They keep it warm and “feed” it until Christmas Eve. On the 8th of December, kids from all over Catalonia either scavenge for or buy a pine tree log which they keep at home. Catalan Christmas tradition no2: The pooping log or Caga Tio I’ll tell you all my secret places to go and best times to visit the more well known areas. Sadly the page is only in Catalan or Spanish.īonus Barcelona 4 Day Itinerary: Check out my day-by-day itinerary for 4 Days in Barcelona. The Federacio Catalan de Pessebristes is a foundation in charge of preserving and furthering this tradition where you can find the schedule of all the Pessebres in Catalonia. Some years the Pessebre is more traditional, on others like in 2016, it is a far fetched and very futuristic representation that include verses of a an original poem that represents the Birth of Jesus, from a Catalan writer. This is not something you will be able to see in Barcelona but more in the smaller towns.īarcelona does however have a tradition of putting up a different version of the Pessebre every year in front of the Town Hall, as well as in front of the Catalan Government building in the center of the Gothic Quarter. The representation is done over several days and you can act out as many scenes as you like. The actors from the village would dress up as each character in the birth of Jesus and act scenes from the Bible that led up to the birth – all in a real life setting.Īs we lived in the countryside, the Pessebre Vivent (Live Nativity) was even held at our house one year. As a kid, this was also something that was a lot of fun. The first live Pessebre was recorded in the 13th century and was done by Saint Francis of Assisi. As I lived in the countryside, we would go to the forest to get all the elements and then build a 2m x 1m Pessebre that had it all – from flowing rivers with a windmill to the most intricate villages.Įvery day we would advance the Three Kings of the Orient, the rest of the figurines did not move, until they reached Jesus on Epiphany day, the 6th of January.īut Pessebres are more than just static figurines on a background, they also come to life, just like in the theatre. To make it, you can use natural components found in nature like moss, wood, tree branches, etc. But traditionally, you build it from scratch, only the figurines are bought and usually made of clay. Nowadays, you can just purchase pre-made small nativities with all the elements, so you don’t need to do the work. Some even show the Star of Bethlehem or the Archangel Gabriel announcing the birth of Jesus. They can also be ridiculously overcomplicated, displaying several entire scenes from the Bible, from the Birth of Jesus to the Three Kings of the Orient bringing gifts. Nativities scenes can be as simple as just depicting the Birth of Jesus. The name “Pessebre” is the Catalan word for manger, where Jesus Christ was placed after birth. Kind of like building a Lego village, but easier. So let me give you the low down on the strangest Catalan Christmas traditions you have ever heard.Ĭheck out my detailed guide on Where to stay in Barcelona with details on each neighbourhood and best hotel recommendations – Psst I am a local to the city! Then read my article on a 4 day itinerary to Barcelona, my guide to one day in Barcelona, this travel guide to Sitges near Barcelona, my complete guide to Sagrada Familia, the best wineries near Barcelona, and my ultimate and complete travel guide to Barcelona.Īs a kid, building your own Pessebre or Nativity was a super cool and fun activity to do. Unlike in the rest of Spain, where Easter celebrations are important and unique, in Catalonia we go big for Christmas. We are very prosaic and practical in Catalonia. If you eat the bean, you pay for the cake! And we eat a cake on Epiphany day with a fava bean hiding inside. Well, we don’t exchange gifts on Christmas day. Watch them riding around from one of these rooftop terraces in Barcelona. They disembark from a ship and ride camels into Barcelona and other towns. Have you ever hit a log with a stick until it pooped gifts? What about building the most intricate nativity scenes that include flowing rivers? And no, there are no Three Wise Men here, only the Three Kings of the Orient. It’s filled with both religious and pagan traditions that are unique to our culture. “What do you mean you buy and place pooping figurines dressed with the traditional Catalan hat on Nativities?” Every time I explain our Catalan Christmas traditions I get “the look”.
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