Caga Tió, Tió de Nadal

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“Do you have your sticks ready?”

“Yes papa,” we all answered.

“Wait?” called out my Uncle who was visiting from the States. “Why do you need sticks?”

We all giggled. 

“You will see," answered my brother Fernando.

Papa entered the room with a smile on his face.

“What is that?” inquired Uncle Julius. “It looks like a log dressed up to look like a pig.”

We all laughed some more. 

“He is our Christmas tradition,” answered my sister Maria  

“He has been babied and cuddled and given the best we can give him,” said Ramon

Angelica pointed at the log. “We gave him some nice decorations.” 

Rafael said, “We fed him daily for the last month, nuts, fruit and cookies .

“We gave him his own little blanket right here by the fire to keep him warm and comfortable at night,” I explained.

“He has grown daily,” added Fernando. “He was only this big when we started.

 

“Until tonight,” papa added. 

“Yeah,” we all cheered. 

“What happens tonight?”

“We sing:

Caga tió, (Poop log)

tió de Nadal, (Log of Christmas)

no caguis arengades (Don't poop salted herring)

que són massa salads (They are too salty)

caga torrons (Poop turróns)

que són més bons! (They are much better!)

“And then we beat him with our sticks until he poops out presents and candies.”

“You are kidding?” said a shocked Julius.

"Not in the least,” replied Papa. He turned to us. “Are you ready?. 

“This I’ve got to see,” said Uncle Julius.

Uncle Julius had a look of wry amusement on his face until the first candy landed in his lap. “Well this is one unique Spanish custom.”