Christmas Catalan Traditions

Hello everybody! And welcome to Blogmas day 9! Today post is a collaboration with LuiMaria Blog. An amazing blogger with a totally worth it blog! Go and check it out! So as she is from New Zealand and I’m from Catalonia we thought we will have different Christmas traditions to share with you. She has made the same post in her blog with New Zealand traditions!

Link to LuiMariaBlog: https://luimariablog.wordpress.com/

If you are new here, I want to give you a huge welcome. And let me introduce you Blogmas by Marioness, my blog has converted in a huge advent calendar and every single day until the countdown for Christmas one window will be reveled. So subscribe to my blog for don’t miss anything!

But before I start this post I want to say that blogging is a wonderful way to meet other people. By that I mean that LuiMaria and I are literary on the other side of the planet but thanks to our blogs we have been able to do something together.

Let’s start the post! But first, let me advice that we are a bit escathelogical as you would see. So one of the first thing is “Tió”, it’s basically a log that poops gifts on the 25th or the 24th of December.

It all starts at the beginning of Christmas when must of the families take out their own “Tió” and set it on their living room. During all the Countdown to Christmas, children have to feed them with food and wait until Christmas. When Christmas Eve or Christmas is here, it depends on the house, all the family meet together and make the “Tió” poo. We normally sing a few carols in the kitchen, away from the “Tió” and then we go to the living room. There with groups we make it poo by hitting them with a stick and meanwhile we sing a song. Then we raise the blanket that was covering him and see which presents has given to us.

And keeping with the them I want to introduce you “El Caganer”, the translation will be The Popper. It’s a little figure that can’t be missed in a  Catalan Nativity. This character is crouched and pooping in the Nativity. But don’t worry he is normally hidden and another tradition is to find it in the Nativity of the houses you visit. “El Caganer” is traditionally dressed with the typical Catalan clothing although now you can find different versions of it that go from politicians to actors.

Here I have find some funny videos that can help you to understand more this two traditions above:

And here it is an article about it: http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/12/05/world/what-in-the-world/caught-with-your-pants-down-must-be-christmas-in-catalonia.html?_r=0&referer=http://newsdiffs.org/article-history/www.nytimes.com/2016/12/05/world/what-in-the-world/caught-with-your-pants-down-must-be-christmas-in-catalonia.html

Now it’s time for the food. In my country on the 25th of December we have a special lunch with all the family normally after making the “Tió” poo. First we have a soup with a special kind of pasta “Galets” that most of the times are in a big size. Then we eat the remains which is made the broth, that’s called “Carn d’olla”. Which is basically, some meat and vegetables. After, we eat the roast capon, a chicken. And finally, for dessert we take some “Torrons” that are nougats, a sweet mass. We accompany that with some “Neules” that are a kind of wafers.

And this is all our Christmas Day Lunch food, as you can see we end a little bit filled. Then most of the people go to see a Catalan play which explains the story about Jesus birth, it’s cold the “Pastorets” or in English shepherds.

Let’s talk about New Year’s Eve. We celebrate this special night by eating twelve grapes, one for each bell that end the year and give way to the New Year. Before we have enjoy a big meal with our family or friends and wait until the midnight. The New Year’s Eve is usually transmitted for the main TV channel and some adults toast with champagne.

But when the New Year is here, our presents haven’t finished yet, we still have “Els Reis Mags d’Orient”. The translation will be the Magic Kings of the East. Which are the kings that bring to baby Jesus gold, incense and myrrh and still today bring presents to us. On the 5th of January, each town welcomes the kings with a parade that goes trough the town. Previously the children have given to the kings or their pages.

On the night of the 5th of January we set up the house for them and let some food for the kings and water for the camels. The next morning we wake up and go directly to our living room to see if they have left something, then we open the gifts. It’s also typical to eat a pastry that it’s cold “Tortell de Reis”.

Here you have some questions that LuiMariaBlog has asked to me: (I have also asked her some questions that she has answered on her blog)

1. Which is your favourite tradition?

I don’t really know… Maybe from the ones above I will choose the Caganer and the Tió. Because I find them very funny and original.

2. And which one you don’t like?

I like all of them! I really like Christmas so I don’t dislike any of them.

3. Do you eat something special on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?

Yes, as I said before. We have some soup, “escudella” and “Torrons” and many other things.

4. Do you prepare the Nativity in Catalonia?

Yes! And the figure that can’t miss is… El Caganer.

5. Have you ever heard of some New Zealand traditions?

Badly not. I will make sure to read your blog to discover more.

And that’s all for this very Catalan post! I hope you liked it and that you have as much fun as I had while writing this post. Also, tell me which tradition you like the most or find more interesting!

But don’t forget to follow me for more Christmas posts!

That’s all for today! See you tomorrow!

Marioness

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