The ''Tió de Nadal'' (; 'Christmas Log'), also known simply as ''tió'' ('log'), ''soca'' or ''tronc(a)'' ('trunk'), is a character in Catalan mythology relating to a

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tradition practiced in

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(occasionally),

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(known as ''Nadaler''),

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and

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. In

it is also called, in Aragonese, ''Tizón de Nadal'', ''Toza de Nadal'' or ''Tronca de Nadal''. The ''Tió de Nadal'' is related to the tradition of the Germanic

Christmas tree A Christmas tree is a decorated tree, usually an evergreen pinophyta, conifer, such as a spruce, pine or fir, associated with the celebration of Christmas. It may also consist of an artificial tree of similar appearance. The custom was deve ...

, also a bearer of gifts for the little ones, and with the British Yule log (''tizón do Nadal'' in Galicia and ''Cachafuòc'', ''Cachofio'' or ''Soc de Nadal'' in

Overview

The form of the ''Tió de Nadal'' found in many Catalan homes during the holiday season is a hollow log about long. Recently, the ''Tió'' has come to stand up on two or four stick legs with a broad smiling face painted on its higher end, enhanced by a red sock hat (a miniature of the traditional barretina) and often a three-dimensional nose. Those accessories have been added only in recent times, altering the more traditional and rough natural appearance of a piece of wood. Beginning with the Feast of the

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(December 8), one gives the ''tió'' a little bit to "eat" every night and usually covers him with a blanket so that he will not be cold. The story goes that in the days preceding Christmas, children must take good care of the log, keeping it warm and feeding it, so that it will defecate presents on Christmas Day or Eve. On Christmas Day or, in some households, on

Christmas Eve Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas, the festival commemorating nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus. Christmas Day is observance of Christmas by country, observed around the world, and Christma ...

, one puts the ''tió'' partly into the

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and orders it to defecate. The fire part of this tradition is no longer as widespread as it once was, since many modern homes do not have a fireplace. To make it defecate, one beats the ''tió'' with sticks, while singing various songs of ''Tió de Nadal''. The tradition says that before beating the ''tió'' all of the children must leave the room and go to another part of the house to pray, asking for the ''tió'' to deliver a lot of presents. Nowadays, the praying tradition has been left behind. Still, children go to a different room, usually the kitchen, to warm their stick next to a fire. The ''tió'' does not drop larger objects, as those are considered to be brought by the

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. It does leave candies, nuts, ''torrons'', and small toys. Depending on the region of Catalonia, it may also give out dried figs. What comes out of the ''Tió'' is a communal rather than individual gift, shared by everyone there. The ''tió'' is often popularly called ''Caga tió'' ("shitting log", "poo log"). This derives from the many songs of ''Tió de Nadal'' that begin with this phrase, which was originally (in the context of the songs) an imperative ("Shit, log!"). The use of this expression as a name is not believed to be part of the ancient tradition and its use is discouraged.

''Caga tió'' song

A song is sung during this celebration. After hitting the ''tió'' softly with a stick during the song, it is hit harder on the words ''Caga tió!'' Then somebody puts their hand under the blanket and takes a gift. The gift is opened and then the song begins again. There are many ''Caga tió'' songs connected to the holiday and the log. The following variant is one of the more popular versions of this song:

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Tio De Nadal Catalan folklore Catalan mythology Catalan words and phrases Christmas characters Christmas in Spain Christmas gift-bringers

Overview

''Caga tió'' song

See also

References

External links