In Catalonia, there is a small figure with his pants down in the Christmas nativity scene. The "Caganer" has become an indispensable Christmas decoration in households around Barcelona.
In terms of appearance, the Catalans like to keep things simple: most Caganer figures wear the traditional costume of a Catalan farmer: a red cap with a black rim, a white, rolled-up shirt, and black trousers with a red belt. He has pulled his trousers down and sits with his bare bottom next to Mary and Joseph. He has also unabashedly done his business in front of the Holy Family.
In the past, the Caganer had to be searched for before it could become part of the Christmas nativity scene . Originally, the figure was hidden. The little guy could be found in bushes, woodpiles, or even haystacks. Similar to an Easter egg hunt, the children set out to search for the "little shitter,"as the Caganer is translated, immediately after the nativity scene was set up. In the Catalan language, this is an affectionate term for a small child who still wears diapers.
An unusual lucky charm
The figure has been used at Christmas for an estimated 200 years. The rule is: the bigger the pile he leaves behind, the more luck the following year will bring. This is simply because a large pile (= fertilizer) means a bigger harvest. Luck favors not only the nativity scene builder, but also the first person to discover the figure in the nativity scene.
In addition to the classic figure, there are now countless variations available in Catalonia. You can bring Freddy Mercury into your living room with his pants down, Steve Jobs, or the current bestseller: Donald Trump. There are no limits to the creativity of the figurine makers. Homer Simpson, Spiderman, and Darth Vader also have their pants down. For some time now, women (Lady Gaga, Angela Merkel, etc.) have also found their way into the country's nativity scenes, and even the Pope has been immortalized in an unambiguous pose.
The Church is very tolerant of this tradition. However, that changed when a company released a Caganer figure of the Virgin of Montserrat. The patron saint of Catalonia is sacrosanct. At a bishops' conference, the creation was called a "grotesque and disrespectful element." It was said to have hurt the feelings of the faithful. As a result, this figure disappeared from the shops again.
The "little shit" can be found elsewhere too.
The little man with his pants down is not only found in Spain. This unusual figure also exists in parts of Italy. In Naples, however, the little man is called "Cacone." France also has a distant relative: Père la Colique.
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https://www.br.de/kinder/caganer-katalanische-krippenfigur-weihnachten-kinder-lexikon-100.html
https://www.travelbook.de/ziele/laender/katalonien-verstoert-mit-ungewoehnlichem-krippenspiel
Interview with saleswoman in Barcelona on February 26, 2025
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