Catalonia

Put this Spanish autonomous enclave on your Christmas destination bucket list to experience the tradition of Caga tió or the “poo log”. It starts with getting craftsy and creating a character out of a log. Then you give it a face and a hat, and the family “feeds” the poo log nuts, treats and sweets for a fortnight. On Christmas Eve, you round up the family to beat “poo log” with sticks to help it, erm, excrete its gifts. And if it needs a little persuasion, there’s even a song that accompanies the tradition; it (kind of) translates as, “If you don’t poop well, I’ll hit you with a stick”. How … Christmassy?!