Comments on: Christmas Crapper

By: Holly

Holly — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 18:31:23 +0000

I’ve been looking for a Caganer for ages (I feel it would make a most interesting Christmas gift) but I cannot actually make it to Barcelona to buy one.
I don’t suppose (I loath to ask) if anyone knows if they’re at all available over the internet?

By: Marga

Marga — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 23:37:12 +0000

I am catalan, born and raised and I speak both Spanish and Catalan. Tió with the accent on the ó is the name of the log. Tío, with the accent on the í in Spanish means uncle and in a very coloquial manner means guy.

By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 14:52:38 +0000

It’s actually Caga Tió with an accent of the ‘o’. It is in fact pooping log. Tío with the accent over the ‘i’ means Uncle. In Catalan, Tió means log. It doesn’t help that there is also a Caganer which then easily makes the whole Tío/Tió thing an easy mistake.

This year Caganers have aparently been banned from public nativity scenes. I suspect they will still be there just a little more hidden. Catalans are far more stubborn to compromise their traditions.

It should also be said that Caga is a more crude form of saying Poo. A more acurate translation to english would be shit.

By: Oriol

Oriol — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 15:54:19 +0000

“Tió” means for sure “log”, Spanish “tío” (”uncle” and “dude”) has nothing to do here.

By: Stefan

Stefan — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 15:37:04 +0000

You can indeed get the Christmas crappers in front of the Sagrada Familia.
There are a fair few Christmas stalls that sell them (including the one in the picture). Just be sure to keep an eye on your bag/wallet if you’re there!
They’re far more visual than the pictures reveal.

By: Eugenia

Eugenia — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 10:48:20 +0000

“Hi will,
I have been living in Barcelona for quite a long time and I am sure, “Tío” has two meanings: Uncle and also “Guy”, which is a colloquial way to call a person, like “Guy” in English.
This is not just Catalan, (Catalans say “Tiu”), but also in general Spanish…”Hola tío que tal?” It is a common way to say Hello!
… and Catalan…is still alive…children learn Catalan at school like their first language!
Anyway I am happy that you enjoyed my article.”

By: alberto

alberto — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 10:27:36 +0000

Hi everybody!! For the person who is looking for a “caganer”, you can find them in front of the cathedral in Barcelona. In fact, there is a christmas market called “Mercat de Santa Llúcia” just in front of the cathedral where you can find whatever you want related to Christmas.

Alberto

By: wil

wil — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 17:31:30 +0000

Eugenia, are you certain that “tio” in this case is translated as log, rather than as Uncle in a general sense of the term? My source for all things Catalan is now dead, so I can’t ask him, but I’m pretty curious, as last time I took any Spanish with an instructor favoring Catalan, Tio and Tia were Uncle and Aunt, respectively…

Anyway, great article.

By: phil

phil — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 15:23:33 +0000

where can I get a Caganer? I’ve been wanting one for our nativity set for years, but Froogle doesn’t list any one selling them.