One of the more unusual
bearers of Christmas presents, with a unique delivery method, is the
Caga tió (pooping uncle or, pooping tree trunk). It is found in the
Catalonia region and consists of a hollow log.
Beginning at the
Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the family “feeds” the tio and
covers him with a warm blanket each night. Then, at Christmas, the
family gathers together, sings songs, puts the tio partly into the
fire and beats it with sticks, until it excretes presents of candy,
nuts or figs. When the tio is finished pooping, it signals this by
dropping salted herring, a head of garlic, an onion, or by
“urinating”, then the entire log is burned.