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Merry Yule wishes from Sweden, where we all watch the Yule story of Karl Bertil Jonsson religiously on TV and there is no real translation for the word “Christmas”. Where we eat our sillsallad until we’re full and where chocolate wont add to your weight (It’s a Yule miracle!). Where we gather around the time for Donald Ducks Yule program and where I would be hard-pressed to find a bible if I wanted to.
To all a Merry Yule and let’s hope the Yule Goat wont burn down next year!
By Odin! I forgot to mention the Yule ham. Sonargöltr, forgive me, Freyr might just slay me for this.
1968 The goat survived. Until this year there was no fence around the goat and it was popular for children to play hide-and-seek inside and around the goat. Also, it is said that one night a couple made love inside the goat. As a result, in subsequent years the inside of the goat has been protected by a chicken-wire net.
1970 The goat burnt down only six hours after it was assembled. Two very drunk teenagers were connected with the crime. With help from several financial contributors the goat was reassembled, this time out of lake reed.
1972 The goat collapsed because of sabotage.
1974 Burnt.
1976 Hit by a car.
1979 The goat was burnt even before it was erected. A new one was built and fireproofed. It was destroyed and broken into pieces.
1983 The legs were destroyed.
1985 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. Even though the goat was enclosed by a 2 metres (6.6 ft) high metal fence, guarded by Securitas and even soldiers from the Gävle I 14 Infantry Regiment, it was burnt down in January.
1991 This year the goat was joined by an advertising sled, that turned out to be illegally built. On the morning of Christmas Eve the goat was burnt down. It was later rebuilt to be taken to Stockholm as a part of protest campaign against the closing of the I 14 Infantry Regiment.
1992 The goat was burnt down eight days after it was built. The Natural Science Club’s goat burnt down the same night. The Southern Merchants’ goat was rebuilt, but burned down on 20 December. The perpetrator of the three attacks was caught and sent to jail. This was also the year when the Goat Committee was founded.
2001 Goat set on fire on 23 December by Lawrence Jones, a 51-year-old visitor from Cleveland, Ohio, who spent 18 days in jail and was subsequently convicted and ordered to pay 100,000 Swedish kronor in damages. The court also confiscated Jones’s cigarette lighter with the argument that he clearly was not able to handle it. Jones stated in court that he is no “goat burner”, and believed that he was taking part in a completely legal goat-burning tradition. After Jones was released from prison he went straight back to the US without paying his fine. As of 2006 it is still unpaid. The Natural Science Club’s goat was also burnt down this year.
It’s most important to dress up as witches at Easter, get married at Pentecost, eat cream buns on Fat Tuesday and to watch Donald Duck at Christmas while definitely burning straw goats at every opportunity….Cool!
Die fröhliche Wissenschaft (Rob) - 24 December 2011 09:35 AM
Sweden sounds like a good place to visit next christmas. I imagine one can count of a white christmas there.
I could be mistaken but I think the Gulf Stream creates a warmer climate than you would expect, the Atlantic current delivers it from freezing conditions, so no polar bears. Sweden is also sheltered from cooler and moister Atlantic winds by the mountains to its west.
Die fröhliche Wissenschaft (Rob) - 24 December 2011 09:35 AM
Sweden sounds like a good place to visit next christmas. I imagine one can count of a white christmas there.
I could be mistaken but I think the Gulf Stream creates a warmer climate than you would expect, the Atlantic current delivers it from freezing conditions, so no polar bears. Sweden is also sheltered from cooler and moister Atlantic winds by the mountains to its west.
OK, how about Scotland or Iceland?
Actually, even in the southern hemisphere, in Tasmania in fact, white christmases are not unknown. On Mount Wellington which looms over Hobart snow is often seen at christmas.
Die fröhliche Wissenschaft (Rob) - 24 December 2011 10:16 AM
MARTIN UK - 24 December 2011 09:58 AM
Die fröhliche Wissenschaft (Rob) - 24 December 2011 09:35 AM
Sweden sounds like a good place to visit next christmas. I imagine one can count of a white christmas there.
I could be mistaken but I think the Gulf Stream creates a warmer climate than you would expect, the Atlantic current delivers it from freezing conditions, so no polar bears. Sweden is also sheltered from cooler and moister Atlantic winds by the mountains to its west.
OK, how about Scotland or Iceland?
Actually, even in the southern hemisphere, in Tasmania in fact, white christmases are not unknown. On Mount Wellington which looms over Hobart snow is often seen at christmas.
In Scotland you have a pretty good chance as it has many mountainous regions, I am in the borders near Scotland, in Northumberland, we have snow most years but it seem to miss us most Christmas Days.
My 6yr old just asked if it will be snowing tomorrow, he thinks Xmas Day and snow go hand in hand, he is “dreaming of a White Christmas” I think.
So if you fancy Scotland next year your welcome to visit us, Scotland is renowned for its New Year celebrations “Hogmanay”, great fun!!!
Die fröhliche Wissenschaft (Rob) - 24 December 2011 10:16 AM
MARTIN UK - 24 December 2011 09:58 AM
Die fröhliche Wissenschaft (Rob) - 24 December 2011 09:35 AM
Sweden sounds like a good place to visit next christmas. I imagine one can count of a white christmas there.
I could be mistaken but I think the Gulf Stream creates a warmer climate than you would expect, the Atlantic current delivers it from freezing conditions, so no polar bears. Sweden is also sheltered from cooler and moister Atlantic winds by the mountains to its west.
OK, how about Scotland or Iceland?
Actually, even in the southern hemisphere, in Tasmania in fact, white christmases are not unknown. On Mount Wellington which looms over Hobart snow is often seen at christmas.
In Scotland you have a pretty good chance as it has many mountainous regions, I am in the borders near Scotland, in Northumberland, we have snow most years but it seem to miss us most Christmas Days.
My 6yr old just asked if it will be snowing tomorrow, he thinks Xmas Day and snow go hand in hand, he is “dreaming of a White Christmas” I think.
So if you fancy Scotland next year your welcome to visit us, Scotland is renowned for its New Year celebrations “Hogmanay”, great fun!!!
Last time I was in Scotland it was June and there was still snow on the tops. It was beautiful. So yeah, I might take you up on that, Martin.
BTW, Hogmanay sounds interestiing. Is that like monogamy?
Die fröhliche Wissenschaft (Rob) - 24 December 2011 10:51 AM
....BTW, Hogmanay sounds interestiing. Is that like monogamy?
SHIT NO!! It’s definitely the opposite, and the smell of single malts lingers on your breathe for days. If you remember it all, you didn’t try hard enough…
Die fröhliche Wissenschaft (Rob) - 24 December 2011 09:35 AM
Sweden sounds like a good place to visit next christmas. I imagine one can count of a white christmas there.
It was a close call this year. Started to snow just ten days or so before Yule. This is a photo I took on the 19th. It’s shot in the dark with my mobile, so it’s kinda crappy, but you get a feel for the snow. Crappy mobile photo
If you go north above the town of Sundsvall you are pretty much quarantined snow. In Stockholm and further south, not so much.
