Stinkin’ Cute Christmas Traditions in Barcelona

Christmas is celebrated differently all around the world, and in Barcelona, there are some slightly strange, yet stinkin’ cute traditions that make this holiday season unique. 💩🎄The first tradition revolves around the festive nativity scene.In Barcelona, this display of the birth of Jesus is taken very seriously. There are heaps of shops selling all sorts of nativity trinkets, from pint-size people and animals, to wine bottles and wreaths.But the spotlight of this nativity may be a bit more unfamiliar here, considering the essential Catalonian component is not just of Christ, but of “El Caganer.” Yes, your eyes are not mistaken! This figurine, known as, “The Great Defector” is literally dropping trou and dropping a deuce right next to baby Jesus. Hah! 😱 💩Now don’t get too offended! Apparently, this represents good luck, as he is essentially fertilizing the ground with his deposit, and ensuring a healthy crop season for the coming year. 💩 =🍅🥦🌽In Barcelona, you can find caganers of all sorts, and even some celebrities.

Anyway, aside from El Caganer, another literally stinkin’ cute tradition in Barcelona is the Tió de Nadal.This smiling yule log takes residence in each Catalonian home from December 8th until Christmas Eve. Each night, children cover him with a warm blanket and feed him turrón, a Catalonian nougat made with nuts and honey, popular during the Christmas season.

Why do the children take such good care of this log? For presents, of course! 🎁🎁

On Christmas Eve, in keeping with the poo theme, the children beat the log with sticks, in order to get him to poop out their presents. They’ve even nicknamed him, ‘Caga Tió’, which means ‘sh*t log’. Overall, it’s a slightly gross and violent concept, and I couldn’t make this up if I tried! Hah! 😂😂
Now, aside from those wacky traditions, much of the holiday season here has been a whimsical wonderland! 😍⛄🎄There are Christmas markets abound, and on many street corners you’ll find roasters selling chestnuts, to keep your belly toasty and warm.

And although it isn’t snowing, it’s still chilly here at night, which makes roasted chestnuts the perfect snack for walking along the city’s striking shore.As well, roasted chestnuts remind me of my favorite Christmas song by Nat King Cole. I’ll end this post by sharing this festive melody with all of you. 🎵 ❄️

Anyway, that’s all for now. Stay tuned for the next post, where I’ll be sharing my upcoming holiday plans. Until then! 😀