It’s almost Christmas. What do you think of when you imagine Christmas? I usually think about snow, although when I lived in Aotearoa Christmas was in summertime! Maybe you think about Santa Claus, or gifts, or Christmas trees: many people do. But do you know about Christmas logs?
Imagine: it’s December 8th in Catalunia, which is now part of Spain, and little Alex and Cris are very excited: tonight is the first night they are going to take care of their family’s Christmas log! The log’s name is Tió de Nadal, and it sits in the family’s living room. Tió de Nadal has skinny legs made of sticks, a big smile on its face, and a red barretina (which is a flat hat, if you can believe that). Alex and Cris start by covering the log with a small blanket to keep it warm. Then they each get a piece of candy, dried fruit, or nuts, which they put inside the hollow end of the log. Every evening for sixteen days, the children get to put more treats inside the log. Sometimes, after the children have gone to sleep, their adults will secretly add small toys. Alex and Cris also make sure the Tió de Nadal is not too cold, checking its blanket and its hat, and—if the family has a fireplace—moving it a little closer each night (but not too close: it’s a log!). As the days go by, the log gets fuller and fuller: Alex and Cris can hardly wait!
On Christmas Eve, the Tió de Nadal is as close to the fireplace as possible, and stuffed full of treats. Everyone is eager for the gifts to come out, but the adults tell the children: “Oh, no! Perhaps the Tió de Nadal might not want to give up its treats. It is up to you to make it happen.” Can you guess what Alex and Cris must do?
First, they go into the kitchen, where there are small twigs waiting for them. They get to choose their favourites, and return to the living room. There they wave the twigs in front of the log. Then they sing this song, in which they give it a new name: Caga Tió.
In Catalan, Caga Tió means Poo Log.
Wait: what? Poo log? Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww!
I’m sure you’re not really worried though: a log can’t make real poo. But thanks to the magic song, the hollow end of the Caga Tió is now a bumhole, and the treats inside are poo. Can you imagine what the song is about? Well, here is what Cris and Alex sing together:
Poop, tió,
hazelnuts and nougats!
Do not poop herrings,
for they are too salty!
Poop nougats,
for they taste better.
Poop, tió,
almonds and nougats,
and if you don’t want to poop
I will hit you with a stick!
Poop, tió!
After the children gently tap the log with their sticks, the adults reach under Caga Tió’s blanket, into its bumhole, and pull out the treats. They are scattered about the room, and Cris and Alex scramble to pick up as many as they can. Of course, they share their treasures with everyone: you can’t keep Christmas poos all to yourself, can you?