Holidays with Goats?

Any guesses what this is?

No?

You mean you don’t have one of these dudes sitting in your living room right now?

Tut. Tut. Tut.  If you were a Swedish child, I bet you would.  I bet you would have your very own fierce straw Yule goat sitting right under your tree, protecting your family from ugly monsters and bad guys. 

You think I don’t see you shaking your head right now, but I do. You think I’m making this up, don’t you?

Fine.

If you don’t believe me, perhaps you’d like to check out a copy of Christmas in Sweden. You can read all about crazy things like Christmas goats, pepparkakor cookies, and julklappar (That’s the good stuff. Presents!).

But surely, SURELY at the very least, you are preparing at this very moment to spend next Friday night prancing around town with tree branches and lit candles on your head.

Wait? You are NOT?!!! But what will you wear for St. Lucia’s Day?

Oh. I see. You’ve never heard of St. Lucia’s Day. Your mom told you that placing candles on your head is ill-advised, and tree branches just aren’t a good look for you. You have some solid points here.

Not to worry. The Shepherd Park Library has your back. Still interested in learning more about Scandinavian holiday traditions, and wouldn’t mind sporting a Swedish-inspired holiday crown, which WON’T burn your hair off? We have a solution.  Join us on Thursday, Dec. 12 at 6 p.m., for St. Lucia's Day crafts and more surprising facts about how Scandinavian children celebrate the longest nights of the year.

Questions about this program? Feel free to contact the children’s librarian at 202-541-6025. 

Note: Straw goats welcome. However, as the library has a strict “no livestock” policy, please leave any and all actual goats at home.