Christmas, the Catalan way
For once again, we are about to finish the year. After all the meetings, parties and feasts that we had these days, we have to say goodbye to this year and welcome a new one.
In Catalonia, for Christmas, we have fed our trunk “Caga tió” for weeks and we’ve hit it with a stick so he could give gifts. We’ve walked for hours around the “Fira de Santa Llúcia” to find the perfect decoration for our house, and then we walked through the streets of Barcelona, being stunned with the ornaments and the astonishing lights that decorate the city. We also enjoyed San Esteve day eating cannelloni made from the meat that was used to make the Christmas stock.
If you are not quite clear about what we’re talking about, don’t worry! These are the Christmas traditions that are celebrated exclusively in Catalonia… and there are still more, and even funnier.
One of the most misunderstood by the inhabitants of the rest of the world is to put a “Caganer” hidden in the manger. It’s an ancient tradition of the Catalan people and also an identity stamp by which they are known throughout the world. The explanation of the figurine is the following: it symbolizes the abundance of food and life, since formerly feces were used as fertilizer for vegetables. Curious but actually hilarious, right?
If you didn’t know about these traditions, you can start putting them into practice for next year. Now it’s time to welcome a new year, and of course… with all the strange traditions it brings! Happy 2023 everyone!
