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).