Tió de Nadal

Okay, we are now about 3 hours away from leaving for the airport, so this is going to be quick. Just one last Catalan tradition that I thought everyone should know about and think about this Christmas season--Tronc de Nadal, Tió de Nadal, or Caga Tió.

The object in question is a log taken from the hearth and given a face. It is unfortunately a little late this year, but traditional Catalans begin "feeding" the log on December 8 (The Day of the Immaculate Conception), so that by Christmas the food is nice and digested.

Instead of Santa Claus visiting good little Catalan boys and girls, the family gathers around the Tió and chants a little song as they hit it with a stick (here's an example in flash). The idea is to make it give you presents (here is a video). This something is usually a small gift or turron. (Try this game). "Real gifts" like Nintendo Wii don't come until Kings, a week after new Years Day, in remembrance of the three wise men.)

Bon Nadal!

Christmas Bells are Ringing!

We've been slowly putting up Christmas decorations around the house. I admit, I've fallen short of what I intended to do. But, I've been distracted, and considering how much the boys love to pull and climb in general, I'm glad I've gotten anything up. And even more, that it's staying there. Well, mostly.

Grammie got the boys some advent calendars that they have fallen in absolute love with. I was originally going to tack them onto the walls, but the boys are quick studies when it comes to candy related calendars, and they started opening up the doors to get at the chocolate. So, we are keeping them on top of the fridge.

I like the smear of chocolate on Ben's face in this picture.

We also got Christmas stickers for the fridge that the boys had a blast putting up. Sam is politely asking for more stickers here. (Note: I was in the process of making 7 dozen gingerbread cookies, so please excuse the hair. :)

They put (almost) all of them up by themselves. It may not have been as aesthetically pleasing as I may have liked, but they certainly enjoyed themselves. I may or may not have readjusted a few overlapping stickers after the event.

Two fat, fridge reindeer.

And here is our wee Christmas tree! The boys helped me decorate it and have redecorated it almost everyday since its been up. They pull it down, pull off the ornaments, replace them (often of the same branch) and put it all back up. It's an extremely Charlie Brown Christmas tree.

We got the little man ornament in the red hat from Zach's sister, Stephy, who is serving a mission in Denmark. She says its extremely Danish. Thanks, Steph! And thanks to Grandma and Grammie for the rest of our tree trimmings!

And finally, after having been inspired by a viewing of Elf, we put up a paper chain, a shiny, beady garland, and these little reindeer that I made. Loads and loads of fun. The boys will point them out when I ask them about them. It's ultra cute.

We've only got a few more days to enjoy it. So, here's an early, Merry Christmas! And lets just forget that there is still one of those tiny ever-last Halloween pumpkins in the backyard.

Bon Nadal!

In Catalunya (Catalonia for you Anglophiles) there is are some special Christmas traditions everyone should be aware of. One is the Caganer. The Caganer is a traditional figure that appears in the Nativities (or pessebres) of Catalans everywhere. The word means something like the pooper. As you may have surmised it is a little more naturalistic than Americans are used to, but the tradition dates back to the beginning of the 18th century. Which must give it some gravitas (for a man who poops in public).

There are various different symbolic interpretations of the Caganer. One is that he represents the fertility of the earth. Another is that he reminds people that Jesus was born in the real world. I personally think that it was done as a joke once and a bunch of smartalecks legitimized it. Either way, it is a very popular and proud tradition. In 2005, the Barcelona city council decided that the life sized nativity that is displayed in the Plaça de Sant Jaume would not include the Caganer. The protests that resulted won back the beloved Caganer for the Naticity of 2006.

In my internet searches, I found a cut out Caganer so that you could have one in your home without a special visit to Spain. Bon Nadal!

In my next post: El Cagatio (Stay Tuned).

Free at Last! Free at Last!

Big News! I am finally, finally, finally done with school! I took my very last final today! I realized that I have been in some form or other of school for the last eighteen years of my life! Amazing. And almost two of those years where with twin babies. I am kinda amazed at myself for actually doing this. But it is done and I am so very, very happy.

Thanks to all the family, friends, and roommates who made my college career such an amazing experience.

pears a plenty

I could not resist buying this striped pear in the store the other day. It was a combination of shopping while being absolutely starving (a classic blunder, to be sure), a fabulous, wafting pear smell coming from the display, and that adorable little green stripe. So sweet. So festive!

When we got home with it, I took a bite, and sadly, it was a little under ripe. Luckily, Ben didn't mind the lack of ripeness at all and was up to his ears in pear in no time.

Ben dives right in.

Enjoying the sweet tastes of life!

Finally, he had to sit right down in the kitchen and focus all his energy and eating that pear.

The not so picturesque leftovers of "Hollow Leg" Ben.

Nativity

We were able to go to the 20th Annual Christmas Creche Exhibit yesterday. Doesn't that sound impressive? It was very nice, probably the largest nativity exhibit I've ever seen, though Mom's are probably the best. True. There were nativities from all over the world, including several from Catalon, one of which Zach said could be worth several thousand dollars. Good gracious!

Unfortunately, they were not allowing photographs. And even more unfortunately, they had people all around keeping their eyes on us, so I was not able to sneak any. A sad day indeed. Because I wanted to get pictures of the boys with some nativities. I guess, they figured there would be people there like me.

Overall, it was fun. The boys really enjoyed the harp music and looking at all the different animals and people. And making me baaaa like a sheep for them. And they behaved pretty well. Except for when Ben got away from us in the children's room and knocked over part of the cardboard Bethlehem, which started a domino effect and eventually destroyed a third of the village.

Good times.