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---
title: Scandinavian Yule Christmas Goat Set on Fire By Arsonist
description: Sweden&#x27;s massive wood and straw Yule Goat didn&#x27;t even last 24 hours
canonical: https://time.com/4586075/war-on-christmas-rages-on-as-yule-goat-display-burns-to-ground/
author: Melissa Locker
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article:published_time: 2016-11-30T18:52:33.000Z
article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T07:39:02.539Z
og:title: Swedish Yule Goat Torched By Arsonist in War on Christmas
og:description: Sweden&#x27;s massive wood and straw Yule Goat didn&#x27;t even last 24 hours
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twitter:title: Swedish Yule Goat Torched By Arsonist in War on Christmas
twitter:description: Sweden&#x27;s massive wood and straw Yule Goat didn&#x27;t even last 24 hours
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# War on Christmas Rages on As Yule Goat Display Burns to Ground

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by 

[Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/)


## Melissa Locker


Nov 30, 2016 6:52 PM UTC

by 

[Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/)


## Melissa Locker


Nov 30, 2016 6:52 PM UTC

A Christmas tragedy has struck the town of Gävle, Sweden—someone has torched their beloved yule goat.

Each year the citizens of Gävle go to great time and expense to build a giant [goat](http://time.com/4169926/friendship-between-tiger-and-goat-will-russian-zoo/?iid=sr-link4) effigy in the town’s Slottstorget square. For the holiday display, people decorate the massive wood-and-straw goat with lights and the town gathers together around the Yule Goat on the first day of Advent to kick off the holiday season.

> [](https://twitter.com/Gavlebocken/status/802893064855502848)

According to [_the Local_](http://www.thelocal.se/20161128/swedens-christmas-goat-burned-down-on-opening-day) this year marked the goat’s 50th anniversary and Gävle spent approximately 2.3m kronor (nearly $250,000) to construct the Yule [Goat](http://time.com/4561620/psychic-goat-picks-clinton/?iid=sr-link6) and throw the annual bash. Less than 24 hours later, [the goat](http://time.com/4321010/why-the-army-needs-foam-goat-heads/?iid=sr-link1) went up in flames.

While this criminal act could be seen as another battle in the [War on Christmas](http://time.com/4145834/goats-sing-christmas-carols/?iid=sr-link5), it turns out that torching the goat is also a time-honored, if frowned upon, tradition. Several Yule Goats have been destroyed, usually by fire. Last year, a “drunken man” set it ablaze, according to _the Local_. The committee responsible for the goat enacted extra security measures this year in the hopes of [making the goat last](http://www.thelocal.se/20160921/swedes-rally-to-protect-arson-prone-yule-goat-christmas-gavle-sweden) the week, but arsonists had other ideas. Though they do hint it will rise from the ashes.

> [](https://twitter.com/Gavlebocken/status/802997588387565568)


\[H/T [Mashable](http://mashable.com/2016/11/30/arson-goat-sweden/?utm%5Fcid=hp-n-1#YTSKuwD3D5qE)\]

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