Mackenzie and Quinn sit on concrete stairs in front of the marina at sunset

A New Weird Christmas in Barceloneta

Two days before Christmas our elf Flutter left a note telling us to go see a Christmas market and find out what a “Caganer” was.  So we went to a christmas market in the Placita de la Seu by the Cathedral of Barcelona that looked like a castle and we saw a sign that said “Caganer”.  We looked around and we saw a stand with a guy selling little statues of people pooping. Daddy looked up on his phone why there were little tiny statues pooping and we found out that the pooping guys were the Caganer.  Another name for Caganer is “the little crapper”.  small Caga Tío logs with raisin and penuts for food and Caganger squattingHe lives in France or Catalonia.  He is a little statue with a red hat and his bottom showing!  People put them in nativity scenes with baby Jesus.  They put him in nativity scenes because his poop fertizes the world so that there will be food for next year.  Some people think that when you put a Caganer in a nativity scene it brings you good luck and good wishes and if you don’t you will get in trouble.  Some people think that it is bad to put a Caganer in a nativity scene because they think it is holy and sacred and they think that the Caganer makes it look funny and not very good.  In my opinion, I think that the Caganer is weird because he poops outside like a dog in the plants and not in a toilet.

When daddy went to go find a water filter I saw some logs with little hats.  Mommy asked the man selling the logs what they were.  He told us that they were Caga Tíos.   Caga Tíos are little logs with red hats and a smily face.  You are supposed give it a blanket and some food so they can grow.  On Christmas Eve you have to whack the log and sing a song: poop log poop out a present, poop log poop log.  The next morning all the kids will see the presents that the poop log pooped out.  I think  that the poop log or the Caga Tíos are good because I like taking care of the Caga Tío. People who live in Spain like the Caga Tío because they like taking care of the them too.Mackenzie stands in living room getting read to open a gift

On Christmas morning I woke  up and I ran into Mommy and Daddy’s room to tell them it is Christmas and “you need to get up”.  Then I ran into the living room and then Quinn woke up too.  When we were awake we had to first give everyone their presents then we got to open them.  In my sock a got a lego person, some candy and a bracelet.  Our Caga Tíos gave us each some chocolate eggs and some farm animals.  I unwrapped a  doll, a note book, a pen that has four colors, a lego set and some earrings from my grandparents.  Our family gave us some money and we will use it to go to Paris, France.  for the rest of the day we got to play with our toys.  It was a fun Christmas and I will never forget it.Mackenzie and Quinn stand with gifts of art supplies in front of the paper christmas tree we made

I liked it a lot and If I ever have a more fun christmas I will tell you!

6 thoughts on “A New Weird Christmas in Barceloneta

  1. Mackenzie I love your story. I am so glad you had a wonderful Christmas. I like hearing all about your travels and all the wonderful things you are seeing and all the new things you are learning about. I love you and miss you lots. Hope you’re still having a great time in Spain. Love Grandma

  2. Mac, I really like your writings and you really do tell a good story. It is funny how everyone celebrates Christmas (and other things) differently. I guess that is why you guys are on this trip, so that you can see how other people do things and to realize that we here in America have our own traditions also. I’m not real sure about how I feel about pooping and Christmas. I hope that we all work toward being more classy and refined as we evolve into better human beings. You know that your Grandma really doesn’t like talking about poop and anything that goes with it :).
    Love and miss you all
    Grandpa

  3. Hi Mackenzie… ok, based on your story… here’s a multiple-choice question for you: _________

    It seems that Christmas in Barcelona includes…
    A) wonderful presents
    B) a market in the Placita de la Seu
    C) lots of pooping
    D) all of the above

    And fact or opinion:

    Aunt Annette wouldn’t like that Caganer in the Nativity scene! _______________________

  4. Dear Mackenzie
    Thanks for sharing your story! Spain looks amazing and your Christmas sounded wonderful. I collect Nativity Scenes — I have about 20 of them. I think I will need to figure out how to get a Caganer for at least one of them.
    Love you!
    Aunt Sherry

  5. We loved reading this Mackenzie. I used to work with your dad. My 2 boys and two of their friends laughed about the Caganar and the Caga Tios. Thank you for sharing your adventures with us and teaching us about other cultures traditions.
    Pam

  6. What a good story teller you are, Mackenzie!! I am laughing out loud about the Caganer or little crapper in a Nativity Scene! I love learning from you about the customs in other countries. I can’t wait to read your next story report!
    We love you all!
    K-Lynn and Bob

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