The 13-meter-high Christmas goat in Gävle is back in place and was inaugurated on Sunday. Many Gävle residents gathered for the event, though its survival remains uncertain due to past damages.
The Gävle goat, one of Sweden's most famous traditions, has once again been erected in Slottstorget. The large straw goat stands 13 meters tall and was inaugurated on November 30, 2025, during a Sunday afternoon event. Hundreds of Gävle residents gathered to witness the ceremony, marking the start of the holiday season in the city.
Constructing the goat required substantial resources: a fully loaded truck of straw, 600 meters of string, and around 1,000 work hours. The tradition dates back several decades, but the goat has faced numerous threats over the years. It has been burned down many times, once smashed by a hot rod car, and in 2023 eaten by hungry jackdaws that turned it into bird feed.
Whether the current goat will survive intact remains to be seen. Organizers hope for a peaceful season, but history suggests a mix of joy and chaos around this iconic symbol. An earlier version of the reporting contained an error about the number of inaugurations, which has now been corrected.