So, I would guess that, if viewed from afar, our American holiday traditions might seem weird. Seeing as how I am from here, however, our traditions seem perfectly normal. Except maybe for answering the phone on Christmas Day by saying “Christmas Gift.” That’s strange. Everything else is normal and appropriate.
Especially when compared to the Christmas traditions of Catalan. Now, I’ve never been to Spain, but I kind of like the music. I like the food too, from what I know of it. I think I’d really like Barcelona, being as it is near both the sea and the mountains. And it is up in those mountains that the tradition of the crapping log originated.
It seems that the people of Catalan, being perhaps more in touch with nature, will bring a log into their homes each year, approximately at the beginning of Advent. The log will be fed people food and cared for over a number of days. On Christmas Eve, the log will be covered with a blanket and children will take sticks which they have warmed over a fire and hit the log while singing the “Caga Tio” song. When they are done, the blanket is removed to reveal the presents which the log has crapped out for the good little boys and girls. Fo realz, yo. “Caga Tio” means “crapping log.”
We happen to have a neighbor who is native to Catalonia. Last year when he and his family invited us over to a pooping log party, I thought we were going camping. Boy was I embarassed to have brought my frame pack. Tallulah loved it, as any 6 year old would enjoy a party which involves adult-sanctioned scatalogical humor. Now that she is 7, Tallulah still enjoys a good poo joke and has even branched out into poots. And since we were snowed in all weekend, it was great fun to whip up some bean dip and walk down to the neighbors to take a whack at the Christmas Crapper. I wish everyday could be Christmas.
I Googled the YouTube for some action footage of the Caga Tio: