Tió de Nadal: perhaps the world's strangest Christmas custom

Christmas is far stranger than it seems, even in America. Add in foreign traditions like Krampus or Zwarte Piet, and it gets even weirder. Probably the most bizarre Christmas custom I've heard of, though, is that of the Tió de Nadal (the "Christmas log"), also known as the "Caga tió," meaning - I'm not making this up - the "pooping log."

The Tió de Nadal, according to Wikipedia, is a popular character in Catalan mythology in Catalonia, Spain. Basically, it's a small, hollow log, typically adorned with legs, a face, and a festive hat. Sounds cute, maybe, but it gets weirder. Wikipedia goes on:

Beginning with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8), one gives the tió a little bit to "eat" every night and usually covers him with a little blanket so that he will not be cold at night.

On Christmas day or, depending on the particular household, on Christmas Eve, one puts the tió partly into the fireplace and orders it to "poop" (the fire part of this tradition is no longer as widespread as it once was, since many modern homes do not have a fireplace). To make him "poop", one beats him with sticks, while singing various songs of Tió de Nadal.

The tió does not drop larger objects, as those are brought by the Three Wise Men. It does leave candies, nuts and torrons. Depending on the part of Catalonia, it may also give out dried figs. When nothing is left to "poop", it drops a salt herring, a head of garlic, an onion or "urinates". What comes out of the tió is a communal rather than individual gift, shared by everyone present.

Catalans even sing carols to the Tió de Nadal. Here's one such song (translation included):

caga tió, caga torró, avellanes i mató, si no cagues bé et daré un cop de bastó. caga tió!"

poop log, poop turrón, hazelnuts and cottage cheese, if you don't poop well, I'll hit you with a stick, poop log!

giving log, give us treats, give us sweets! if you don't want to give, I'll hit you with a stick, give it up!

If you'd like to participate in this strange, ancient tradition with your own family, there is a helpful how-to guide here.