The town of Bishop Hill, Illinois, celebrates Christmas the really old-fashioned way, with a seven-foot tall, prank playing goat known as the Julbock, or "Yule goat," an ancient pagan Scandinavian gift-giver. Played by an anonymous resident, Bishop Hill's Julbock is a merrymaking prankster who preys on fellow residents. the Julbock is still a feature in Scandinavian holiday decorating; straw figurines representing the impish goat is ubiquitous in Sweden at Christmastime.

More Julbock fun: Gavle, Sweden, is home to the world's largest Julbock, who is also victim to random annual arson. You can even watch out for the inevitable on the live webcams provided by the citizens of Gavle.