Let's all play Spot the Shitter.

And so, with Christmas Day looming, a last look at the caganers and Christmas fails to have come across my desk this year ...

As the traditional saying goes, Menja Bé, Caga Fort, I No Tinguis Por A La Mort! (Eat well, shit a good deal and don't be afraid of death!)

Merry Christmas, everybody!

I can get you a pic of Lady Gaga as a caganer ...

... I can get you Amy Winehouse ...

Mick Jagger ...

John Lennon ...

Michael Jackson ...

... and Elvis:-

However, I draw a blank at Britney Spears. Can't find a Britney caganer anywhere. I wonder why? It's almost as if there was somebody going around telling people to leave her alone ...

Even Santa is getting in on the act:-

I guess you'd better have been good this year ...

I love these little figurines. Today's caganer is ... Lady Caca.

Every year, I am asked this question whenever I launch Caganerwatch: What, pray tell, is a caganer anyway?

A Caganer (Catalan pronunciation: [kəɣəˈne], Western Catalan: [kaɣaˈne]) is a figurine depicted in the act of defecation appearing in nativity scenes in Catalonia and neighbouring areas with Catalan culture such as Andorra, Valencia, Northern Catalonia (in southern France) and the Balearic Islands. It is most popular and widespread in these areas, but can also be found in other areas of Spain (Murcia), Portugal and southern Italy (Naples).

The name "El Caganer” literally means “the crapper” or "the shitter". Traditionally, the figurine is depicted as a peasant, wearing the traditional Catalan red cap (the "barretina") and with his trousers down, showing a bare backside, and defecating.

These are traditional caganers:-

Caganerwatch will be proud to bring you caganers throughout the runup to December 25, along with - hopefully - a crop of Xmas fails and ingenious stunts.

Here's an example of the kind of caganer you are to expect. Ladies and gentlemen, I present Michael Cackson.

More information about the Catalan figure of the caganer (pronounced "ka - ya - ner") here.

To summarise ...

The caganer is a little figurine which features in Catalan nativity scenery. It's often concealed in the diorama, tucked away in the little corner in its traditional peasant's garb with its little red cap - a stocking tied with a black band - and its breeches round its ankles, crapping away in the same room as Baby Jesus.

Why?

WHO CARES? <80D

Oh? You still want a reason? Ah well, then. Here ...

The reasons for placing a man who is in the act of excreting solid waste from his posterior in a scene which is widely considered holy are as follows:
Just tradition.
Scatological humor.
Mythical Defecation by Dwarfs
Finding the Caganer is a fun game, especially for children.
The Caganer, by creating feces, is fertilizing the Earth. However, this is probably an a posteriori (no pun intended) explanation, and nobody would say they put the Caganer on the Nativity scene for this reason.
The Caganer represents the equality of all people e.g. regardless of status, race, gender everyone defecates.

Or maybe the artist's just telling everybody that this is all shite.

Also from Wiki:-

Caganers are easiest to find before Christmas in holiday markets, like the one in front of the Cathedral of Santa Eulalia, which has tables and tables of caganers.

Oh, to be in Catalonia in the runup to Christmas, just to see that ...

Also a firm tradition in Europe: the Tió de Nadal, or ... Christmas log.

Here's a song they sing:

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

Shit, log, shit torrons, hazelnuts and cheese, if you don't shit well, I'll hit you with a stick. Shit, log!

Some homes have "Christmas logs" which are essentially chocolate Swiss rolls decorated with icing sugar to resemble snow frosting. I'll bet you all regret having eaten yours, now.

And that is the last of it now, until next year. :)