Christmas in Barcelona: Shopping and Tradition!
SandrineHi!
Do you like Christmas decorations and Christmas shopping in general? This information is for you then!
Tomorrow morning is the opening of the famous “Mercado de Santa Lucía” (Santa Lucia Market) and will run until 23rd December. If you have not visited it yet, do it. It is really worth it! Not only for its very romantic Christmas atmosphere but also to go Christmas shopping and to learn more about the Christmas tradition in Catalunya.
This market, situated at the Plaza de la Catedral, offers a complete assortment of Christmas ornaments, decoration, christmas trees of different type of sizes (some real and fake ones), craftwork (clothes, jewels, lights etc.) and a wide range of figurines, some of them traditional and others mostly surprising!!!: One of them is called the “Caga Tío” and the other one the “Caganer”. You have never heard of them??? Then maybe you should read this before starting your Christmas Catalan Experience!!!
The “Caga Tío” (also called “Tío de nadal”… literally “Christmas guy”) is a mythical character in Christmas tradition in Catalunya and could be related to our Christmas Tree: The “Caga tío” is a small hollow log, standing on two stick legs with a big smile on his face, a nose and a “barretina”. Everybody who has children should have one in their house. Then, on the 8th of December, children start feeding this unusual pet, giving the “tio” something to eat every night and covering it with a blanket so that it does not catch cold. (Sweet, isn’t it!). On Christmas day (or on Christmas Eve depending on the family) one puts the tío close to the fireplace (if there is one!) and orders it to poop presents. (After so much food…) And how do you make a log poop? Beating him with a stick singing the song of the Tio de Nadal of course!
If you are interested in practising at home, here are the lyrics:
caga tió, (Pooping guy), caga torró, (Poop turrón)
avellanes i mató, (Hazelnuts and cheese)
si no cagues bé (if you don’t poop well)
et daré un cop de bastó (I’ll hit you with a stick)
caga tió!” (Pooping guy!)
Now our second character:
The “Caganer“: He is an absolute essential figure in the nativity scene in catalunya: It represents a typical catalan peasant (usually wearing a “barretina”, the traditional catalan hat) who appears in the nativity scene having a sophisticated poop. The funny thing is that it became so popular that local artesans compeate each year to create a new caganer design: A “caganer” Jose Luis Zapatero, a “caganer” bishop, etc, etc. My favourite is still the traditional one, the one on the photograph.
So, if you are looking for a present from your friends back home: Bring them of those 2 characters. They will be surely surprised!!!
For the lucky students studying in our school, a visit to the market is scheduled on Wednesday 19th December.
More news about our Christmas activities will come shortly!
Sandrine
November 30th, 2007 at 9:18 am
What a interesting tradition! I will definetely go to the market and buy a Cagatío and Caganer. I cannot wait to show them to my friends in Italy!
November 30th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
Just a question: At home Christmas markets usually always have many many stands with different food stuff. Is that not the case in Spain? Some of the things you can actually only get at this kind of markets, at least to my knowledge.
Are there Spanish Christma sweets?
November 30th, 2007 at 4:17 pm
Wow! How interesting, never heard of this… So children don´t believe in Santa Claus in Catalunya?
I have seen the caga tío in my friends houses here in Barcelona but I had no idea it had something to do with Christmas.
Well I´m definetly gonna buy me a caga tío and do the song to impress my Catlan friends!
November 30th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
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December 7th, 2007 at 3:42 pm
Hi everyone!
I’ve been living in Barcelona for a few years and I still find the “cagatío/caganet” an awkward tradition
However, you can find some traditional sweets in the Christmas markets here in Barcelona. I believe the turrón is the most common sweet and there’s a lot of different kinds.
Ana
December 12th, 2007 at 8:20 am
Dear Silvia,
Thank you very much for your comments. I am quite sure your friends will be amused!!! (Or at least surprised…)
Hasta pronto!
Sandrine
December 12th, 2007 at 8:26 am
Dear Michelle,
I think the whole thing is changing: Now children believe in any kind of figures that can bring them gifts: The “Caga Tío” (the young ones), the “Reyes”, “Santa Claus”… Children know!
The very good thing about it is that Father Chritmas did not replace their tradition… Good luck with the song!
Sandrine
December 12th, 2007 at 8:40 am
Dear Katharine and Ana,
As Daniel said a few days ago, it is very traditional to eat “Turrón” (delicious!!!) and “Polvores” during Christmas. A few days ago I followed Daniel’s advise and I went to Brunnels (close to Picasso) and they really have yummy stuff there! Then on my way toward the Ciudadella Park I saw another delicious shop… (Just before C/Rec). They also have a great selection of Christmas sweets there!
Remember: Good food is good to keep warm!
Sandrine
December 27th, 2008 at 9:27 am
Thanks for publishing; not many outside of Southern Europe know of these interesting Catalán traditions. But, please, can you issue the following, important corrections?
Tió de Nadal (note the stress on the letter “o” rather than the “i”) means “Christmas Log” in Catalán. The Catalán word “tió” should not be confused with the Spanish word “tío” which means “uncle” (not “guy”).
“Caga Tió” (again, note the stress on the letter “o” rather than the “i”) is a command meaning, “Poop, Log!” It does not mean “pooping guy”.
It would be better to translate the word “caga” as “poop” rather than “shit”, as the Catalán word is more juvenile than gross. It is similar to the English word “caca”.
There are different versions of the song “Caga Tió”, of course. They are all fun!
Also, the Caganer (which literally means “Pooper”) is indeed a part of the annual Nativity scene in Catalonia, but the Catalán Nativity scene depicts the entire town of Bethlehem and not just the manger. The Caganer is respectfully placed in a discreet corner of this large scene and nowhere near the manger.
Thanks again for your post. Merry Christmas!
December 27th, 2008 at 9:33 am
P.S.: Sorry about my advice to translate “caga” as “poop” rather than “shit”. You have already done so correctly; I confused this with someone else’s blog in which the word was mistranslated.
December 29th, 2008 at 11:42 am
Hi Ana,
Thank you for your corrections. It is strange, because the accent/stress is on the right place in some moments but not in others…
I believe that with all these corrections everybody will have an idea of our traditions.
Happy New Year to everyone!