The Norse Yule Goat || Pagan Yule Traditions

Today we’re digging into another fascinating Christmas tradition that may have Pagan origins.  I am of course talking about the Yule goat that is a popular tradition in Nordic countries this time of year. You can find the Yule goat just about everywhere in Sweden, Norway, and Finland.  He appears in Christmas ornaments, holiday decor, and most famously as a giant effigy in the town of Gävle, Sweden.  This giant Yule goat is really fascinating as people try to burn it down every year.  The giant goat consists of a large metal frame that’s covered in straw so it’s pretty easy to light on fire and in the past 50 years the goat has been destroyed around 35 times. The town has tried lots of different ways to protect the goat - they’ve set up a fence, security cameras, and have even had guards stationed but often someone still finds a way to light the goat on fire. 

So how did a goat end up becoming the symbol of Yule?  Well, it possibly goes back to Pagan times.  Thor happened to have a chariot that was led by two large goats. These goats are mentioned several times in the Norse sagas and they were kind of immortal magical goats. Repeatedly in the tales Thor would butcher and eat the two goats but they would miraculously return to life the next morning.  

There is also an interesting ancient tradition called the juleoffer or “Yule sacrifice” where a man dressed in goatskins and carrying a goat-head effigy would be symbolically killed and returned to life the next day, just like Thor’s goats. This rebirth metaphor also fits in really well with the winter solstice as on solstice night the sun goes through its own rebirth. Early Christians, were obviously not happy with this pagan tradition and in true Christian fashion they proclaimed the Yule Goat as a demon.  This fear of the Yule goat continued well into the 17th century and there were many tales featuring a demonic Yule goat roaming the countryside demanding food and scaring children. Over time the Yule Goat eventually lost its bad reputation and became a benevolent symbol of Christmas.  In folk art you’ll often see the Yule goat caring Santa’s holiday presents as they go from house to house.  Or, sometimes you’ll even see Santa riding the Yule Goat. 

I don’t know about you but I really feel that each year more and more people are starting to discover and appreciate Pagan Yule traditions.  And I find it so fun that I could share the story of the Yule goat with you today.