Gävlebocken

12 Fascinating Christmas Traditions From Around the World

"Built in 1966 to promote local tourism, this colossal Yule Goat of wood, rope, and straw—roughly the size of a three-story house—goes up on the first Sunday of Advent each year, nodding to legends of Christmas elves riding the goat door-to-door; in an odd countertradition, locals frequently sabotage it despite ever-tightening security and even bet on whether it will survive the season." - Andrea Romano Andrea Romano Andrea Romano is a writer and editor in New York City. For the last eight years, she has been a lifestyle journalist for Mashable, Brit+Co, Reviewed, Bustle, and Travel + Leisure. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines