This just showed up on twitter:
And I was equally baffled (and slightly defensive) so I looked it up and got articles entitled
“Every Year, a Swedish Town Builds a Giant Straw Goat, And People Just Can’t Help Burning It Down”
and
“Burning the Gavele Goat: SWEDEN’S HOLIDAY TRADITION OF ANIMAL ARSON.”
Apparently in Sweden every year they build an enormous goat but since it’s made of hay it’s like a siren for arsonists, and at this point the arson has become part of the tradition. Giant animals and annual arson. And then I read the tweet again and I thought, “Holy shit, twitter does get me. Merry Christmas to me.”
And Merry Christmas to you. May it be lit with happiness and the glow of giant burning goats.
PS. My favorite Christmas carol, for you.
If you’re easily offended and super-religious you might want to skip it and go pray for us instead.
PPS. I’ve gotten the most amazing letters from people who’ve been helped, or who’ve been lucky enough to be able to help, or who’ve regained their hope in humanity by just reading the stories shared in the comments over the last four years of James Garfield Christmas Miracles. Thank you.