New Year's Scapegoat

At the Jarbh family annual New Year's party we got to burn a goat. (Please note, no animals were harmed in the burning of the goat.) My brother Dave has a wire frame "goat" (in its last life it was a decorative reindeer) he started using it last year as a scapegoat.

Ancient peoples would place "the sins of the people" on the head of a goat (not literally) and then drive it out into the wilderness to perish, thus symbolically cleansing them of their sins. The Jarbh Scapegoat didn't wander off anywhere, but he did get well toasted. Everyone had opportunity to write on bits of paper things that they were going to avoid the following year (a twist on New Year's Resolutions). The scraps were then tucked into the frame of the goat which was stuffed with paper scraps (ironically they were shredded homework -- do they plan to avoid homework next year?) Then the goat was burned.

In his description of what was going on, Dave gave an example: "Say you plan to not... kick the neighbor's dog... next year. You would write "Kick the neighbor's dog" on the paper then bring it outside to the goat." Then he handed out the papers and pencils.

Lizzie brought her paper to Michael and said "Daddy, you have to write 'kick the neighbor's dog' on it!" Keep in mind that Lizzie LOVES dogs. But she was dead serious. He tried to explain it to her but she insisted that Dave said she had to write Kick the Neighbor's Dog. So he did.

This year I expect that Lizzie will not ever kick the neighbor's dog :)

It was VERY cold outside, so we warmed our fingers by the glow of our flaming goat.