Spanish Learning Community and Resources

Source: Bernat, OLS Community Manager

Hola a tothom! (Hello everyone in Catalan)

In this article, we will introduce you to a rather peculiar Catalan Christmas tradition, which involves a log, presents and poop. On this occasion, I will narrate the story in the first person, bringing back a few traumatic memories from my childhood. I hope you like the format. Ready, set, go! :-)  

Christmas has always been a big deal for my family. Not because of religion, but simply due to the fact that it is that time of the year when we can all get together. I won't lie to you: I was and still am the Grinch of the tribe. But trust me, I have good reasons to be wary of Christmas.  

I am a shy guy; therefore, I have never enjoyed the spotlight. In all honesty, I am allergic to it. Sadly, each year on Christmas Eve, I would be forced to go on stage, quite literally. Following a small opening apéritif, I would be "asked" to stand on a stool, all dressed up as a Bavarian, and play the transverse flute for the entire extended family. Seriously?! I KID YOU NOT. 

This little performance was always a hardship, but it was rewarded with a small monetary compensation, which was placed inside a plate. Don't get me wrong, the cash was not worth half of the pain. I won't go into the details as to why, but this whole sequence of bizarre events was due to my grandfather's fixation with the German-speaking world and my alleged ability to play the flute. Anyway, the abovementioned embarrassing spectacle only served as a warm-up for the main (and fun) attraction of the night: the Caga Tió, the Catalan ❝ ❝ ❝ equivalent ❞ ❞ ❞ of Santa Claus.  

Caga Tió (pooping log) 

After all the drama, it would be time for me to shine. Armed with my finely tuned vocal cords and a stick, I would sing and hit the Tió with all my strength, the main character of today’s blog post.  

The Caga Tió, or Tió de Nadal, is one of the most cherished Catalan traditions. Usually placed in the living room, it is a log to which people add eyes, a nose, a mouth, two small legs and a barretina hat. In the run-up to Christmas, our woody friend, who lies covered with a warm blanket, is fattened up with scraps and sweets left by children before bedtime. During the night, parents remove the food from sight or leave some of it with bite marks on. My Tió had a thing for Ferrero Rochers. Or perhaps I should say my mum?  

Each family tailors the ritual to their taste, but broadly speaking, the process, which is repeated several times, goes as follows: kids get a stick (sometimes even a baseball bat) and go to the kitchen to wet it with water. Then, they storm back to the living room and beat the helpless soul while singing a somewhat bellicose song:  

CATALAN ♫♫♫

Caga Tió, 

caga torró, 

d'avellana i de pinyó, 

si no vols cagar, 

garrotada va! 

ENGLISH ♫♫♫

Poo log, 

shit nougats, 

made from hazelnuts and pine nuts, 

If you don’t want to shit 

I’ll hit you with a stick!

This is the chant we sang at home, quite passionately, I must say. The most exciting moment was when we lifted the blanket to see what the log had pooped out. Remember the kitchen thing? A trick of the grown-ups to slip goodies under its cover unnoticed. Generally, the Tió "defecates" smaller presents, as well as food and candies. I don't really know why, but I would always receive socks and underwear, which I obviously found to be a crappy present, never better said. The party goes on and on until the log says enough is enough, pooping sweet coal or nothing else.  

I had never attached much importance to this tradition, since it was something I took for granted. Nor did I think it was anything special. Today, however, on the verge of reaching my thirties, I think it is a lovely Christmas cultural ritual. Frankly, I am proud that traditions like this one still exist in Spain, which, by the way, is a much more diverse country than you might think. I can't wait for Christmas Eve (you decide whether this is a joke or not). 

El caganer 

The pooping log is not the only defecation-based festive tradition in Catalonia. You didn't see that coming, huh? If, by some quirk of fate, you end up in a local's house, take a look at their nativity scene. Don't be shocked, though. It may take a while, but eventually you will spot a small porcelain figure of a peasant in typical Catalan clothes "fertilising" the holy soil.  

With his trousers around his ankles, the caganer, known in English as the "crapper" or the "shitter," is copping a squat in the presence of baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the three Wise Men. Believe me, it is not intended to be sacrilegious, nor is it a provocation. It is put in nativity scenes in order to bring good luck and prosperity for the coming year.  

If you want to buy a caganer and give it as a gift, say, to your significant other, you can do so at any Christmas market in the region. Modern “crappers” are often portrayals of well-known personalities or government officials. Remember, this is all in good faith. I regularly buy this unusual token to my international friends to wish them happiness and fortune. Some laugh, others give me strange looks, which is fair enough. The important thing is to have fun and embrace life, isn't it?  

Merry Christmas everyone! ♡

¡Feliz Navidad a todos/as! ♡

That's it fellas. What do you think of the pooping log? How about the “crapper?” What odd Christmas traditions do you celebrate in your country? Tell us in this discussion topic. 

Bernat, OLS Community Manager – Spanish