Gävle goat

The display is a giant version of a traditional Swedish Yule goat figure made of straw.

Burning or destroying the goat is illegal, and the Svea Court of Appeal has stated that the offence should normally carry a 3-month prison sentence.

In 1966, an advertising consultant, Stig Gavlén (1927–2018),[4] came up with the idea of making a giant version of the traditional Swedish Yule Goat and placing it in the square.

[7][8][9] A group of businessmen known as the Southern Merchants (Söders köpmän) financed the building of the goat in subsequent years.

The Natural Science Club (Naturvetenskapliga föreningen) of the School of Vasa (Vasaskolan) began building the structure.

The display has become notable for being a recurring target for vandalism by arson, and has been destroyed many times since the first goat was erected in 1966.

[13] In 2001, the goat was burned down by a 51-year-old American visitor from Cleveland, Ohio, who spent 18 days in jail and was subsequently convicted and ordered to pay SEK 100,000 (US$9,681.35; equivalent to US$20,055 in 2023) in damages.

He stated in court that he was no "goat burner", and believed that he was taking part in a completely legal goat-burning tradition.

[8][14][15][16][17] In 1996, the Southern Merchants introduced camera surveillance to monitor the goat 24 hours a day.

[26] In 2023, it was severely pecked at for grain by jackdaws, due to the straw used to construct the goat containing higher than usual amounts of seeds.

Over the following seven years there were no further attempts on the world record, but there was some hostility between the Natural Science Club and the Southern Merchants, evidenced by the fact that the Natural Science Club put up a sign near their goat wishing a Merry Christmas to everyone, except the Southern Merchants.

The Natural Science Club's Yule Goat that year measured 14.9 metres (49 ft), which earned them another place in the Guinness Book of Records.

[97] In 2016, the goat was set alight by three arsonists who were later arrested and sentenced to pay a fine of ISK 150,000 (US$1,241.6) each.