The weirdest nativity scene EVER

They can't be serious.

We all have holiday traditions that seem odd to outsiders. In Texas we eat black eyed peas on New Year’s Day for good luck. In Louisiana they serve King’s Cake during Mardi Gras and whoever gets the fève (a baby figurine signifying Jesus) in their slice will have luck and prosperity. In France, the Christmas nativity scene includes a man pooping in the woods.

You read that right.

Last year we were visiting the Christmas market here in Montpellier when we saw an elaborate nativity scene. I took a video of it to document one particularly bizarre detail.

Within the scene there is a man squatting with his pants down who appears to be defecating in the woods. We assumed it was the artist’s way of having a bit of fun. A wee joke, if you will.

I didn’t think anything more about it.

And then in October my friends sent me these photos from Barcelona.

An entire shop based around the same pooping figure! WTF??

I of course had to do a deep dive into what the hell this is all about.

The figure is known as a caganer which literally means the "crapper" or the "shitter.” He is common in Catalan nativity scenes. The Occitaine region where we live was once part of Spain and was ceded to France through the signing of the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659. The area is still called Catalogne du Nord (Northern Catalonio).

The exact origin of the petite pooper is unknown but “it is believed to have entered the nativity scene by the late 17th or early 18th century, during the Baroque period.”(PLEASE tell me someone somewhere has based their PhD thesis on this history.)

You can also find caganers in Murcia, Portugal, Naples and so on, where they are known as cagones, cagoes and cacone or pastore che caca (the crapping shepherd).

This insanity is from a Barcelona Christmas market

The pastore che caca is usually hidden within the crèche, and children play a game on Christmas morning of 'find the caganer' within the scene.

But what does it MEAN, you are asking. Not everyone agrees, but here’s the explanation I like best:

Far from being merely whimsical, the caganer carries rich symbolism. Some interpretations suggest it represents equality and the belief that everyone is fundamentally the same, while others see it as a sign of good luck, fertilizing the earth and ensuring a bountiful harvest. Its placement in the nativity scene, away from the central figures, adds a human element to a sacred story, bridging the divine with the mundane. Additionally, the caganer serves as a reminder of the natural and unpretentious side of life, even in the midst of a religious narrative.

I enjoy this idea that even in the midst of miraculous, calamitous, or historical events, we are all just human.

Just when I thought the story couldn’t get stranger, I found that in recent years people have started making caganers who look like famous people. “They serve as poignant expressions of the times, offering critique and commentary on the socio-political climate.” Not exactly the bobble heads people collect in the US.

Celebrity options here include Queen Elizabeth, Putin, and Madonna.

Here is the Donald Trump caganer. I don’t know about you, but this isn’t enough to convince me this guy is“‘just a human like everyone esle.”

Okay, Carolyn. We get it. Enough with the poop guy. Sorry, but I HAVE to tell you one more thing, because it is so wackadoodle.

The Poop Log.

“Every Christmas in Catalunya, families get a smiley little hollow wooden block, with two front sticks acting as legs and is the favourite Christmas tradition in Barcelona of children. The friendly Caga Tió arrives in Catalan homes in the beginning of December, and children are supposed to take care of him every single day. The children feed him sweets every day until Christmas. This includes watering him, leaving small pieces of candy and even cover him with a blanket for the cold nights. They believe that the more they feed Tió Caga, the more presents he will give them on Christmas day. When Christmas Day comes along, the children take Tio de Nadal to the fireplace and begin to hit it with sticks while singing the Caga Tió song that roughly translates to:

Poop log

Poop sweet confections

Hazelnuts and cheese

If you don’t poop well

I’ll hit you with a stick.

Poop log.

After hitting Tio de Nadal as much as they can, the children go to another room to pray for presents. When they return to the fireplace, they will find all sorts of sweets and turrónes, which Tio de Nadal has apparently pooped out.”

Happy Holidays and please tell me one of you has decided to surprise your children with a poop log or a shitting Elvis this Christmas.

Jusqu’à la prochaine fois,

Carolyn & Roberto

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