Contents of article "A Catalan Christmas"
Bon Nadal i Feliç any Nou
Bon Nadal i Feliç any Nou
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in Catalan
Some Catalan Christmas traditions
El Pessebre
El Pessebre is a representation of the Nativity Story. As in several countries, the Catalans have a Christmas tradition of creating a Crib Scene with the Shepherds, Wise Men, Mary, Joseph and the infant Jesus, a tableau that they will often set up in home or gardens. A comical addition to this traditional scene is “El caganer", the statue of a Catalonian peasant with trousers half down, sitting in a ‘toilet’ position and making his small contribution to the land, in order to fertilize and ensure a bumper crop the following year!!
La caga tió
La caga tió (literally ‘shit log’!!), is a hollow log of about 0.3m length, painted with a smiley face. From December 8th, he is given something to "eat" every night and covered with a little blanket so that he will not be cold at night. On Christmas Day, he is beaten with sticks to make him drop the sweets, gifts and ‘torrons’ (type of nougat) placed inside him.
Sants Innocents (Day of the Innocents) - 28th December
Of pagan origin, this was the beginning of many days of festivity, culminating in a Carnival. "Por San Antón Carnestolendas son" and also known as the ‘Festival of the Crazy’ Today, the festival is more for young children - practical jokes and silly stories, much like April Fool’s Day in Britain. These pranks are usually innocent and funny, like sticking stickers on people’s clothes without them knowing, and the newspapers sometimes take advantage of this day to invent news, so watch out for what you read!
31st December - The ’Home dels Nassos’
The ’home dels nassos’ (man of noses) is a curious character in Catalan tradition, who appears on the 31st December, day of Saint Sylvester, and has as many noses on his face as days remaining in the year! One of his relatives is the home de les orelles, the man of ears, who appears on the 30th.
5th January - The Day of the Three Kings
This is a big celebration for children telling of the arrival of the kings who lavish children with toys and sweets. The children go to bed and leave shoes and a snack near the window or on the balcony. On the morning of the 6th, the children find the gifts, which the kings have left for them, sometimes accompanied by a piece of coal, if they have not been well behaved!
