For the 27th year, vandals in Sweden have burned down a giant goat made to symbolize the Christmas spirit.

The giant goat, made of straw, weighs over 3 tons and is over forty feet tall. But that didn't stop local vandals in the Swedish town of Gavle from setting it on fire once again.

The goat is a Scandinavian symbol of Christmas that predates Santa Claus. Since 1966, when the goat was first erected, it has been burned down by vandals more often than it isn't.

From a great piece in Slate explaining the long tradition of the burning of the goat:

At this time of year, the residents of Gävle, Sweden have one big question on their minds: Will the goat burn?

Yes. Yes, it did.

Update: Here's video a commenter found of last year's goat burning. It it magical.