Caga Caga Caga! The Pooping Christmas Log!

There are a lot of differences between Spain and the US. And I am all for celebrating the differences like for instance the bidet in my bathroom....I had to google how to even spell it! And in the process ran across an article on "How to clean your toilet and wash your cat simultaneously". I'll get back to you on that another day...

So in my conversation class we started talking about traditions. Our professor explained that in Catalunya (the 'state' that Barcelona is in) they dont celebrate Christmas with a Christmas tree. They have a hollow pooping log. The parents fill the hollow log with presents and then cover it in a blanket. Then the children gather round and yell CAGA CAGA CAGA CAGA (which literally means shit! shit! shit!) and the dad is in the other room going "that smells baaaaad!" To insinuate that its about to poop something really big...yes. this happens. And then the log poops out the presents. My conversation Prof explained this all to us. Then she went on to say that in Catalunya everyone is kind of obsessed with poop. All their curse words revolve around it. ALSO at Christmas in all the nativity scenes someone is always popping a squat in the background. And you have to find the squatter....like where's Waldo! Except the squatter is always someone famous, like the Pope. Last year Obama was insanely popular! Can you imagine Obama squatting behind Mary? ...I can too! I mean I couldn't even make that up!