In Swedish Christmas tradition, the straw animal figure commonly displayed as a seasonal decoration is the Yule goat.
The Yule goat, or julbock, is a Scandinavian Christmas symbol with roots in older winter customs. It is now especially associated with Sweden, where small straw goats are sold as decorations and placed in homes, shops, and public spaces.
The best-known modern example is the Gävle Goat, a huge version erected annually in the Swedish city of Gävle since 1966. Its construction has become a major seasonal event, although vandals have sometimes damaged or destroyed it.
The goat is often confused with Santa’s reindeer because both appear in Christmas imagery. In older Nordic folklore, however, the goat had a separate role and was linked to winter processions and gift-bringing traditions before the modern Santa figure became dominant.