Podcast - The Caga Tió

Since the 1600s, families in Catalonia, Spain have gathered around a small wooden log with a painted smiley face and a red hat every Christmas Eve. They’ve spent the past two weeks “feeding” it scraps of food to fatten it up. Now comes the big moment: the children grab sticks and beat the log while singing songs demanding it poop out presents. When they lift the blanket covering the log, candy and small gifts have magically appeared underneath.This is Caga Tió, the “pooping log,” a tradition that evolved from ancient pagan winter solstice rituals into a beloved holiday custom that’s now over 400 years old. The ritual continues until the log “poops” out something gross like a head of garlic or a herring, signaling it’s empty. And yes, this is the same culture that has hidden a figurine of a pooping man in every nativity scene since the 1700s, because Catalonia committed fully to bathroom-themed holiday cheer centuries ago.Thanks for listening to Wait! That Actually Happened? from Author Daniel P. Douglas. This podcast is public, so feel free to share it!Subscribe to never miss history’s weirdest moments.Until then, remember: truth is stranger than fiction, and history is weirder than you think.Be sure to check out my Substack (Intelligence Bulletin from Author Daniel P. Douglas) for other podcast series, written articles, and links to my books.Thanks for listening. Have a memorable day! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit authordanielpdouglas.substack.com