I am not a huge fan of Christmas. More specifically I can't stand what Christmas has become; a high pressure, credit busting, sale hunting, eBay gouging, employee killing consumer circus. Recently I was turned on to two Christmas traditions from the Catalan region of Spain that I can totally get behind. These are centuries old, therefore taken seriously and legit. The first is the hiding of the Caganer in nativity scene. Who is the Caganer? He is The Pooper. Yup, The Pooper. This cute little porcelain fellow has dropped trou and is defecating (defecation included) somewhere around the newborn son of God. Like a "Where's Waldo Taking a Dump?" kids try and find the little crapper as part of the holiday joy.
The second Catalan Christmas tradition of note also, oddly enough, has a poop theme. The Caga Tio, or S
hit Log, is the equivalent of a yule log in big, big trouble. For starters the log has a face painted on it, human or animal. It is kept around ornamentally until the special day comes and it will be set ablaze. However, before reaching the flame that will be it's end the children beat the log mercilessly. Then when the innocent hunk of wood is deemed to have been thoroughly throttled it is tossed into the fire. As it burns the children chant songs requesting the log poop out presents for them. I can't make this stuff up.
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"Eat well, poop strong and don't be afraid of death." - El Caganer, The Great Defecator
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