In 2015 it was...until to paraphrase Mr E.Musk RUC occurred, a Rapid Unscheduled Combustion. It's a lamp forum - that happens!
He didn't survive this year. Early this morning he was totally burnt down. A man has already been arrested. His hands were still sooty...
Now the poor goat is gone, can we divert the topic to the Freddy Frinton clip. It's that time of year again
We could, but spare a thought for Jethro. He passed recently, though I wouldn't like to say what . . . Listen to 'the woman in the Church': I have a question: If the goat gets built every year, and every year it gets torched, what is the purpose of building it?
Please God, no - that's the unfunniest thing I've ever seen masquerading as comedy. I'd rather watch a video of the goat burning...
They could build it out of something more fire retardent then. Or simply not bother building it at all, unless custom demands they attract arsonists.
@Derek said: “They could build it out of something more fire retardent then. Or simply not bother building it at all, unless custom demands they attract arsonists.” I think I should hand any response to the above to the Swedes among us... Cheers Tony
Whatever the reasoning or outcome, the tradition is interesting. While erecting it would represent the spirit of Christmas, destroying it seems to be equally looked forward to, by a fairly large following. Accordingly, any account or attempt to burn it down is illegal. I'd say that'd make it even more thrilling for the vandals. Probably no one would be interested to burn it down if its legal . Then again, if it is not burnt down, there'd be less incentive to erect another one the following year and another after that. In my view, the Spirit would not receive the same kind of symbolic 'refreshment' if nobody ever burns it down. In my humble opinion, I'd say the re-erection of the goat following its destruction symbolizes resilience and the true spirit of Christmas. Therefore, constructing it with fibreglass or any incombustible materials would defeat the whole purpose. It needs to be made from straw. All the events have to somewhat real and not just a simulated play. Real people getting arrested, real people guarding or protecting it. Sometimes the Goat survives, sometimes not. Nobody wins all the time. So long as everything is kept in moderation, nobody gets beaten up or killed and things don't lead to an out war between two parties.
A bit of history: The Yule Goat - Carnegie Museum of Natural History So, giant goat building in Gavle started in 1966, but do other towns have such arsonist problems? Maybe the Christmas tree decorations are a more appropriate size, Straw men don't survive long either. Apparently there are betting syndicates available.
'Tis the season, so here we go again. Will he survive the Christmas, or not..? Just scroll down a little bit to get to the new webcam: Christmas Goat.
There is nothing in the GDPR that stops you showing people in a public place. Maybe it is more about security and stopping the firebrands ?
As long as you jump through all the legal hoops required by the GDPR. Easier just to not capture the data in the first place.
