All the questions and answers about the Caga Tió de Nadal

The Tió de Nadal, popularly known as Caga Tió, stock or Christmas log, is one of the most typical and popularly known Catalan Christmas traditions all over the world. And is that, where has been seen a Yule log capable of making gifts shit on Christmas night? Well, with the magic of Christmas, it is possible that a Tió de Nadal makes “poop” gifts and sweets on Christmas night for the youngest and the oldest of the house!

But, where did the tradition of the Caga Tió come from? What food should be given to him to make him poop a lot of gifts? What types of Christmas Tiós can we find? Let’s answer some of the most frequently asked questions about the Caga Tió, the most popular Yule log in the world.

What is the Caga Tió?

The Caga Tió is a Christmas log with a face, eyes, legs and a cover that, on Christmas night, “poops” presents and sweets for the little ones and the adults of the house. The Caga Tió, called Tió de Nadal in correct Catalan, is able to shit all these gifts because for a few days before he has been given food to make him well and fed up and, thus, get him to shit many gifts!

This tradition is very celebrated and enjoyed by the little ones of the house, who usually live the night of the Caga Tió with excitement, nerves and lots of illusion. Although it is usual to bring sweets and toys for the little ones of the house, it is also common to shit the wafers and nougat that the whole family will eat on Christmas Eve… And some cava or wine to celebrate!

Which is the history of the Caga Tió?

The Tió de Nadal is a Catalan and Aragonese tradition with hundreds of years and years of history. Deeply rooted in the villages and in the rural world, initially the tradition of making the tió shit was related to nature and the winter solstice, when after the cold, the trunk was burned in the fireplace. However, there are several legends about the origin of the Caga Tió.

Some of the legends about the origin of the Caga Tió date back to 18th century Europe, while others are specific to different areas or villages, which over the years have been explained from generation to generation.

Find out more information about the origin of the Tió de Nadal

The tradition of the Caga Tió in the XXI Century

Although the Caga Tió is a tradition with years of history, today it is still widely celebrated in Catalonia for most families and groups of friends on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

But not only in these spaces, some schools or leisure environments the days before the Christmas vacations also often celebrate this tradition with younger children, while learning the Christmas verse and sing the song of Caga Tió. The trunk usually poops sweets that the children then take home!

Where is the Caga Tió celebrated?

The Caga Tió is celebrated mostly in Catalonia, in most Catalan homes, whether in rural areas or in the big cities.

How does it work to make the Tió de Nadal poop?

The process of pooping the Tió de Nadal is always the same. The little ones of the house usually close in a room all together, reciting Christmas verses, singing songs or, as it was done years ago, reciting the Lord’s Prayer. Once a while has passed – and, in the meantime, the grown-ups leave everything ready for the Tió to have presents to shit it out – the children usually leave the room.

Then, the whole family or group of friends gathers around the Tió de Nadal, whose belly is already full of gifts, although the blanket on the Tió de Nadal covers them. Then, while banging on the trunk with a cane, everyone in the circle sings the song “Cagatió, Tió de Nadal“. Once they have sung it … lifts the blanket and just need to see the illusion and the smile of the little ones. It is full of gifts. Everyone takes his, which usually have the name, and open it!

This process of making the Tió de Nadal poop is usually repeated more than once, until at the end the Caga Tió is left with an empty stomach and no gifts to make him poop. Normally, it ends when he brings the wafers and nougats that will be eaten at the next Christmas meal by the whole family.

What does the Caga Tió eat?

Tradition says that to make the Caga Tió shit, he must be given a lot of food some days before so that his belly is full… And then he will be eager to shit presents!

In general, the Caga Tió likes to eat any kind of food. Although it does not have a very defined diet and usually varies depending on each household, it is common to feed him tangerines, bread, milk, chocolate and even a glass of milk or water to keep him from being thirsty!

What are the most typical songs to make the Cagatió shit?

In Catalonia we have a good list of traditional songs in Catalan, undoubtedly one of the most original is the song of “Cagatió” which is sung on Christmas night, while giving him a blow of the cane on the trunk, wishing him to shit gifts.

Although there is usually more than one version of the song of the “Cagatió” the turn does:

Caga Tió, Tió de Nadal, no caguis arengades que són massa salades, caga torrons que són més bons! (“Caga Tió, Tió de Nadal, do not poop “arangades” that are too salty, poop nougat that are better!!”).

Where to buy a Caga Tió for Christmas?

If you are looking for where to buy a Caga Tió for this Christmas, you are in the ideal online store for selling Tió de Nadal online and Caganers. We have a wide catalog where to buy the Tió de Nadal.

Most of the Caga Tió are made by artisans from Arbúcies, in the Montseny, Catalonia, with a long tradition in the Tió for years. Made with delicacy, we have limited face and shape tions, some tions that are taken care of during the months before Christmas so that they arrive at your home in the best way.

At tiodenadal.online you can buy Christmas Caga Tió online in an easy, fast and safe way.

Types and sizes of Caga Tió

At tiondenadal.online we have organized the Caga Tió with various sizes and measurements depending on their length and height:

1.Mini Caga Tió de Nadal: from 4cm to 7cm

The Mini Caga Tions de Nadal are the smallest from our Caga Tió de Nadal size catalog. They are between 4cm and 7cm long, that is about the same size as a person’s hand! Ideal for gifts and Christmas decorations, you can find them in packs of 10 in our catalog of Mini Caga Tió.

2. Christmas Caga Tio for decoration: from 10cm to 20cm

The Tió de Nadal for Christmas decoration are the small and medium sized Caga Tió. These Catalan pooping logs have lengths of between 10cm and 20cm, sizes that make them perfect for decorating both private homes and stores. They usually have a width of about 12cm and a height of about 18cm.

3.Tió de Nadal to poop on Christmas Eve: from 30cm to 45cm

This Tió de Nadal to poop on Christmas Eve is the ideal Caga Tió that will bring gifts and sweets for the little ones – and the older ones in the house!

These Christmas pooping logs have a length of between 30cm and 40cm approximately, which can be variable depending on the trunk, a width of between 16cm and 18cm and a height of about 30cm. These are the perfect measures of a Tió de Nadal if you want to make it shit with sticks and canes with all the family and friends surrounding it with a circle and singing the song of the Caga Tió on Christmas Eve.

As you can see some sizes are differentiated and available in different ranges. Christmas Caga Tió with a size between 30cm and 35cm, and with a size between 40cm-45cm.

You can see a comparison of all sizes in our Christmas Tió de Nadal size guide.

Want more information about our Caga Tió?

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