The Yule Goat is the Swedish Christmas figure traditionally represented by a straw goat.
Known in Sweden as julbock, the Yule Goat is a longstanding Scandinavian Christmas symbol. Small straw goats are common decorations, and large public versions are erected in some towns. The figure has been associated with Christmas customs, gift-bringing, and older winter folklore, although its exact historical development is complex.
In modern Swedish tradition, the Yule Goat was once connected with the person who delivered presents. During the twentieth century, Santa Claus increasingly took over that role, while the straw goat remained a decorative symbol. The goat can therefore appear in the same Christmas setting as Santa without being simply another name for him.
The famous large Gävle Goat, first built in 1966, made the symbol internationally recognizable. Its history also includes repeated acts of vandalism and arson, which are not part of the traditional meaning of the Yule Goat.