11:29 AM on December 6, 2013 [5 favorites]
1966 begins Gävle Capricorn history. Path side Mud came upon the idea of a huge straw goat that would be put on Palace Square in Gävle. On 1 December, the 13 meters high, 7 meters long and 3 tons of heavy trestle in place. On New Year's night at midnight went buck up in smoke. The perpetrator was found and charged with aggravated criminal damage.
In 1967, the tick remain untouched.
In 1968, the goat also remain untouched.
1969 goat was burned on New Year's Eve .
1970 became the first goat burned six hours after posting . Two intoxicated youths were tied by the deed . With the help of various donors was the goat , however again , this time made out of reeds.
1971 The merchants grew tired of burned stands , and he laid the bending operation. Association of Natural Science from Vasaskolan took over instead. Their little goat was smashed .
1972 sank buck up because of sabotage.
1973 went buck an unclear fate.
1974 goat was burned down .
1975 still an unclear fate.
1976 drove a hot rod broke the buck .
1977 uncertain fate again .
1978 suggested the goat broke again .
1979 goat was burned before it was even set up . New builds and impregnated , also sabotaged and broken .
1980 burned down on Christmas Eve.
1981 spared .
1982 burned down on Lucia.
1983 broken leg.
1984 burned down the night of Lucia.
1985 12.5 feet high ports tick in the Guiness Book of Records for the first time. Burnt in January.
1986 The merchants take up bending the building again . From now on , it's always two bucks, Merchants Halonen and Vaasa School . The big buck was, however, burned down the night of Christmas Eve.
1987 well -impregnated tick. Burned down , however, the week before Christmas.
1988 made it tick. Will the game event in English odds lists.
1989 goat burned before it was even built . It was collected money from the public to the new trestle that burned down in January. In March 1990, built another new buck up, then the set of the movie "Black Jack" .
1990 was spared the goat . This year set many volunteer guard.
1991 gave the goat joined by an advertising sled which turned out to be a black construction. Brann on Christmas morning . Rebuilt to comply with the Stockholm on campaign against the regiment (I 14) closure.
1992 burned for eight days , even Vaasa School goat was burned the same night . Rebuilt , but burned December 20. Bock burner to all three goats were arrested.
1993 would buck come by once in the Guinness Book of Records. This place got Vaasa School buck by 16 meters. The shoe was resolved .
1994 spared
1995 burned down on Christmas morning . Rebuilt to stand when the 550 - year anniversary began .
1996 survived. Guard Established by the first time by webcam.
1997 fared buck with limiting the damage of rockets.
1998 was on fire on December 11 , despite snowstorms. Was rebuilt.
1999 burning hours of the goat erection . Up to Lucia again .
2000 burned it a few days before New Year.
2001 days before Christmas , it was a 51 year-old American visiting Sweden as tuttade fire at the city's pride.
2002 spared .
2003 goat burned two nights before Lucia . A new buck was there a week later and it survived unscathed .
2004 goat burned on December 21, just three days before July No new trestle was built.
2005 goat burned 3 December 21:08 . A new trestle was built on December 8 and it did .
2006 passed the buck a pyromaniac attack during the night of 15 December. A little singed on the right leg. Since the goat stood untouched.
2007 The goat was impregnated with flame retardants and was not the victim of arsonists .
2008 was not the goat impregnated with flame-retardant without straw came without additives from Mackmyra whiskey production . The trestle was on fire on 27 December.
2009 goat was burned the night of 23 December. Meanwhile subjected webcams for a hacker attack , so pyromaniac engines did not appear in the pictures.
2010 made it tick. Helicopter coup was revealed there were plans to kidnap Gävle Goat to Stockholm by helicopter .
2011 did Gävle Goat only for five days. As early as December 2 , he stood in flames.
2012 burned Gävle Goat down the night of December 13. The fire started in the left hind leg .
posted by Curious Artificer at 11:29 AM on December 6, 2013 [5 favorites]
then when I was looking away it would be a boring arson job with no helicopter in sight.
Yeah, seems like that'd be a pretty substantial risk, and I absolutely agree. Frankly, if they'd really had a helicopter it seems like maybe the cops themselves would have been willing to let it slide. Hold one accomplice hostage until the helicopter actually shows up, then let them go about their business.
...because, c'mon, helicopter.
posted by aramaic at 11:30 AM on December 6, 2013
Yeah, seems like that'd be a pretty substantial risk, and I absolutely agree. Frankly, if they'd really had a helicopter it seems like maybe the cops themselves would have been willing to let it slide. Hold one accomplice hostage until the helicopter actually shows up, then let them go about their business.
...because, c'mon, helicopter.
posted by aramaic at 11:30 AM on December 6, 2013
twice: '79 and '89, burned before it was even put up...what's the point of this thing again?
posted by OHenryPacey at 11:33 AM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by OHenryPacey at 11:33 AM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
To burn the goat as soon as possible, obviously!
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:34 AM on December 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:34 AM on December 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
There was also a rumor that one night a couple had sex inside the goat.
I hope that was before people started shooting flaming arrows at it, I'm picturing safer sex ed in Scandanavia featuring mantlets.
posted by BrotherCaine at 11:34 AM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
I hope that was before people started shooting flaming arrows at it, I'm picturing safer sex ed in Scandanavia featuring mantlets.
posted by BrotherCaine at 11:34 AM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
burning hours of the goat erection
This should be the title of the definitive Ingmar Bergman biography.
posted by elizardbits at 11:43 AM on December 6, 2013 [4 favorites]
This should be the title of the definitive Ingmar Bergman biography.
posted by elizardbits at 11:43 AM on December 6, 2013 [4 favorites]
Well, now, uh, Launcelot, Galahad, and I, wait until nightfall, and then leap out of the goat, taking the Swedes by surprise - not only by surprise, but totally unarmed!
posted by Naberius at 11:53 AM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Naberius at 11:53 AM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
1985: Even though the goat was enclosed by a 2 metres (6.6 ft) high metal fence, guarded by Securitas and even soldiers from the Gävle I 14 Infantry Regiment, it was burnt down in January.
1991: On the morning of Christmas Eve the goat was burnt down. It was later rebuilt to be taken to Stockholm as a part of a protest campaign against the closing of the I 14 Infantry Regiment.
posted by Spiegel at 11:55 AM on December 6, 2013 [4 favorites]
1991: On the morning of Christmas Eve the goat was burnt down. It was later rebuilt to be taken to Stockholm as a part of a protest campaign against the closing of the I 14 Infantry Regiment.
posted by Spiegel at 11:55 AM on December 6, 2013 [4 favorites]
They really should take a cue from the Three Little Pigs and build a nice brick goat.
posted by Foosnark at 12:15 PM on December 6, 2013 [6 favorites]
posted by Foosnark at 12:15 PM on December 6, 2013 [6 favorites]
YES with little pizza goats cooking inside
posted by elizardbits at 12:18 PM on December 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by elizardbits at 12:18 PM on December 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
YES with little pizza goats cooking inside
Sort of like a turducken, but with goats inside goats.
posted by GenjiandProust at 12:21 PM on December 6, 2013 [3 favorites]
Sort of like a turducken, but with goats inside goats.
posted by GenjiandProust at 12:21 PM on December 6, 2013 [3 favorites]
- This tradition is still around, by the way — the goat is a Christmas ornament made out of wood, and neighbors will try to sneak them into each others' houses, just to remind their neighbors that they are being watched
- I am sooooo doing this to my inlaws.
You mean you don't already do something like this? My sister and father had a game going back and forth, hiding something for the other to find. I think it was a piece of lettuce for a week, until the lettuce got kind of icky. Then my wife and her mother take turns hiding a little plastic toy around each-other's house.
The only thing lacking is the threat of the omnipresent watcher, which is probably why the goat keeps getting burned down.
(Can't sleep, goat is watching me)
posted by filthy light thief at 12:27 PM on December 6, 2013
- I am sooooo doing this to my inlaws.
You mean you don't already do something like this? My sister and father had a game going back and forth, hiding something for the other to find. I think it was a piece of lettuce for a week, until the lettuce got kind of icky. Then my wife and her mother take turns hiding a little plastic toy around each-other's house.
The only thing lacking is the threat of the omnipresent watcher, which is probably why the goat keeps getting burned down.
(Can't sleep, goat is watching me)
posted by filthy light thief at 12:27 PM on December 6, 2013
I think it was a piece of lettuce for a week, until the lettuce got kind of icky.
worst afikomen ever
posted by elizardbits at 12:29 PM on December 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
worst afikomen ever
posted by elizardbits at 12:29 PM on December 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
My God, the chupacabras in Sweden must be like sixty feet tall.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 12:30 PM on December 6, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 12:30 PM on December 6, 2013 [5 favorites]
YES with little pizza goats cooking inside
Sort of like a turducken, but with goats inside goats.
And topped off with goat cheese!
posted by Greg_Ace at 12:41 PM on December 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
Sort of like a turducken, but with goats inside goats.
And topped off with goat cheese!
posted by Greg_Ace at 12:41 PM on December 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
My God, the chupacabras in Sweden must be like sixty feet tall.
They are, but I believe the preferred indigenous term is "troll".
posted by aramaic at 1:16 PM on December 6, 2013 [5 favorites]
They are, but I believe the preferred indigenous term is "troll".
posted by aramaic at 1:16 PM on December 6, 2013 [5 favorites]
I'm obsessed with the Goat (webcam) and have added it to My List of Future Destinations. This morning, I said "Oooooh! Snow. If I can't have fire, the snow is a nice touch."
We've had a nice 2 foot tall Yule Goat in our holiday decorations ever since I was a little girl. It's suffered the very American indignity of being ridden by everyone from Curious George to small old German Santas.
posted by julen at 1:30 PM on December 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
We've had a nice 2 foot tall Yule Goat in our holiday decorations ever since I was a little girl. It's suffered the very American indignity of being ridden by everyone from Curious George to small old German Santas.
posted by julen at 1:30 PM on December 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
This tradition is still around, by the way — the goat is a Christmas ornament made out of wood, and neighbors will try to sneak them into each others' houses, just to remind their neighbors that they are being watched
I am sooooo doing this to my inlaws.
Inlaws: Uh... thanks...?
Me: It's a goat!
IL: I see!
Me: From Finland. You know?
IL: Sure.
Me: What do you think? [waggles eyebrows]
IL: Oh. Very nice. [goes back to football game]
Me: Should we put it on the mantle?
IL: Ok.
Me: Do you think...it's watching you?
IL: ....
Me: Maybe, even, JUDGING YOU?!?!
IL: ....
Me: 'Cause it is! [runs away]
IL: [quietly, to self] ...why he married that girl, I don't even....?
posted by amanda at 2:49 PM on December 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
I am sooooo doing this to my inlaws.
Inlaws: Uh... thanks...?
Me: It's a goat!
IL: I see!
Me: From Finland. You know?
IL: Sure.
Me: What do you think? [waggles eyebrows]
IL: Oh. Very nice. [goes back to football game]
Me: Should we put it on the mantle?
IL: Ok.
Me: Do you think...it's watching you?
IL: ....
Me: Maybe, even, JUDGING YOU?!?!
IL: ....
Me: 'Cause it is! [runs away]
IL: [quietly, to self] ...why he married that girl, I don't even....?
posted by amanda at 2:49 PM on December 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
1976: Hit by a car.
Awesome.
In previous Wikipedia history described: "Hit by car driven by Raggare". (Loosely related to Just out for a rip.)
posted by ovvl at 3:13 PM on December 6, 2013
Awesome.
In previous Wikipedia history described: "Hit by car driven by Raggare". (Loosely related to Just out for a rip.)
posted by ovvl at 3:13 PM on December 6, 2013
I am seriously pondering how to design a holiday sweater about this whole thing. I dunno if I can actually pull it off (and let's face it, people IRL won't get the joke), but it's tempting.
posted by jenfullmoon at 3:24 PM on December 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by jenfullmoon at 3:24 PM on December 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
My search on Ravelry for "flaming goat holiday sweater" was fruitless.
posted by amanda at 3:33 PM on December 6, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by amanda at 3:33 PM on December 6, 2013 [5 favorites]
I am seriously pondering how to design a holiday sweater about this whole thing. I dunno if I can actually pull it off
Sounds like you made it too small.
posted by Greg_Ace at 4:15 PM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
Sounds like you made it too small.
posted by Greg_Ace at 4:15 PM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
Gävle Goat and I are the same age!
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 4:19 PM on December 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 4:19 PM on December 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
Just what the average passive-aggressive guilt-tripping family needs, is an invisible goat following you around, judging you.
posted by backseatpilot at 4:22 PM on December 6, 2013
posted by backseatpilot at 4:22 PM on December 6, 2013
Just what the average passive-aggressive guilt-tripping family needs, is an invisible goat following you around, judging you.
Many a true word is said in jest.
Don't fail me now, Etsy.,,., I want reasonably sized wooden goat figurines and I want them asap.
posted by ocschwar at 6:15 PM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
Many a true word is said in jest.
Don't fail me now, Etsy.,,., I want reasonably sized wooden goat figurines and I want them asap.
posted by ocschwar at 6:15 PM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
It's a goat? We had a (small) Finnish one and we always called it a reindeer.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 6:17 PM on December 6, 2013
posted by TWinbrook8 at 6:17 PM on December 6, 2013
one thing that makes the goat particularly attractive to abuse (IMO) is the fact that the city (Gävle) is almost a homonym for a popular swedish swear (Javle), so saying, "the effing goat hasn't been burned yet" encourages listeners to take some action
posted by owalt1 at 6:29 PM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by owalt1 at 6:29 PM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
Jenfullmoon, if you design it, I'll buy one!
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 6:39 PM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 6:39 PM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
Ohhh...I can buy a little one from Amazon. I'm tempted to put it in my backyard until I get drunk and pull out the flaming arrows.
posted by Alison at 6:55 PM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Alison at 6:55 PM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
"i'm sorry officer but i did it all for the vine"
posted by elizardbits at 9:17 PM on December 6, 2013
posted by elizardbits at 9:17 PM on December 6, 2013
Awesome. I was thinking about doing a post on this. I've been watching the goat via the webcam. It's a great phenomenon that is now part of the holidays for me: will it burn?
I've been to Gävle. It's a really nice town. Didn't see the goat though.
posted by professor plum with a rope at 1:55 AM on December 7, 2013
I've been to Gävle. It's a really nice town. Didn't see the goat though.
posted by professor plum with a rope at 1:55 AM on December 7, 2013
I live in Uppsala, which is pretty close to Gävle (about an hour on the train). If anybody wants to come burn the goat, PM me; you can sleep on my couch and I'll give you a cover story.
posted by beerbajay at 3:46 AM on December 7, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by beerbajay at 3:46 AM on December 7, 2013 [2 favorites]
I've been to Gävle. It's a really nice town. Didn't see the goat though.
It was there, I assure you.
posted by The Potate at 4:01 AM on December 7, 2013 [2 favorites]
It was there, I assure you.
posted by The Potate at 4:01 AM on December 7, 2013 [2 favorites]
Jenfullmoon, if you design it, I'll buy one!
I'm gonna work on it....though I dunno if replicating the thing will be possible, the way I'm thinking this out.
posted by jenfullmoon at 11:17 PM on December 8, 2013
I'm gonna work on it....though I dunno if replicating the thing will be possible, the way I'm thinking this out.
posted by jenfullmoon at 11:17 PM on December 8, 2013
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO....
posted by Wordshore at 1:58 AM on December 21, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by Wordshore at 1:58 AM on December 21, 2013 [4 favorites]
.
posted by Wordshore at 2:02 AM on December 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Wordshore at 2:02 AM on December 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
I wonder if they used goat cheese as an accelerant?
posted by BrotherCaine at 3:00 AM on December 21, 2013
posted by BrotherCaine at 3:00 AM on December 21, 2013
RIP, my friend.
This film was made before the burning, so it's not quite a memorial film, but it's like they knew.
Also, it looks like the second Gävlebocken from the Natural Science Club of the School of Vasa went up a day earlier:
There are many who ask and wonder where my little brother has gone. Unfortunately he had to leave a little earlier this year, very sad! I had hoped that we would celebrate Christmas and New Year together but things happen sometimes, well I'll see him next year!
2013: Fire 2, goats 0
posted by Alison at 7:00 AM on December 21, 2013
This film was made before the burning, so it's not quite a memorial film, but it's like they knew.
Also, it looks like the second Gävlebocken from the Natural Science Club of the School of Vasa went up a day earlier:
There are many who ask and wonder where my little brother has gone. Unfortunately he had to leave a little earlier this year, very sad! I had hoped that we would celebrate Christmas and New Year together but things happen sometimes, well I'll see him next year!
2013: Fire 2, goats 0
posted by Alison at 7:00 AM on December 21, 2013
Nooooo! Although a blackened yule goat structure on a white background (as seen on the webcam) would make a fetchingly ghoulish holiday sweater.
posted by julen at 11:06 AM on December 21, 2013
posted by julen at 11:06 AM on December 21, 2013
MURDER MOST FOUL
posted by elizardbits at 12:45 PM on December 21, 2013
posted by elizardbits at 12:45 PM on December 21, 2013
It just occurred to me that today is the solstice. How old is the Gavle Goat tradition, and is there any possibility that there's a connection between the burnings and the fact that the Pagan holiday of Yule falls on the solstice and not December 25? Is it a complete crapshoot when the thing is going to burn, or does it always tend to happen right around the solstice?
posted by Sara C. at 2:03 PM on December 21, 2013
posted by Sara C. at 2:03 PM on December 21, 2013
Note that I know the current incarnation of the Gavle Goat starts in 1966.
posted by Sara C. at 2:04 PM on December 21, 2013
posted by Sara C. at 2:04 PM on December 21, 2013
So brave, that goat, tweeting as it burned. Vale, Gävle.
posted by GenjiandProust at 2:06 PM on December 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by GenjiandProust at 2:06 PM on December 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
Nevermind, I just read the translation of the full timeline and it looks like the burning can happen at any point, from the day of the installation through New Years.
Still, you have to wonder.
posted by Sara C. at 2:06 PM on December 21, 2013
Still, you have to wonder.
posted by Sara C. at 2:06 PM on December 21, 2013
Google Translate's rendition of the timeline reads like some kind of ancient Chronicle.
posted by Sara C. at 2:10 PM on December 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
2011 survived Gävle Goat only for five days. As early as December 2, he stood in flames.Possibly written by The Venerable Bede.
2012 burned Gävle Goat down the night of December 13. The fire started in the left hind leg.
posted by Sara C. at 2:10 PM on December 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
I hope everyone had a safe and happy winter solstice.
posted by hydrophonic at 8:49 AM on December 22, 2013
posted by hydrophonic at 8:49 AM on December 22, 2013
UPDATE: Vandals torch Sweden’s giant Christmas goat for the 27th time
posted by wensink at 8:55 AM on December 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by wensink at 8:55 AM on December 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
oh no. The internet was out here for a couple days.... rain....and the next time I checked, the webcam was turned off.
I initially started watching, thinking it was good fun and hoping to catch the vandals in the act but reading the tweets every day, the goat became, well, kind of real and my vigil became more protective. I really hoped he would survive this year. So this makes me sad. He was such a benevolent goat.
.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 6:29 AM on December 26, 2013 [1 favorite]
I initially started watching, thinking it was good fun and hoping to catch the vandals in the act but reading the tweets every day, the goat became, well, kind of real and my vigil became more protective. I really hoped he would survive this year. So this makes me sad. He was such a benevolent goat.
.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 6:29 AM on December 26, 2013 [1 favorite]
He was such a benevolent goat.
It may have been benevolent by goat standards, but that's not saying much since goats are intrinsically evil, all-devouring, nightmare creatures spawned in hideous hives below the very roots of the mountains. Born of foul emptiness, they seek only to consume.
Your metals, those blades and implements you use daily? Goat-food. They will devour them. Your shoes, tireless yet lowly protectors? Goat-food. They will devour them. All is goat food. All is to be devoured.
Goat-burners are heroes, lonely and distraught, torn between the world they love and what they must do to save it.
They walk their dark paths so that we may see daylight each morning.
posted by aramaic at 1:58 PM on December 26, 2013
It may have been benevolent by goat standards, but that's not saying much since goats are intrinsically evil, all-devouring, nightmare creatures spawned in hideous hives below the very roots of the mountains. Born of foul emptiness, they seek only to consume.
Your metals, those blades and implements you use daily? Goat-food. They will devour them. Your shoes, tireless yet lowly protectors? Goat-food. They will devour them. All is goat food. All is to be devoured.
Goat-burners are heroes, lonely and distraught, torn between the world they love and what they must do to save it.
They walk their dark paths so that we may see daylight each morning.
posted by aramaic at 1:58 PM on December 26, 2013
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posted by GenjiandProust at 9:45 AM on December 6, 2013 [8 favorites]