Dear friends, I've thought to open the most Christmas-ist topic of all... I am aware that we have some different habits Christmas related, both in Spain and Catalonia. And I've thought... I want to share them, and what it's more important, I want you to share yours!!!!
I won't talk about family dinners and Santa Claus gifts, as one way or another, I suppose everyone knows that and applies for themselves. Let's talk about things that are really different (as far as I know).
-First of all, a Spanish tradition, although I'm sure that it is shared in other countries, perhaps not the same way, but similar. I'm talking about the "pesebre" ("crib" in English, according to the translator). Every family (specially if the family has children) has one of them. It's the illustration of Jesus birth with all the animals, shepherds, angels, etc. But I'm sure that Catalan have a more weird tradition. It's called the "caganer" ("the one who shits"), and it represents a sheperd with pants down and... well... yes... shitting. It's usually put in a little hidden part of the "pesebre", but not enough as you cannot see it. Nowadays the figure uses to be somebody important: a politician, a movie character... from all over the world. So, if you have a politician famous enough, be sure there's some "caganer" of him/her! (little note: I don't know for sure the origin of that tradition, but I've read it comes from the fertility concept, or as a way to desacrate the most sacre image...).
-Another tradition some of you will laugh at... with reason! It's called "Caga-tió". Yes, you can get some of the meaning if you have already read the previous tradition. The translation would be "the shitting tió", where the "Tió" is a log with eyes and mouth, feed the previous days with things like tanguerine peel, who shits gifts for children the Christmas day or the day before. To get the gifts, children get a stick and hit the poor tió while singing a song. After that, they uncover the tió (who had a blanquet or similiar to hide the gifts below) and happily recollect their gifts (Christmas sweets, little toys and similar).
-This one is a Spanish tradition, and has nothing to do with shit... While you're used to Santa Claus (called "Papá Noel" here), who give gifts to children the Christmas day, we have another tradition. The problem is that Santa Claus, as globalization does, is here now as important than the particular tradition, but it's another story... The night of 6th December we have "los tres Reyes Magos" ("Three Wise Men"), the three wizards or wise men that is supposed that followed the Christmas star that lead them to the birth of Jesus. Well, they were three, one with white hair and beard, another with blond hair and beard, and the black one. The three of them travel all over the world to make a lot of gifts to good children who had behaved well that year. But to bad children, they give only coal. Well... good children get coal too, but one made of sugar... As the day of the "Reyes Magos" happens when shcool vacations end, and children like to play with the new toys, most families had changed to Santa Claus or, more usually, have both traditions and children get twice gifts (or two nights with half the presents).
Ok, these are some of the weird or not weird traditions I wanted to share with you. What are yours?
