The "shitlog"

Her two bits of ocean stared at me in disbelief while she affirmed it was the most surreal thing she had ever heard. I replied it was true; it was even mentioned in a BBC show recently (see video clip here). Yes, we Catalans do hit a log for it to shit presents on Christmas eve. And yes we do place in our chrèche, in a discrete spot, a figure defecating, the "caganer". Let me explain.

Every Catalan home is decorated with a “tió” –which thanks to public schooling has survived as a tradition and coexists with a Christmas tree or crèche or sometimes both-. The “tió” –not “cagatió” and hence not “shitlog” as wrongly translated in the video clip- is a log, usually one irregular and full of holes, nerves and cavities, anthropomorphized with a smiling face and wearing a “barretina”, the typical Catalan shepherd cap. This tradition comes from rural Catalonia, from the time when Santa Claus had not been imported yet and poor communications, isolation and enclaves made the arrival of the three wise men unlikely. The log would be covered with a blanket and children would hit it with sticks and sing for it to defecate sweets and presents previously hidden in the log’s holes and cavities by the parents. Of course the fantasy would have been built up by simulating the log had been fed for a week, with the enthusiastic participation of the children.

I had done that when I was a kid, and when I told my mother about my friend’s incredulity she recalled one of the few vivid memories she has from early childhood: right after Christmas, when her father –the grandfather that I never met, for he passed away long before I was born-, would chop wood for the fireplace, she would lurk and observe attentively, ready to jump for any sweets left.

It is also true that we place in every crèche a character, usually a shepherd, kneeling down and defecating. We place it in a discrete corner, although my brother and me used to get reprimanded by my mother for intentionally misplacing it beside the son of the Father in an act of petty domestic blasphemy. She never spoke of blasphemy though, just of bad taste and lack of respect. She also added that the son of the Father did not deserve that smell.

The tradition has evolved lately, and from having just a shepherd now all sorts of public figures are depicted in this condition or position –from local politicians to Obama, from the best paid player of FC Barcelona to the last top model, which should mean no offence, as in this case it is rather a recognition of a certain notoriety-. In fact the introduction of celebrities reinforces the expression of the main underlying message: bodily functions are natural and universal, and while they should be performed in discretion, they should not be a reason for shame.

I will leave the interpretation of all these pieces of escathologic culture -particularly the second bit- to the folklorists and anthropologists. I just had to write this to convince her I was not pulling her leg and to try providing some explanation. Now if you will excuse me...