We have Rudolf the red-nosed reindeer, but Sweden has their Gävle goat aka Gävlebocken:
“Gävlebocken 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. 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.”
[Which is likely why it keeps getting torched year after year. Are you paying attention California? New York? Chicago?]
Sometimes when it gets too wet (it snows a lot in Sweden) to be torched the hooligans simply smash it to pieces and stomp it to death. Remember that children, the next time you wish that we were more like Sweden: we are.
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