BEHOLD, FOR NATURE RECLAIMS THE SACRIFICE THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT REFUSES TO ALLOW US TO MAKE. IF WE CANNOT BURN IN SACRIFICE TO THE GODS, THE GODS WILL TAKE WHAT IS THEIRS BY FORCE

THE WIKIPEDIA GODS HAVE DECIDED

GÄVLEBOCKEN IS DEAD!! 🦀🦀

nice dichotomy, idiot. what lies outside it????

Decay exists as an extant form of life

i heard the gavlebocken is facing some new opponents this year

I cannot put into mortal words how fucking badly I want that swedish goat to burn. We live in a modern surveillance hellscape and not only is big brother watching you but he’s monitoring your purchase habits so he can sell you a smart refrigerator that will spy on you for the cia. the full weight of modern technology can be rallied to protect that straw monument to human hubris and I want us to burn it anyway. I want the might of modern society to crumple in the face of a drunk swede with a zippo lighter. we can do it just take my hand

Look at this wikipedia article and tell me..

If not by flame, then by feather

As to whether the Gavle Goat's consumption should be seen as a good omen or a bad omen, I'd say good. Traditionally the Yule goat is made of straw from the final harvest and as a talisman against hard times, and there are unproven theories that its shape is inspired by Thor's goats, who are constantly killed, eaten, and reborn to provide endless meat for Thor and whatever guests he entertains. Therefore, its use by birds as a food store and safe harbor is an affirmation of its original purpose and truly in the Christmas spirit of generosity in lean times. What's more, the birds eating it seems to be have been the one outcome to unite both goat burners and goat keepers, as they have decided not to scare the birds away from their safe harbor and not to harm the goat, a decision that has been universally lauded.

As omens go, this one's all positive: safety, plenty, and unity between previous ideological opponents through a creative third solution built on shared values (birds being fed and sheltered is a good thing). May more birds find their way to the Gavle Goat next year.

gävlebocken 2023 - eaten by birds

Look, I know we’re all tickled that the Gävle Goat has been pecked apart by birds, but as far as omens go, it’s a bit like flipping a coin and having it land on the edge

The Gävle goat is getting a lot of attention around here, but I would like to make a case for a couple of other Swedish Christmas goats: The Kävlinge "Horny Goats".

It has been a Christmas tradition in the town of Kävlinge since 2015 to put up a pair of goats in a traffic circle. And for just as long, there has been a somewhat more inofficial tradition that someone will move those two goats into a mating position, giving them the nickname "kåtbockarna" (literally "the horny goats", a Swedish term similar to the English "horndog").

One year an unknown person even put up three smaller goats around the two large ones, to indicate that they've had children.

This year, however, the goats have been positioned in a somewhat less intimate position, simply kissing eachother:

Swedish television news did a short feature where they interviewed citizens of Kävlinge about this latest change, and most of them expressed disappointment, apparently preferring the "horny" version.

Considering that "bock" usually refers to males of the species, this means that Kävlinge has had a public display of gay sex each Christmas for several years, enthusiastically supported by its citizens. I think that's a Christmas tradition well worth celebrating.

Saw these at IKEA recently. Are they…modelled after the Gävle Goat?

Edited-to-add (some time in early 2024): To all the people who have since helpfully added informative comments and links about the history of the Gävle Goat, Thank You! I've learnt so much from your posts!

To anyone seeing this now and in the future, I now know more about the Gävle Goat than I possibly need to, so you can stop flooding this post with the same-ish info now! Thanks!

And to people who cannot fathom someone not knowing about Christmas straw goats, please read this post and have some empathy and perspective. Thanks again!

My full piece for @13daysadvent zine!