shit, log! Say hello to the "poop" log. hazelnuts and mató cheese, It is a log with a painted face that also wears a barretina. NEIL: The log is a symbol of renewed luck and life. El Tió is a Christmas pooping log who brings presents to all of the kids in Catalonia on Christmas Day. The caganer is a regular feature of nativity scenes here in Catalunya, where he is believed to have started to appear around the early 18th century. This is probably the toughest part: the kids hit him with sticks while singing popular Tió songs. Then, on Christmas or Christmas Eve, children hit it with a stick while singing Caga Tió songs (see below), and consequently, it will ‘poop’ presents. Of course! We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Time to meet the famous Christmas pooper: el caganer…, Spanish Christmas meal (and other typical Christmas…, What to do in Barcelona on Christmas: 7 plans. Required fields are marked *. I'll hit you with a stick, After hitting the tió softly with a stick during the song, it is hit harder on the words Caga tió! Getting Tió to poop is a metaphor which reflects a connection to nature: ask her to continue producing in order to keep the group fed and safe. Tio de Nadal / Caga Tió Let’s begin with my absolute favorite Catalan Christmas tradition involving the Caga Tió (the pooping log). Yes, the wooden buddy is supposed to poop those hidden treasures that kids pick up from under a red blanket conveniently covering the figure. He is covered with a blanket so that he doesn’t get cold and feels totally comfy at his new place. si no cagues bé Before introducing their hands they are encouraged to repeatedly hit the log using … Tió de Nadal (Christmas log), a hollow log with stick legs, a smiley face, and a floppy red hat, is a yule branch with a scatological spin. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. The log is hollowed out, with legs and a face added. Over time, it became a symbol of other gifts given to the household at Christmas, such as candy, nougat, and wafers. Besides enjoying this fun tradition, specially for kids, there are also TOP things to do during Christmas in Barcelona, among them visiting the beautiful Christmas market Mercat de Santa Llucía which is located in Plaça de la Catedral. It has a very happy face painted at one end and it wears a red Catalan ' barretina ' hat. Those accessories have been added only in recent times, altering the more traditional and rough natural appearance of a dead piece of wood. If the pooping log wasn’t scatological and funky enough, then hear about “El caganer” literally translated as the “shitter” or “crapper”. This makes the perfect excuse for the relatives to do the trick and put the presents under the blanket while the kids are praying or warming their sticks. ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tió_de_Nadal&oldid=998526346, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 5 January 2021, at 19:51. Most Recent. The fire part of this tradition is no longer as widespread as it once was, since many modern homes do not have a fireplace. What do you need to celebrate this tradition? Caga Tió is an interactive tradition that provides fun for the whole family, for a week or two before Christmas the family “feeds” Caga Tió scraps of food from their dinners and keep him warm by covering him with blankets. On Christmas Day or, in some households, on Christmas Eve, one puts the tió partly into the fireplace and orders it to defecate. What else is different about Catalan Christmas? A song is sung during this celebration. Depending on the region of Catalonia, it may also give out dried figs. The use of this expression as a name is not believed to be part of the ancient tradition. Children ‘feed’ the log for weeks to make it grow. They want it to poop as many presents as possible! © 2021 Americans in Barcelona. While children in other places are content with hanging up a Christmas stocking and hoping for the best, kids in Catalonia go further, by looking after their 'tió' - a log propped up on sticks, with a painted face, wearing a barretina hat, and covered with a blanket. Beyond its scatological nature, el Tió de Nadal, the Christmas pooping log, is one of the most beautiful Christmas traditions, specially for the kids. 2016. Check out the post we wrote about this market: In case you can’t go get the Tió in the woods, you will find lots of pooping logs in this Christmas market, waiting for somebody to bring them home ;-), Your email address will not be published. Caga Tió doesn’t poop out poop, but rather gifts! It makes an appearance in homes every year on the 8 th of December, on the Feast of … (Explicit) Misfits and Mysteries is a podcast that explores everything from the supernatural to the very natural. Menu WELCOME; MY HOME; MY STORY; MY SONG; MY BLOG; IN THE NEWS; CONTACT ME; Scroll down to content. A similar tradition exists in other places, such as the Cachafuòc or Soc de Nadal in Occitania. The Caganer is not the only defecating character in the Catalan Christmas tradition—another is the Tió de Nadal, which also makes extensive use of the image of fecal matter (it is a log, i.e. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The ashes were spread in the fields, stables or even on the beds to attract fertility in its broadest sense. To make it defecate, one beats the tió with sticks, while singing various songs of Tió de Nadal. Your email address will not be published. Caganer is not the only ‘pooper’ Christmas character in Catalonia. A Barcelona tourist guide to explore the city like a local: delicious food, beautiful places, Spanish traditions…, “Poop” has always been present in some Catalan Christmas traditions (we will write soon about el “Caganer” (the pooper)). La Castanyada in Barcelona, the ritual of buying chestnuts in the street, Santa Llúcia, a Christmas market in Barcelona, Driving in Spain: things you need to know, Castell de Montjuic: how to get there and what to see, Flatiron in Barcelona: Casa Antònia Serra i Mas, Montserrat Mountain: land of stories and legends, A golden fish in Barcelona that you won’t find undersea. In the Catalan region of Spain, on December 8th, family will bring out the Tio de Nadal (Christmas Log) aka the Caga Tio (the Pooping Log). It does leave candies, nuts and torrons, and small toys. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Americans in Barcelona is an online publication aimed at exploring the city like a local. In case you want to enjoy this fun adventure with them, keep reading to know how the process goes from picking up this magic log to finally making him take a special poop ;-). Originally, the Tio de Nadal — sometimes referred to as simply Tió or Tronca — was a hollow log brought inside to symbolize the gifts of warmth and light. Beginning with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8), one gives the tió a little bit to "eat" every night and usually covers him with a blanket so that he will not be cold. S4 E36 2 min Interview Talk and Interview Late Night. Christmas markets. El Tió is a Christmas pooping log who brings presents to all of the kids in Catalonia on Christmas Day. What is the Caga Tió tradition and why is … Catalonia, in Spain’s northeastern corner, is a region with a strong cultural pride and ancient traditions. That’s fun, however It gets better. Wikipedia posted: On Christmas Day or, in some households, on Christmas Eve, one puts the tió partly into the fireplace and orders it to defecate. Here, you can learn all about me, find links to things you might find interesting and even order your very own … Tió, or The pooping log is a Catalan tradition, typical in Christmas. The gift is opened and then the song begins again. It burnt from Christmas Day to Three Kings Day and afterwards it was saved at home as a protective amulet. https://www.ottsworld.com/blogs/caga-tio-caganer-christmas-poop-catalonia Caga Tió is literally a ‘Pooping Log.’ ... Catalan peasant clothes (most characteristically the barretina – a red hat with black band), who can be found in Catalan nativity scenes pooping at the back of the stable. Recently, the Tió has come to stand up on two or four stick legs with a broad smiling face painted on its higher end, enhanced by a littler red sock hat (a miniature of the traditional barretina) and often a three-dimensional nose. [4][5] This derives from the many songs of Tió de Nadal that begin with this phrase, which was originally (in the context of the songs) an imperative ("Shit, log!"). Tio de Nadal (Poop Log) The Tio de Nadal (which is Catalan for ‘Christmas log’) is a character that plays a big role during Christmas in Catalunya. And that’s what it does after the children hit it with a stick singing a song that asks it to poop presents for them. Each family chooses a log, known as a Tió de Nadal. A similar tradition exists in other places, such as the Cachafuòc or Soc de Nadal[1] in Occitania. Caga Tio, pronounced “Cacka-tee-oh” is a wooden log with a smiley face painted onto one end. Nowadays, the praying tradition has been left behind. The tió does not drop larger objects, as those are considered to be brought by the Three Wise Men. Not only are the gift delivery methods focused on poo, but you need look no further than the 'caganer' , for another pooping tradition. Photo: iStock. Centuries ago this log was usually burnt to illuminate those cold Winter nights and also to keep strange presences away from the group. The current pooping log tradition hides some ancient rituals aimed at attracting abundance and fostering family bonds, specially during Wintertime. if you don't shit well, The form of the Tió de Nadal found in many Aragonese and Catalan homes during the holiday season is a hollow log about thirty centimetres long. Catalan Caganer. Then somebody puts their hand under the blanket and takes a gift. This is one of the more inexplicable traditions I’ve found, except for the fact that people in Catalan seem to have a pretty strong Christmas/Poop association. The Caganer (the pooper), which has been appearing in manger scenes since the 18 th century, is one of them. After picking up this log from the woods, he is brought home and accommodated in the living room. Then on Christmas eve or day, Caga Tió is moved into the main room and the real fun begins. In Catalonia, Spain, the Caga Tio (a large log) is believed to “shit” gifts on Christmas morning In the beginning, Caga Tio was just a log that, when burned in the fireplace, provided precious heat and light. The figurine of a peasant in the traditional red Catalan hat known as the 'barretina', with his trousers around his ankles and mooning while he relieves himself of yesterday's dinner. Caga Tió is a log, approximately 30 cm in length, with two front legs in the form of sticks, a red blanket to keep it warm, occasionally a wee red hat to be festive and a painted face similar to a South Park character. The name literally means 'the pooper' or 'the crapper' or 'the shitter' - take your pick!This is a strange and unique Catalan Christmas tradition which brings good luck. Also celebrated in some areas of Aragon, Tio de Nadal — or Festival of the Pooping Log — is a beloved Spanish Christmas tradition. In Aragon it is also called Tizón de Nadal or Toza.[2]. There are many different lyrics depending on the territory, here is a fragment of one of them: No caguis arengades, que són molt salades, Si no cagues ara, cop de bastó, cop de bastó!”. The Caga Tio is a small log of wood with a painted face and two front legs. Welcome! The tradition says that before beating the tió all the kids have to leave the room and go to another place of the house to pray, asking for the tió to deliver a lot of presents. You can buy a Tió de Nadal in all sizes at Catalan Christmas markets. On December 8th, which is the day of the Immaculate Conception, children will start to pamper the family’s Tió de Nadal. All About Tio De Nadal, the Catalan Pooping Christmas Log. In the context of Christmas, ‘tio’ refers to a log or tree trunk. ": The Catalan custom is still celebrated in Spain, where you can buy your own el Caga Tió. Welcome to my website. What do you need to celebrate this tradition? There are many different songs; the following are some examples. In Aragon it is also called Tizón de Nadal or Toza. But until they get them, they need to follow a special ritual of taking care of this magic log. 2. Caganer - the Christmas crapper! Another ancestral tradition of the Catalan people consists in bringing children in front of this magic log called Cagatio (pooping log) so it "excretes" Christmas gifts. Old days feeding this magic log have come to an end: it is December 25, time to reunite with the whole family and see how many gifts Tió is going to poop. Exactly how the Yule log turned into the Tio seems to be an amalgamation of Catalan social tropes, the competing popularity of Santa Claus in the 19th century, the need for presents on Christmas day in a culture which usually gets them 12 days later and their love of a good poop. Fire to the earth. The Tió de Nadal” Christmas log is a log or tree stump standing on wooden stick legs. What comes out of the Tió is a communal rather than individual gift, shared by everyone there. You must “feed” him every day beginning on December 8th. Hi – my name is Tio de Nadal, but you can call me by my more common nickname, Caga Tio. It’s a tree trunk that kids have been feeding all month-long. Caga Tio also wears a traditional Catalan red hat and … Also known as Tió or Soca is Catalan for (“Trunk” or “Log”), or Tronca (“Log”) is a Catalan mythological character that is part of a Christmas tradition that takes place mainly in Catalonia and Aragon regions of Spain. This one to the left is "Caga Tió" or the "pooping log. This tradition has centuries of History and it was initially linked to nature, fertility and the Winter solstice. The Tió de Nadal (Catalan pronunciation: [tiˈo ðə nəˈðal]; meaning in English "Christmas Log"), also known simply as Tió ("Trunk" or "Log", a big piece of cut wood) or Tronca ("Log"), is a character in Catalan mythology relating to a Christmas tradition widespread in Catalonia and some regions of Aragon. But until they get them, they need to follow a special ritual of taking care of this magic log. Nativity scenes in Catalunya – known as pesebres – tend to represent pastoral scenes reminiscent of the local countryside, with large country houses and depictions of rural life. Caga Tió starts popping up in markets at the beginning of December: A log with a drawn-on face, with a big smile, and a jaunty red hat. Tió de Nadal – Christmas Log. Tags: late night, Seth Meyers, kate mckinnon, adopted, Catalan Poop Log, Christmas Tradition. Subtitle: the Catalan Pooping Christmas Log. Tune in every Thursday to hear about the world's weirdest and wackiest phenomena; from Bigfoot erotica political scandals to aliens and Cryptids to folklore and history to movies and psychology and everything in between. Barcelona, Spain — File this in your collection of unusual Christmas traditions: the figurine of a pooping peasant appearing in Catalonia’s crèches. It all sounds lovely so far, doesn’t it? tió which, having been "fed" for several weeks, is told to defecate on Christmas Eve and "magically" produces candy for children, a candy that has supposedly come from its bowels). Then on Christmas Eve Santa sends his Catalan assistant to deliver the presents: the Pooping Log. The Tió de Nadal is given a lovely, big beaming smiling face, along with a traditional Catalan barretina red hat. The kids will have to take care of him from early December until December 25, specifically they will be in charge of feeding the Christmas pooping log at night before going to bed. The tió is often popularly called Caga tió ("shitting log", "poo log"). Still, children go to a different room, usually the kitchen, to warm their stick next to a fire. The Tió de Nadal , also known simply as Tió ("Trunk" or "Log", a big piece of cut wood) or Tronca ("Log"), is a character in Catalan mythology relating to a Christmas tradition widespread in Catalonia and some regions of Aragon. caga tió!". caga torró, However in Catalan, it’s a log, which parents put a blanket over the back of, so they can hide presents under, and make it out that the log pooped the presents. How do we get him to poop all those presents? When they wake up in the morning, they will realize how Tió ate all the food they gave him last night ;-). Feeding el Tió de Nadal properly will lead him to achieve his main goal: to poop a lot of gifts for the kids on Christmas Day! Look among the figures in a Christmas 'pessebre' nativity scene in Barcelona Catalonia and you will usually find a odd little character called el Caganer. It’s a log, for the first time is a relation with fire and connected nature, protection, fertility and winter solstice. The story goes that in the days preceding Christmas, children must take good care of the log, keeping it warm and feeding it, so that it will defecate presents on Christmas Day or Eve. On Christmas Eve, after weeks of living a warm well-fed life, the log is ready to blast the brown trumpet for the whole family. El Caganer is a small figurine that is usually placed on Nativities around Catalonia for some added fun. All rights reserved. avellanes i mató, A Catalan pooping log. [Song playing] General Council of the Pyrénées-Orientales, "Fer cagar el tió: una tradició d'origen precristià? 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