Langbahn Team – Weltmeisterschaft

Gävle goat

Gävle goat (2009)

The Gävle Goat (Swedish: Gävlebocken, Swedish pronunciation: [ˈjɛ̌ːvlɛbɔkːɛn]) is a traditional Christmas display erected annually at Slottstorget (Castle Square) in central Gävle, Sweden. The display 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]

The Gävle Goat has been the subject of repeated arson attacks; despite security measures and a nearby fire station, the goat has been burned to the ground most years since its first appearance in 1966. As of December 2023, 42 out of 58 goats have been destroyed or damaged in some way. 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.[3]

Since 1986, two separate 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.

History

The Gävle goat after being burned down during a blizzard in 1998

The Gävle Goat is erected every year on the first day of Advent, which according to Western Christian tradition is in late November or early December, depending on the calendar year. 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.[5] The design of the first goat was assigned to the then chief of the Gävle fire department, Gavlén's brother Jörgen Gavlén. The construction of the goat was carried out by the fire department, and they erected the goat each year from 1966 to 1970 and from 1986 to 2002. The first goat was financed by Harry Ström. On 1 December 1966, a 13-metre (43 ft) tall, 7-metre (23 ft) long, 3-tonne goat was erected in the square. On New Year's Eve, the goat was burnt down,[6][7] and the perpetrator was found and convicted of vandalism. The goat was insured, and Ström got all of his money back.[7][8][9]

A group of businessmen known as the Southern Merchants (Söders köpmän) financed the building of the goat in subsequent years. In 1971, the Southern Merchants stopped building the goats. The Natural Science Club (Naturvetenskapliga föreningen) of the School of Vasa (Vasaskolan) began building the structure. Their goat was around 2 metres (6.6 ft). Due to the positive reaction their Yule Goat received that year, they built another one the following year and from then on.[10] The Southern Merchants began building their own goats again in 1986.[7]

The cost for the 1966 goat was 10,000 Swedish kronor (SEK) (equivalent to SEK 84,355 in 2009).[11] The price tag for constructing the goat in 2005 was around SEK 100,000. The city pays one-third of the cost while the Southern Merchants pay the remaining sum.

Repeated destruction

The Gävle goat in December 2009

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.[12] Because the fire station is close to the location of the goat, most of the time the fire can be extinguished before the wooden skeleton is severely damaged. If the goat is burned down before Saint Lucy's Day on 13 December, the goat is rebuilt. Its skeleton is then treated and repaired, and the goat reconstructed over it, using straw which the Goat Committee has pre-ordered.[11] As of 2005, four people had been caught or convicted for vandalizing the goat.[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$11,655.01; equivalent to US$20,055 in 2023) in damages. The court confiscated his cigarette lighter with the argument that he was not able to handle it. He stated in court that he was no "goat burner", and believed that he was taking part in a completely legal goat-burning tradition. After he was released from jail he returned to the US without paying his fine.[8][14][15][16][17]

In 1996, the Southern Merchants introduced camera surveillance to monitor the goat 24 hours a day. On 27 November 2004, the Gävle Goat's homepage was hacked, and one of the two official webcams changed.[18] One year, in 2003 while security guards were posted around the goat in order to prevent further vandalism, the temperature dropped far below zero. As the guards ducked into a nearby restaurant to escape the cold, the vandals struck.[14]

During the weekend of 3–4 December 2005, a series of attacks on public Yule Goats across Sweden were carried out; the Gävle Goat was burnt on 3 December. The Visby goat on Gotland burned down, the Yule Goat in Söderköping, Östergötland was torched, and there was an attack on a goat located in Lycksele, Västerbotten.[19][20]

The Christmas season of 2006 marked the 40th anniversary of the Gävle Goat, and the city held a large celebration in honor of the goat on 3 December. The Goat Committee fireproofed the goat with "Fiber ProTector Fireproof", a fireproofing substance that is used in airplanes. In earlier years when the goat had been fireproofed, the dew had made the liquid drip off the goat. To prevent this from happening in 2006, "Fireproof ProTechtor Solvent Base" was applied to the goat.[8][21][22][23] Despite their efforts, the goat has been damaged or destroyed a total of 38 times. On 27 November 2016 an arsonist equipped with petrol burned it down just hours after its inauguration.[24][25] After a few flame-free years under 24-hour security, the goat was again burned on 17 December 2021.[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.

Natural Science Club's Yule Goat

The burned Natural Science Club Goat in 2006, with the larger Gävle goat visible in the distance

Since 1986 there have been two Yule Goats 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. Until 1985 the Southern Merchants held the world record for the largest Yule Goat, but over the years the Natural Science Club's goat increased in size, and in 1985 their Yule Goat made it into the Guinness Book of Records with an official height of 12.5 metres (41 ft). The creator of the original 1966 goat, Stig Gavlén, thought that the Natural Science Club's goat had unfairly won the title of the largest Yule Goat because the goat was not as attractive as the Southern Merchants' goat and the neck was excessively long. The next year there was a Goat war: the Southern Merchants understood the publicity value, and erected a huge goat, the Natural Science Club erected a smaller one in protest. The Southern Merchants had intended that their huge goat would reclaim the world record, but the measurement of the goat showed it fell short. 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.[10]

In 1993 the Southern Merchants again announced that they were going to attempt the world record. The goat stood 10.5 metres (34 ft) when completed. 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.[10]

Timeline

1966–1969

Year Security additions Date of destruction Method of destruction Notes
1966 31 December[7] Fire
1967 Survived[7]
1968 Fence added.[7] Survived[7]
1969 Inside of goat protected by chicken-wire netting.[7] 31 December[7] Fire

1970–1979

Year Security additions Date of destruction Method of destruction Notes
1970 Six hours after construction[7] Fire The goat's destruction was blamed on two drunk teenagers. With help from several financial contributors, the goat was reassembled out of lake reed.
1971 ? Smashed to pieces[27] The Southern Merchants became tired of their goats being burned down, and stopped constructing them. The Natural Science Club from the School of Vasa took over and built a miniature goat.[28]
1972 ? Collapsed[7]
1973 ? Stolen[29][30] The goat was stolen by a man, who then placed it in his backyard. He was later sentenced to two years in prison for aggravated theft.[30]
1974 ? Fire[7]
1975 ? Collapsed[31] The goat collapsed under its own weight.[31]
1976 ? Hit by a car[15][32] This year's goat was smaller than the previous ones.[33] A student rammed the hind legs of the goat with a Volvo Amazon, collapsing the structure.[7]
1977 ? Fire
1978 ? Kicked to pieces[7]
1979 After the first goat was burned, a second was fireproofed. Prior to assembly[7] Fire / Broken[7] The goat was burned down before construction even finished.[7] A second goat was constructed and finished, but was later destroyed and broken into pieces.[28]

1980–1989

Year Security additions Date of destruction Method of destruction Notes
1980 24 December[7] Fire[7]
1981 Survived[7]
1982 13 December[7] Fire[7]
1983 ? Legs destroyed[7]
1984 12 December[7] Fire[7]
1985 Enclosed by a 2 metres (6.6 ft) high metal fence, guarded by Securitas and soldiers from the Gävle I 14 Infantry Regiment. January[7] Fire[7] The 12.5-metre (41 ft) tall goat of the Natural Science Club was featured in the Guinness Book of Records for the first time.[7][8]
1986 23 December[7] Fire[7] The Southern Merchants built their first goat since 1971, and it was burned. From 1986 onwards two goats were built each year, one by the Southern Merchants' and one by the School of Vasa.[7]
1987 Heavily fireproofed.[27] ? Fire[27]
1988 Survived[7] Gamblers were for the first time able to gamble on the fate of the goat with English bookmakers.[28]
1989 Prior to assembly / January[7] Fire / Fire Financial contributions from the public were raised to rebuild a goat, and the second goat was burnt down in January. In March 1990 another goat was built, this time for the shooting of a Swedish motion picture called Black Jack.[7]

1990–1999

Year Security additions Date of destruction Method of destruction Notes
1990 The goat was guarded by many volunteers.[7] Survived[7]
1991 24 December[7] Fire The goat was joined by an advertising sled, that turned out to be illegally built. It was later rebuilt to be taken to Stockholm as a part of a protest campaign against the closing of the I 14 Infantry Regiment.[7][8]
1992 After 8 days, and again on 20 December[7] Fire / Fire Both the Natural Science Club and Southern Merchants' goats burned down on the same night. The latter was rebuilt, and burned down on 20 December. The perpetrator of the three attacks was caught and sent to jail. The Goat Committee was founded in 1992.[7][8]
1993 Guarded by taxis[clarification needed] and the Swedish Home Guard Survived Once more the goat was featured in the Guinness Book of Records, the School of Vasa's goat measured 14.9 metres (49 ft).[7][8]
1994 Survived The goat followed the Swedish national hockey team to Italy for the World Championship in hockey.[7][8]
1995 25 December Fire A Norwegian was arrested for attempting to burn down the goat. It was rebuilt for the 550th anniversary of Gävleborg County.[7][8]
1996 Monitored by webcams.[7] Survived
1997 Survived with damage Damaged by fireworks. The Natural Science Club's goat was attacked too, but survived with minor damage.[15]
1998 11 December Fire Burned down during a major blizzard, and was rebuilt.[7]
1999 Within hours Fire The Southern Merchants' goat was rebuilt again before Lucia. The Natural Science Club's goat was also burnt down.[7]

2000–2009

Year Security additions Date of destruction Method of destruction Notes
2000 Late December Fire In addition to the Southern Merchants' goat being burned, the Natural Science Club's goat was thrown into the Gävle river.[7]
2001 23 December Fire A visitor from Cleveland, Ohio, in the United States, was arrested for burning the goat. The Natural Science Club's goat was also burnt down.[14][8][15][16][17]
2002 On Saint Lucy's Day, the goat was guarded by Swedish radio and TV personality Gert Fylking.[34] Survived with damage A 22 year-old from Stockholm tried to set the Southern Merchants' goat on fire, but failed, the goat receiving only minor damage.
2003 11 December[7] Fire A second goat was put up a week after the first one burned down. The second goat survived without any known incidents.[7]
2004 21 December[7] Fire
2005 3 December[15] Fire Burnt by unknown vandals reportedly dressed as Santa and the gingerbread man, by shooting a flaming arrow at the goat.[15][35] Reconstructed on 5 December. The hunt for the arsonist responsible for the goat-burning in 2005 was featured on the weekly Swedish live broadcast TV3's "Most Wanted" ("Efterlyst") on 8 December.
2006 Survived The Southern Merchants' goat survived New Year's Eve and was taken down on 2 January. It is now stored in a secret location.[36] Meanwhile, Natural Science Club's goat was burned.
2007 Survived The Natural Science Club's goat was toppled on 13 December and was burned on the night of 24 December.[37] The Southern Merchants' goat survived.
2008 27 December Fire 10,000 people turned out for the inauguration of one of the goats. No back-up goat was built to replace the main goat should the worst happen, nor was the goat treated with flame repellent (Anna Östman, spokesperson of the Goat-committee said the repellent made it look ugly in the previous years, like a brown terrier).[38] On 16 December the Natural Science Club's Goat was vandalised and later removed. On 26 December there was an attempt to burn down the Southern Merchants' Goat but passers-by managed to extinguish the fire. The following day the goat finally succumbed to the flames ignited by an unknown assailant at 03:50 CET.
2009 23 December Fire A person attempted to set the Southern Merchants' goat on fire the night of 7 December.[39] An unsuccessful attempt was made to throw the Natural Science Club's goat into the river the weekend of 11 December. The culprit then tried, again without success, to set the goat on fire.[40] Someone stole the Natural Science Club's goat using a truck on the night of 14 December.[41] On the night of 23 December before 04:00 a.m. the South Merchant goat was set on fire and was burned to the frame, even though it had a thick layer of snow on its back.[42] The goat had two online webcams which were put out of service by a DoS attack, instigated by computer hackers just before the burning.[43]

2010–2019

Year Security additions Date of destruction Method of destruction Notes
2010 Survived On the night of 2 December, arsonists made an unsuccessful attempt to burn the Natural Science Club's goat.[44] On 17 December, a Swedish news site reported that one of the guards tasked with protecting the Southern Merchants' goat had been offered 50,000 SEK to leave his post so that the goat could be stolen via helicopter and transported to Stockholm.[45] Both goats survived, were dismantled and returned to storage in early January 2011.[46]
2011 The goat was sprayed with water to create a coating of ice.[47] 2 December[48] Fire Mild weather resulted in the protective ice melting. The Natural Science Club Goat was also burned.
2012 12 December[49][50] Fire On the evening of 12 December, the fire department had fireproofed the goat at 22:49.[51] At 23:46, the official @Gavlebocken account tweeted about "feeling good".[52] At 23:56, the goat had been burned to the ground.[53]
2013 The goat was soaked in flame-retardant.[54] 21 December[55] Fire The perpetrators filmed themselves setting the goat on fire.[56]
2014 Survived At least three arson attempts were made, but the goat survived.[57] In January 2015, the goat was transported to Zhuhai, China until being moved back to Sweden in September.[58][59] The Natural Science Club goat collapsed.
2015 27 December[60] Fire A 26 year-old man fleeing the scene with a singed face, smelling of gasoline, and holding a lighter in his hand was arrested. Under questioning, he admitted to committing the offence, adding that he was drunk at the time and that in retrospect, it was an "extremely bad idea".[61] He was sentenced in January 2018 to probation by an appellate court with a 6,000 SEK fine and 80,000 SEK in damages. The Natural Science Club goat was also burned.
2016 27 November[24] Fire The goat was destroyed by an arsonist equipped with petrol on its inauguration day,[25] just hours after its 50th "birthday party".[62] Organizers said they would not rebuild the goat in 2016.[24] The 21 year-old was sentenced to probation by Gävle Tingsrätt and was sentenced to a fine and to pay roughly 100,000 SEK in damages. The evidence mainly revolved around a hat that the perpetrator dropped during his escape. The police later DNA-matched it with the 21-year-old local. It was replaced by the smaller Natural Science Club goat[63] built by local high school students.[64] This goat was later hit by a car.[64] YouTuber Tom Scott covered the Gävle goat in a video released on 28 November 2016; principal filming of the goat itself took place mere hours before the goat was burned down.[65]
2017 Double fence, cameras, guards[66] Survived The goat was inaugurated on 3 December. No reported attempts to burn the goat were made.[67]
2018 Fencing, cameras, guards, taxi rank to increase numbers of people nearby[68] Survived with damage The goat was inaugurated on 2 December.[68] An attempted burning of the Natural Science Club's goat occurred on the night of 15 December, resulting in minor damage to its left front leg.[69]
2019 Double fence, 24-hour CCTV. Two guards patrolled around the goat frequently, 24 hours a day, along with a K9 unit. Survived The goat was again inaugurated on 1 December.[70] On 13 December fire crews responded to a call that the 'little goat' was burning, only to discover it was in fact a miniature Yule goat somebody had brought and torched at the scene.[71] The Natural Science Club goat was burned but not destroyed in the early hours of 27 December.[72] A suspect was taken into custody.[73] This was the first time ever that the goat survived more than two years in a row.[74]

2020–current

Year Security additions Date of destruction Method of destruction Notes
2020 Guards,[75] double fence, 24-hour CCTV, public webcam feed.[76] Survived The goat was inaugurated on 29 November.[74] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the inauguration was digital, and members of the public were advised not to gather around the goat. There was no traditional celebration.[75] The goat was not harmed during the 2020 holiday season, making 2020 the fourth consecutive year of the goat's survival.[76]
2021 17 December Fire The Natural Science Club goat was burned in the early hours of 12 December.[77] The larger goat burned in the early hours of 17 December. A 40 year-old man was arrested[78] and later sentenced to six months in prison and ordered to pay SEK 109,000 in damages to the municipality.[79]
2022 New 24-hour real-time public webcam feed, double fence, 24-hour guards Survived The goat was inaugurated on 27 November.[80] Due to a new city centre being built at Slottstorget square, the goat's traditional location, the goat was moved a few blocks north to Rådhusesplanaden.[81] On 1 January, the stream was discontinued, and the goat was taken down the day after.[82]
2023 24-hour guards on site, double fence, 24-hour public webcam stream. Little by little throughout December Pecked to pieces by jackdaws (frame remained) Due to the straw used to construct the goat containing higher than usual amounts of seed, while not destroyed, the goat was severely damaged by flocks of jackdaws foraging for food.[83]
2024 24-hour guards on site, double fence, 24-hour public webcam stream.[84] Better quality straw has been used to discourage jackdaws from destroying the goat through foraging.[85] Currently Standing Live stream started on 28 November.[86] The official inauguration of the goat was on 1 December.[87] On 13 December, a deepfake hoax of the goat supposedly burning down was spread on social media.[88]

IKEA goat in Iceland

Since 2010, as a Christmas promotion for the Icelandic branch of IKEA in Garðabær, Iceland, a straw goat inspired by the Gävle goat has been erected outside the store annually. It has suffered the same issue of repeated acts of arson as well as natural damage.[89]

In 2010, the IKEA goat was burned down on 23 December by arsonists who were arrested at the scene, IKEA decided to give the arsonists a settlement offer of paying for the cleanup instead of pressing charges.[90] In 2011, the goat was not sabotaged but fell over and was damaged during a winter storm, it was repaired and re-erected. In 2012, the goat was again burned down by arsonists.[91] In 2013, the goat fell over again and was damaged due to weather.[92] In 2014, IKEA hired 24-hour security to protect the goat and it was not damaged.[93] In 2015, an electrical fault on its lights caused it to burn down on its own.[94] In 2016, the goat was set alight by three arsonists who were later arrested and sentenced to pay a fine of ISK 150,000 each.[95][96] In the years 2017–2023, the goat has been protected by security and fencing and has survived, despite a notable attempt in 2019 where over 5,000 people signed up to a Facebook event pledging to burn down the goat.[97][98]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Goat film". Mer Jul i Gävle. Archived from the original on 28 May 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  2. ^ "bocken". Mer Jul i Gävle. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  3. ^ Engelro, Erik (4 January 2018). "Bockbrännare får höjt straff". SVT Nyheter.
  4. ^ "Gävlebockens pappa är död". November 2018. Archived from the original on 1 November 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  5. ^ "The biggest Christmas Goat in the world". Gävle Tourist Office. Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  6. ^ "Christmas 2012: The Swedish goat that takes Christmas by the horns". The Daily Telegraph. 28 November 2012. Archived from the original on 30 November 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax "Gävlebocken". Gävle City Guide (in Swedish). CityGuide. 2003. Archived from the original on 13 June 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2006.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Forsberg, Rose-Marie. "The famous christmasgoat of Sweden". Archived from the original on 6 December 2006. Retrieved 6 December 2006.
  9. ^ "The Gävle goat timeline" (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 12 June 2008.
  10. ^ a b c "Julbocken" (in Swedish). Naturvetenskapliga Föreningen. Archived from the original on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2006.
  11. ^ a b "New goat is already on the way" (in Swedish). Arbetarbladet. 6 December 2005. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007.
  12. ^ "Gävlebocken på plats – hur länge får den stå?". Expressen. Archived from the original on 5 January 2014. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
  13. ^ "TV 3's Most Wanted is now eager to solve the goat mystery" (in Swedish). Arbetarbladet. 7 December 2005. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007.
  14. ^ a b c "The goat is burning!" (in Swedish). Dagens Nyheter. 12 December 2003. Archived from the original on 1 October 2007.
  15. ^ a b c d e f "Vandals Burn Swedish Christmas Goat, Again". The Washington Post. Stockholm. Associated Press. 4 December 2005. Archived from the original on 15 October 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  16. ^ a b "Santa and gingerbread man get Gävle's goat". The Local. 4 December 2005. Archived from the original on 8 December 2008.
  17. ^ a b "That's why I burned the goat in Gävle" (in Swedish). Aftonbladet. 17 December 2003. Archived from the original on 28 January 2007.
  18. ^ "Gävle Goat gets hacked" (in Swedish). Aftonbladet. 27 November 2004. Archived from the original on 25 January 2007.
  19. ^ "The night of the goat-burners" (in Swedish). Göteborgs-Posten. 3 December 2005. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007.
  20. ^ "Police receives tips about the goat-burnings" (in Swedish). Göteborgs-Posten. 5 December 2005. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007.
  21. ^ "Mer Jul i Gävle". Archived from the original on 15 August 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2006.
  22. ^ Westlund, Tord (1 December 2006). ""Inte ens napalm kan få bocken att brinna"" [“Not even napalm could set fire to the goat now”]. Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 26 January 2007. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  23. ^ "Swedish city strives to safeguard Christmas straw goat from vandals". Santa Fe New Mexican. Associated Press. 4 December 2006.[permanent dead link]
  24. ^ a b c "Sweden's Christmas goat burned down on opening day". The Local. 28 November 2016. Archived from the original on 28 November 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  25. ^ a b "Gävle Christmas goat burns down on opening day". Dalaras tidningar. 27 November 2016. Archived from the original on 28 November 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  26. ^ "Sweden's Gävle goat torched... again". 17 December 2021.
  27. ^ a b c "Weird ritual of the burning goat". BBC News. 4 December 2005. Archived from the original on 30 June 2006. Retrieved 24 August 2006.
  28. ^ a b c "Santa torched the giant goat!". Sploid. 4 December 2005. Archived from the original on 17 November 2006.
  29. ^ "14 saker du inte visste om julbocken i Gävle". Allt om Resor (in Swedish). 16 December 2015. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  30. ^ a b Gartéus, Madeleine (27 November 2016). "Gävlebockens liv och död". gp.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  31. ^ a b "Gävlebocken på plats". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 26 November 2015. ISSN 1101-2447. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  32. ^ BBC News (27 December 2008). "Festive goat up in flames again". BBC News. Archived from the original on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2009.
  33. ^ Jeffiot (22 December 2022). The complete history of the Gävle Goat. Event occurs at 1:03:34. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
  34. ^ "The goat is burning-year after year" (in Swedish). Aftonbladet. 13 December 2003. Archived from the original on 17 May 2004.
  35. ^ "Christmas straw goat burnt in Sweden". NBC News. 27 December 2008. Retrieved 1 December 2009.
  36. ^ "The unburnable goat says thanks" (in Swedish). Arbetarbladet. 3 January 2007. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007.
  37. ^ "Gävle Goat Blog". Archived from the original on 16 April 2012. Retrieved 14 December 2007.
  38. ^ "Yule Goat of Gävle was inaugurated" (in Swedish). Svenska Dagbladet. 30 December 2008.
  39. ^ "Attacked last night!". Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 8 February 2011.
  40. ^ "Little brother not well". Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 8 February 2011.
  41. ^ Gävlebocken [@Gavlebocken] (15 December 2009). "Last sign of little brother: He was conveyed by a truck! Someone saw you!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  42. ^ "Swedish Christmas straw goat burnt". BBC News. 23 December 2009. Archived from the original on 24 December 2009. Retrieved 23 December 2009.
  43. ^ "Vandals torch Swedish Yuletide straw goat for 24th time". USA Today. 23 December 2009. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
  44. ^ "Little brother attacked". Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
  45. ^ "Helikopterkupp planerades mot Gävlebocken". Arbetarbladet. 17 December 2010. Archived from the original on 2 December 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2010.
  46. ^ "Gävlebockens blogg" [The blog of the Gavle Goat]. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011.
  47. ^ "Gävle Goat to be saved by ice". Radio Sweden. 22 November 2011. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
  48. ^ Martin, Rebecca (2 December 2011). "Sweden's Christmas goat succumbs to flames". The Local. Archived from the original on 4 December 2011. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  49. ^ "Mer Jul i Gävle – kl 16 vid Slottstorget". Merjuligavle.se. Retrieved 1 December 2012.[permanent dead link]
  50. ^ "Reklamvärde i attentat mot Gävlebock" (in Swedish). 13 December 2012.
  51. ^ "Gävlebocken skyddas av is" [The Gävle Goat has been given protection by ice]. Örnsköldsviks Allehanda (in Swedish). 12 December 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  52. ^ @Gavlebocken (12 December 2012). "tack jag har de bara bra här! Hur är det själv?" [thanks i'm feeling good! How about you?] (Tweet) (in Swedish). Retrieved 21 December 2024 – via Twitter.
  53. ^ Granlund, John; Roström Andersson, Sofia (13 December 2012). "Bocken i Gävle brann ner igen" [The goat in Gävle has been burned down again]. Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  54. ^ "Gävle confident its 2013 Xmas goat won't burn". thelocal.se. 30 November 2013. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  55. ^ Staff (21 December 2013). "Vandals torch Sweden's giant Christmas goat for the 27th time". Global News. Archived from the original on 23 December 2013. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
  56. ^ Wilhelmsson, Wille (25 December 2013). "Bakom kulisserna på julbocks-branden: Så här gick det till när årets modell brann upp" [Behind the scenes of the yule goat arson: How this year’s specimen went up in flames]. Feber. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
  57. ^ von Kügelgen, Michaela; Nordenswan, Hanna (24 December 2014). "Gävlebocken står fortfarande". YLE Nyheter (in Swedish). Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  58. ^ @Gavlebocken (26 January 2015). "Snart bockinvigning i Zhuhai, Kina. Mina horn är på plats och lamporna funkar fint! Urkul!" [Almost time to inaugurate the goat in Zhuhai, China. My horns are in place, and the lights are in working order! Delightful!] (Tweet) (in Swedish). Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via Twitter.
  59. ^ Reilly, Patrick (28 December 2014). "Sweden's Christmas goat survives holidays". The Local. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
  60. ^ "Gävlebocken överlevde inte nyåret". Dagens Nyheter. 27 December 2015. Archived from the original on 27 December 2015. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  61. ^ "Trial of drunken Christmas goat burner begins in Sweden". The Local. 11 November 2016. Archived from the original on 7 January 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  62. ^ "Gävlebockens historia". visitGävle (in Swedish). Gävle Turistcenter. Archived from the original on 19 January 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  63. ^ "A tribute to Sweden's gigantic Christmas goat, killed by fire". Public Radio International. December 2016. Archived from the original on 2 December 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  64. ^ a b "No fire, but: Gävle's baby yule goat run over by car". The Local SE. 5 December 2016. Archived from the original on 9 December 2016. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
  65. ^ "Arson as a Christmas Tradition: The Gävle Goat". YouTube. 28 November 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  66. ^ "'Secret' plan to protect Gävle Christmas goat from arsonists". 4 December 2017. Archived from the original on 7 December 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
  67. ^ "Arson-prone straw goat stands unscathed". news.com.au. 25 December 2017. Archived from the original on 24 December 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
  68. ^ a b "Sweden's Gävle Christmas goat ready to return for festive season". The Local Sweden. 1 December 2018. Archived from the original on 3 December 2018. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
  69. ^ "Smaller Gävle goat set on fire but big sibling unscathed". The Local Sweden. 16 December 2018. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  70. ^ "IN PICTURES: Sweden's infamous Christmas goat returns for the festive season". The Local Sweden. 2 December 2019. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  71. ^ Roos, Jimmy; Gävleborg, P4 (13 December 2019). "Eldade upp mini-bock på Slottstorget i Gävle – P4 Gävleborg". Sveriges Radio (in Swedish). Retrieved 13 December 2019.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  72. ^ "JUST NU: Lillbocken i Gävle i lågor: "Vittnen pekade ut personen som misstänks för att tänt eld på"" (in Swedish). Gefle Dagblad. 27 December 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  73. ^ "Lilla Gävlebocken sattes i brand" (in Swedish). Sydsvenskan. 27 December 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  74. ^ a b "Gävlebocken invigs – så skyddas den". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). 29 November 2020. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  75. ^ a b "Gävlebocken: Julbocken i Gävle på plats – invigdes digitalt". www.expressen.se (in Swedish). 29 November 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  76. ^ a b "Grattis Gävlebocken – överlevde för fjärde året i rad". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). 4 January 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  77. ^ "Lilla Gävlebocken brann i natt: "Inga vittnen"". www.expressen.se (in Swedish). 12 December 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  78. ^ "Gävlebocken i lågor – man gripen". Expressen (in Swedish). 17 December 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  79. ^ Nyheter, S. V. T.; Norton, Nadya (20 January 2022). "Bockbrännaren döms till fängelse". SVT Nyheter (in Swedish). Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  80. ^ "Gävle: Sara Mc Manus inviger Gävlebocken" (in Swedish). 7 November 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  81. ^ "Sweden's arson-afflicted Christmas goat is moving after 56 years". The Local Sweden. 3 November 2022. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  82. ^ "Gävle Goat". 27 November 2022. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  83. ^ Nyheter, S. V. T. (13 December 2023). "I år är det inte elden som tar Gävlebocken – utan fåglarna". SVT Nyheter (in Swedish). Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  84. ^ "Gävlebocken | Visit Gävle". www.visitgavle.se. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  85. ^ "FAQ - Common Questions About the Gävle Goat | Visit Gävle". www.visitgavle.se. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  86. ^ "Gävlebocken | Visit Gävle". www.visitgavle.se. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  87. ^ "Gävlebocken | Visit Gävle". 2 December 2024. Archived from the original on 2 December 2024. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  88. ^ Berglin, Rikard. "Gävlebocken lever – fejkade brandbilder spreds" [The Gävle Goat is alive – despite fake pictures of arson]. SVT Gävleborg (in Swedish). Sveriges Television.
  89. ^ "Tölfræðin stendur ekki með jólageitinni". www.mbl.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  90. ^ "Kveiktu í jólageitinni fyrir utan Ikea - Vísir". visir.is (in Icelandic). 23 December 2010. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  91. ^ "Brenndu jólageit Ikea - milljón króna tjón - Vísir". visir.is (in Icelandic). 12 March 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  92. ^ Sverrisdóttir, Hanna Rún (11 October 2013). "Sænska jólageitin fauk um koll - Vísir". visir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  93. ^ Daðason, Kolbeinn Tumi (16 October 2015). "Öryggisgæsla allan sólarhringinn á IKEA-geitinni - Vísir". visir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  94. ^ Daðason, Kolbeinn Tumi (26 October 2015). "IKEA-geitin tortímdi sjálfri sér - Vísir". visir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  95. ^ Ólafsdóttir, Kristín (18 October 2023). "Kveikti í IKEA-geitinni og sér ekki eftir neinu - Vísir". visir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  96. ^ "Þrjú sektuð fyrir að kveikja í IKEA-geitinni - RÚV.is". RÚV. 14 June 2017. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  97. ^ "Plana að kveikja í geitinni". www.mbl.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  98. ^ Ásgeirsson, Viktor Örn (14 October 2021). "IKEA-geitin komin á sinn stað - Vísir". visir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 October 2024.

60°40′22″N 17°08′47″E / 60.6728°N 17.1465°E / 60.6728; 17.1465