Catalan Christmas and... poo

Apart from decorating the Christmas tree and buying presents, the Catalans top off their Christmas celebrations with a set of unique traditions, weirdly enough all relating to poo. The first faecal reference can be found in the nativity scenes. In addition to your standard Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the shepherds, Catalan households also hide a Caganer in it: a quirky figurine of a pooing man. Don’t over-analyse this tradition and its possible biblical explanations, though; its only purpose is for visitors to try to spot him as quickly as possible. Next to the nativity scene stands a smiling log named Tió. On the 17 evenings preceding Christmas, children put some food in front of this happy piece of wood for him to eat at night. Finally, on Christmas Day, Tió is all full and – you guessed it – poos it all out in the form of presents. Think your Christmas traditions are odd? Then you’ve clearly never spent a festive holiday in Barcelona.