The
Gävle Goat (
Swedish:
Gävlebocken, Swedish pronunciation:
[ˈjɛ̌ːvlɛbɔkːɛn]) is a traditional Christmas display erected annually at Slottstorget (Castle Square) in central
Gävle, Sweden. It is a giant version of a traditional
Swedish Yule Goat figure made of
straw. It is erected each year by local community groups at the beginning of
Advent over a period of two days.
[1][2] It has been the subject of repeated arson attacks, and, despite security measures and the nearby presence of a fire station, the goat has been burned to the ground most years since its first appearance in 1966. As of December 2019, the goat has been damaged 37 times. Burning the goat is illegal and the Court of Appeal stated that the offence should normally carry a 3-month prison sentence as it sentenced a 27-year-old man to a
suspended sentence and
day fines for aggravated
property damage in 2018.
[3]
Since 1986 two Yule Goats have been built in Gävle: the Gävle Goat by the Southern Merchants and the Yule Goat built by the Natural Science Club of the School of Vasa.