The Tió in Catalonia

18th century engraving

The Catalan Tió (or shitting log) is a tradition which congregates -on December 25^th- thousands of families around a log or “soca” called Tió, preserving thus a rite which probably had its roots in ancient Indo-European tree worship.

The Christmas or Winter solstice Tió (which is an ancient Catalan word for “big log”) is firstly documented in Catalonia in the 17^th century, though it has always claimed to be much older. This type of celebration is very similar to other tree worshipping rites as the Yule log in the Germanic territory, even though it can be different sometimes. Anyway, the Tio was made of oak wood, a typical sacred tree from the Indo-European tradition linked to fertility.

Nowadays, the ritual goes like this: the Tio is decorated with a face, wears a hat and smokes a pipe. Once placed at home, it is fed with seasonal fruit and covered with a blanket. The fruit disappears -parents hide it- and kids think the Tio is eating it. On the night of December 24^th, parents put small gifts and sweets under Tio's blanket. Next morning, kids hit the Tio with canes, whilst singing a song. They take off the blanket and find the hidden sweets.

The song goes like this:

Caga tió -shit tió-


ametlles i torró -almonds and nougat

no caguis arangades -do not shit mackerels


que són massa salades -they are too salty


caga torrons -shit nougat


que són més bons -which are really nice


Caga tió -shit tió


ametlles i torró -almonds and nougat


si no vols cagar -if you don't want to shit


et donaré un cop de bastó -with my cane you will be hit!

But the primeval rite was not that innocent. In the past, it was known that the log was burnt in a fireplace from the day of the winter solstice until Epiphany day (January 5^th). Its ashes were used for household remedies and as a talisman for protection. All this symbolised the eternal renewal of the seasonal cycle. The food and prayer offerings perpetuated the ancestor worship, and enhanced the preservation of the family nucleus, and its flame evoked the solar light, now almost gone. In fact, this ritual was attacked by the Braga bishop in the 7^th century. In the French Provence there existed a variation of the rite in which the family walked thrice around the house carrying the log, and finally poured wine on it and recited a prayer.

Animal shaped tió

Celebrations around a log are not just exclusively found in Catalonia, as it has been said, they are a reminiscence of the tree worshipping traditions that guaranteed the community health and prosperity. At the same time, they were a way to worship the ancestors and the family name. It has been claimed that the Tio is just a re-formulation of the Germanic Yule Tree, and it is quite possible, as its presence in Catalonia precedes the arrival of this tradition, and it has always been seen as something typical from our lands.

Unfortunately, the Tió cannot compete with the Yule tree from the Germanic (Norse also) tradition, and I assume that, if it is not preserved, it will be lost in a couple of decades. I thinks this is something to remember: though it has now been infantilised and made quite childish, the Tio was our original Yule Tree, our link to Sacred Nature.

Enciclopedia de la fantasia Popular catalana – Joan Soler i Amigó

Imágenes de Wikipedia.