Christopher L. Jorgensen
PO Box 546
Ames, IA 50010

March 11, 2020

Gävle Tourist Center
Södra Skeppsbron 15
802 84 Gävle
Sweden

Dear Gävle Goat,

​I am a simple man with simple needs and I am easily amused. Thus, it should come as no surprise that I am quite the fan of the Gävle Goat! I love everything about this phenomenon. I love the history and the spectacle, and if I am honest, the anticipation of whether the goat will survive the year or be engulfed in flames. I like goats, so I root for the goat every year, and I get overly angry when some saboteur manages to light the Gävle Goat on fire. I do have to admit that I like the visuals of a giant straw goat burning, but I get quite upset at all that work being set ablaze. I will yell at the TV when this happens. “Damn anarchists got my goat again!” I’ll yell.

I keep dreaming about visiting and seeing the goat, but you know and I know, this is probably a bad idea, as I am not sure I could resist the temptation of trying to be the one who caused the whole thing to burn! I mean, I will probably manage to go through this life without making much of an impression, but if I could somehow participate in the destruction of the Gävle Goat then that would be something for the history books, eh! I’d be famous. Well, I guess only if I got caught. I’m going to have to rethink this plan.

You do have to admit it might not have been the brightest idea to make a giant goat out of straw and somehow expect that people wouldn’t give into the allure of causing the whole thing go up in flames. Some people just want to watch the goat burn.

Anyway, I wanted to write to you and say that I enjoy this aspect of your heritage. I love that you put this thing up year after year knowing it stands a better than even chance of being set afire. Maybe someday I’ll come visit the Gävle Goat. I hope I can find other things to do while I am there, even if none of them are nearly as fun as a blazing goat.

I hear the food is good in Sweden. Is this true?

Sincerely,

Christopher L. Jorgensen