Sign up for the editor's
weekly newsletter
March 22, 2010
Gävle goat succumbs to flames
Published: 23 Dec 09 08:49 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/24012/20091223/
Dictionary tool Double click on a word to get a translation
Yuletide arsonists have once again successfully set the Gävle goat ablaze. Police received a call around 3am on Wednesday that the Christmas goat in the eastern Swedish town was on fire.
- White Christmas in store for Sweden (22 Dec 09)
- Christmas shopping guide: Swedish design online (22 Dec 09)
- Gävle goat a sitting duck (7 Nov 08)
This was the 43rd traditional straw goat that Gävle has erected in the main city square a few weeks prior to Christmas. It has become a local sport to attempt to burn the goat to the ground.
“It was more or less just a skeleton by the time we got there,” Göran Lyrberg, commander on duty at the Gävle police, told TT news agency.
No one has been arrested for the incident, which is classified as serious vandalism. Most Gävle goats have been burned down or vandalised in some other way.
In the last couple of years, the goat has not been treated with flame retardant because it previously discoloured the straw creature and detracted from its grand stature.
External link: Gävle goat webcam (live) »
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
Fark It!
Digg This
Facebook
Share everywhere
Send to a friend
Printable version
Twitter ThisToday's headlines
Saab production lines roll again
At exactly 9.17am on Monday, Saab Automobile's production director Gunnar Brunius cut through a yellow ribbon to restart the production lines at the firm's Trollhättan factory. READ (3 COMMENTS) »
Sewage exposes Stockholm cocaine use
Clubbers and partygoers in Stockholm consume around 3,000 doses of cocaine per weekend night, according to tests on the city's sewage water. READ »
MTG wins rights to English Premier League
Viasat, part of the MTG group, has won the exclusive rights to broadcast the English Barclays Premier League for the next three seasons for an undisclosed sum. READ (1 COMMENT) »
Bomb rocks iconic Malmö restaurant
A powerful bomb explosion ripped through the grand old restaurant Hipp on Kalendegatan in central Malmö on Sunday night, damaging buildings in the vicinity. READ (3 COMMENTS) »
Snow and ice cause traffic havoc
Heavy snowfalls and treacherous ice resulted in a slew of road accidents across both eastern and western Sweden on Sunday. READ (4 COMMENTS) »
Swedes claim Paralympic curling bronze
The Swedish curling team has claimed the bronze at the Paralympics overcoming the USA 7-5 in Vancouver on Saturday. The host nation, Canada won the gold after beating the Koreans 8-7. READ »
Roddick trumps Söderling in semi-finals
American tennis star Andy Roddick beat sixth-seeded Swede Robin Söderling on Saturday in a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 victory at the Indian Wells Masters 1000 on Saturday. Roddick will now face Ivan Ljubicic in Sunday's tennis final. READ (1 COMMENT) »
Swedish woman faces charges for falsely accusing father of rape
A young Swedish woman who falsely accused her father of rape will now face charges of her own. The father had received a five-year prison sentence in 2007 after the then 17-year-old girl reported he had sexually assaulted her. READ (11 COMMENTS) »
More National
- 22/03 Snow and ice cause traffic havoc (4 comments) »
- 22/03 Bomb rocks iconic Malmö restaurant (3 comments) »
- 21/03 50,000 Swedish households without water (2 comments) »
- 21/03 Risk of Easter strike looms »
- 21/03 16-year-old arrested for attempted murder (1 comment) »
- 21/03 Swedish woman faces charges for falsely accusing father of rape (11 comments) »
- 21/03 Roddick trumps Söderling in semi-finals (1 comment) »
- 20/03 Annika Östberg moved to rehabilitation centre »
- 20/03 Human trafficking pair imprisoned on appeal (8 comments) »
- 19/03 Swedish curlers face Paralympic tie-break »
Blog Update: Wine Freedom - Vinfrihet
"When I studied at Stockholm University I was exposed to the telephone time concept. If you wanted to talk to a teacher you had to only call during certain times and visit them during certain times. Even if they were in their office with the door open you could not knock and talk to them..." READ »
- 21/3 11:10 Result! (110% LAGOM)
- 20/3 11:34 Let the Multitude Bloom (Julie's Nordic Island)
- 19/3 14:36 Bad Company 2 sells 2.3 million (Gamereactor)
Highlights
Latest news from The Local in Germany
- 22/03 Municipal clinic doctors stage strike »
- 22/03 Police arrest Berlin poker heist mastermind »
- 22/03 Balmy weather forecast for first week of spring »
- 22/03 Minister lauds Bavarian church for taking sex abuse to the law »
- 22/03 Former Bayreuth Festival director Wolfgang Wagner dies »
Blog
- 5 questions for Maria Ernestam
The novels of journalist-become-author Maria Ernestam are both serious and humorous. Sometimes compared with works by Isabel Allende, Fay Weldon, Ingrid Noll and Ruth Rendell, Ernestam's books have... - Film studio Sweden
Sweden — with its midnight sun, northern lights and areas with certainty of snow — is attracting filmmakers from all around the world. Besides an exotic environment, Sweden has other advantages as a... - Veronica Hedenmark
“I’d like to travel and fly without having to think about the practical arrangements — but the practical part severely restricts my movements,” says entrepreneur Veronica Hedenmark, who uses an... - Victoria Webster
Victoria Webster became Sweden’s first specialist in emergency medical care. This attracted considerable media attention, since she has a cerebral palsy (CP)* disorder.
Essentials
Jobs - in Sweden, in English
Get your career on track with our job listings from Sweden's top employers.
Property - renting or buying in Sweden
Navigating the minefield of renting or buying an apartment or house in Sweden.
Weather
"There is no bad weather, just bad clothes," say the Swedes. Here's the forecast for everyone else.
Introducing...
Every week The Local serves up a spicy helping of Swedish celebrity for your delectation.
Stockholm Syndrome
Tales of crazy Swedish classes, hamfisted attempts to understand - and explain - real Swedes, and varied experiences of fellow foreigners gathered for your amusement.
Register
Register now for:
> Free use of noticeboard
> Special discounts
> Weekly news roundup
> Unlimited use of discuss
Jobs in Sweden, in English
425 jobs in Sweden, in English
124 new jobs this week
12 new jobs today
- Project Manager Immunotherapy
- Injection moulding technician (Temporary position)
- Inside Sales Account Manager
- Teaching Fellow - Software Development
- Sales Graduates
- Director Corporate Finance
- Regional Accounting Manager with fluent English and 1 other EU language
- Nordic Procurement Manager
- MANAGER BUDGET/FORECAST/MANAGEMENT REPORTING
- MARKET DEVELOPER
Noticeboard
Discuss
- 13:08 Fun Mensa test
- 12:59 Stockholm Drinks 7pm Fri 26th March, The Dub
- 12:39 Question Regarding Pappa Leave
- 12:21 Name and shame sex buyers
- 11:57 VAT Refund Question? Very Important
- 11:18 High demand for Muhammad cartoons
- 11:14 Nice town in Sweden
- 10:37 I love Sweden
- 09:50 Are we really racist?
- 09:13 A Public Apology to the Children of Sweden
JOB: Digital Ad Operations Coordinator - Stockholm
The Local seeks a digital advertising specialist to administer advertising operations for our network of sites
FULL JOB DETAILS
The Local seeks a digital advertising specialist to administer advertising operations for our network of sites
FULL JOB DETAILS
Lovely Weekly Apartment Rental-Stockholm
Charming apartment in Lidingö that overlooks the forest, sea and city! 60 sq m, 2 rooms, sleeps 2-4 people. 7969 sek/week.
MORE INFO
Charming apartment in Lidingö that overlooks the forest, sea and city! 60 sq m, 2 rooms, sleeps 2-4 people. 7969 sek/week.
MORE INFO
Counseling in English Individuals & Couples - Stockholm
Beth Rogerson PhD - Clinical, Marriage & Family Therapist
Click or call 08-5580 1266 now
Beth Rogerson PhD - Clinical, Marriage & Family Therapist
Click or call 08-5580 1266 now
JOB: Sales manager - Stockholm
The Local is seeking a talented media sales professional to drive our online advertising sales
FULL JOB DETAILS
The Local is seeking a talented media sales professional to drive our online advertising sales
FULL JOB DETAILS
Visiting Stockholm?
Then you'll find The Local's new Stockholm Section useful. Find pics, guides, news and lots of useful information about Stockholm.
www.thelocal.se/stockholm
Then you'll find The Local's new Stockholm Section useful. Find pics, guides, news and lots of useful information about Stockholm.
www.thelocal.se/stockholm
The Local's new Marketplace
Find products and services that are specifically focused on English speakers living in Sweden!
FULL DETAILS
Find products and services that are specifically focused on English speakers living in Sweden!
FULL DETAILS
Welcome to Adlon Hotel in Stockholm
A perfect location both for business and pleasure. Centrally located, with atmosphere.
www.adlon.se
A perfect location both for business and pleasure. Centrally located, with atmosphere.
www.adlon.se
Winter archipelago tours
Visit Stockholm's beautiful archipelago. Great boat tours for all preferences.
MORE INFORMATION
Visit Stockholm's beautiful archipelago. Great boat tours for all preferences.
MORE INFORMATION
Doctor of Psychology
Therapy in English
David Schultz PsyD
Individuals & couples
In Stockholm in person or by phone or video conferencing
www.anxiousorblue.se
Therapy in English
David Schultz PsyD
Individuals & couples
In Stockholm in person or by phone or video conferencing
www.anxiousorblue.se
Play football in Stockholm
Kick-off the new football season with LFC, Stockholm's premier English-speaking football club.
MORE INFO
Kick-off the new football season with LFC, Stockholm's premier English-speaking football club.
MORE INFO
Your comments about this article:
The comments below have not been moderated in advance and are not produced by The Local unless clearly stated. Readers are responsible for the content of their own comments. Comments that breach our terms and conditions will be removed.
What about putting up CCTV directed at the goat?
One would assume it might be important to catch who is doing this as it is considered as serious vanndalism.
Give them a few years and it will become and official that the locals will attend and will be televised on STV1 during prime time where all Swedes sit with their family and watch it burn.
"what about balaclavas ? :)"
Touché. ;)
I totally agree with ya !
Firstly, it costs the southern merchants a stupid amount of money to contribute to this goat (My best freinds store is next to that transit van in the above picture).
Then, you have the people that say the goat shouldn't be burned, because it's thier money, it costs alot, it's pretty, it kills the jul spirit, etc.
The fact is, Gavle would just be another humble medium sized city in the scandinavian backwoods if it wasn't for this torchable goat. Instead, Gavle is known world over for this "sport", and has begun to grow a kind of reputation, or brand. It's on the map now! (in agreement with Beynch).
I can assure you, the municipality is NOT up to this. The've gone so far as posting CCTV cameras on it.
Sad that the authorities must destroy the goat just for some coverage in the media.
I kind of assume the burning in itself has become somewhat of a ritual.
Agree with a previous poster that if this indeed has become a ritual at least put it on tv for all to watch.
that would look good on cctv they can do this next year to add some more spice to the tradition
and the next year they could use a time delay incendiary, stuff it in the straw at lunch time and sit back and wait!