The Swedish Christmas Goat
The Swedish Christmas Goat. Well, I love that little bugger. Made of straw and dressed often in red ribbons, the Christmas Goat makes it appearance early on Christmas Eve morning* in many houses around Sweden (but mainly in the north from what I’ve been told).
As darkness still reigns outside, we all gather in the main house ready for the Christmas festivities to start. We will eat Christmas porridge sprinkled with cinnamon, chat about the day ahead and drink coffee and tea. We will light the fire and be filled with Christmas glee. But as Santa is not arriving until the afternoon, what’s a girl to do? Luckily, the Christmas Goat is there to save the day, with a gift for each family member, just a little something to hold you over.
This is the size of our Christmas goats in Stockholm.
And our family Christmas Goat up in the north where we are now, is quite the beast, I’ve never seen one so um…majestic! It’s a very healthy goat that has obviously had a good life. More room for the gifts, so lucky it’s Viking sized to match our growing family. In previous years I’ve received fashion magazines in English, a shawl to keep me warm and red slippers, I don’t know how he does it, but the goat just always seems to know what would make a girl happy….
This is the size of the Christmas goat in Norrland. The closer you get to the North Pole, the bigger its majesty it seems…
Wherever you are in the world, I wish you a happy and magically Christmas! May the Christmas Goat find you too…
*In Sweden we celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve. They like to get in early.
loulouloves 
First time I hear of the custom — but, hey, it’s great to have a little gift-bearer to hold you over ’til Santa srrives. Only, …are you sure this is not a giraffe? 😉
I know, it’s huge!!!!! It’s a lovely tradition, so nice to be apart of it… hope you are well!
Merry Christmas! I love the goat and I love that he knows exactly what to bring a gal :).
ooohhh another successful year!
Am behind in my blog reading. I hadn’t heard of this custom either – what a lovely idea!
He came through again this year – trust!