This fairly new "tradition"
comes from Catalonia...............................Glory me ...what next?
This tradition is a much-loved element of the Christmas
celebration in Catalonia, despite its somewhat obscure beginnings.
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A caganer -- or "pooper" -- is a small figurine of a
person squatting down with lowered pants (or raised skirt) to answer nature's
call. They have been around since the 17th century and can often be found
hiding in an obscure corner of a Nativity scene.
Some say that the figurines originally became popular among
farmers who believed -- quite practically -- that the caganer's
"offerings" would make the soil rich and productive for the coming
year.
In somewhat vaguer terms, the Web site for the Association
of Friends of the Caganer -- an organization founded in 1990 to
celebrate the caganer tradition and which boasts 60 members spread across the
world -- states that the figures were meant to add "a human side to the
representation of the mystery of Christmas."
The Wikipedia entry mentions how the caganer might represent
"the equality of all people" because "everyone defecates"
or it may be meant to reinforce that "the infant Jesus is God in human
form." (Hence the Pope figurine I guess...)
Young children in Catalonia still play a Where's-Waldo-like game
that involves searching for the caganer in the Nativity scene arrangement.
According to the Friends Web site, the caganer is "placed under a bridge,
behind a haystack or otherwise discretely hidden" as it "would show a
lack of respect" to have him near the arrangement's manger scene.
The original el caganer is a wooden or clay figure of a peasant
wearing the traditional floppy red Catalan cap with a black band (barretina)
and smoking a cigarette or a pipe. But the figure's popularity has led to a
massive expansion in the range of defecating figurines.
Relaxative Holiday Mirth
The other scatological element of the traditional Catalan
Christmas is the Tió de Nadal, which roughly translates as "Christmas
log." Also known as the Caga Tió, or "pooping log," this
character is a 30-centimeter (one-foot) log hallowed out on one end. In recent
times, the other end of the log has been given a smiling face, topped with a
miniature version of the barretina and propped up on two stick legs.
Starting on Dec. 8, which marks the Feast of the Immaculate
Conception holiday in the Catholic tradition, the log is "fed" small
amounts of candies, nuts, figs or torrons -- a local type of nougat -- every
night and sleeps under a little blanket. On Christmas Eve or Christmas day,
depending on the household, one end of the log is put in the fireplace and
ordered to "poop."
To hasten and encourage the log's symbolic bowel movement,
children sing special songs and beat it with sticks, yelling "caga
tió!" Someone then reaches around the log and under the blanket to bring
forth a gift that is then shared by the group.
Of course, if the revelers are still hungry, then can always go to
their local pastry shops, which have sweets shaped like feces on offer during
the holiday season.
And you thought Uncle Bert was embarrassing at Christmas - imagine
what he would say and do with this tradition in the offing??????
Until tomorrow
Angela
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