Tió de Nadal facts for kids
The Tió de Nadal is a special Christmas tradition from Catalonia, a region in Spain. It is also known simply as Tió (meaning "Log" or "Trunk"). This tradition is part of Catalan mythology. Similar customs can be found in other places. For example, in Occitania, it is called Cachafuòc or Soc de Nadal. In Aragon, it is known as Tizón de Nadal or Toza.
Contents
What is the Tió de Nadal?
The Tió de Nadal is usually a hollow log, about 30 centimeters (12 inches) long. You can find it in many Catalan homes during the Christmas holidays.
How Does the Tió Look?
In recent times, the Tió has changed its look. It now often stands on two or four stick legs. It has a big, happy face painted on one end. It also wears a small red sock hat, which looks like a tiny version of the traditional barretina. Sometimes, it even has a 3D nose. These fun additions are quite new. Originally, the Tió was just a simple piece of wood.
Caring for Your Tió
Starting on December 8th, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, families begin to care for their Tió. Every night, children give the Tió a little bit of "food." They also cover it with a blanket to keep it warm. The story says that if children take good care of the log, it will "poop" presents. This happens on Christmas Day or Christmas Eve.
The Christmas Day Tradition
On Christmas Day, or sometimes Christmas Eve, the main event happens. The Tió is partly placed into a fireplace, if the home has one. Children then hit the Tió with sticks. As they hit it, they sing special songs to make it "poop" presents. Using a fireplace for this tradition is less common now. Many modern homes do not have a fireplace.
The tradition also says that before hitting the Tió, all the children must leave the room. They go to another part of the house to pray. They ask the Tió to bring many gifts. Today, the praying part is not as common. However, children still go to a different room, often the kitchen. They might warm their sticks by a fire. This gives the adults a perfect chance to put the presents under the Tió's blanket.
What Gifts Does the Tió Bring?
The Tió does not bring very large gifts. Big presents are usually brought by the Three Wise Men. Instead, the Tió leaves smaller items. These include candies, nuts, and torrons (a type of nougat). It also brings small toys. In some parts of Catalonia, it might even give out dried figs. The gifts from the Tió are meant to be shared by everyone present. They are not individual gifts.
The "Caga Tió" Song
The Tió is often called Caga tió, which means "poo log." This name comes from the many songs sung during the celebration. Many of these songs start with the phrase "Caga tió!" This phrase was originally a command, meaning "Poop, log!"
During the celebration, a song is sung. Children softly hit the Tió with a stick while singing. They hit it harder on the words "Caga tió!" Then, someone puts their hand under the blanket and takes out a gift. After the gift is opened, the song starts again. There are many different "Caga tió" songs for this holiday.
See also
