Winter Games - Catalonian Style

And what are we going to do with this 'pooping log'?

Miranda downloaded her pictures for me at Christmas when I asked what she had seen on a Christmas Family Walk she and Richard had taken in December.

While looking at those pictures, I came across a Catalan Christmas Tradition that we celebrated.

Hide it under a blanket?  How quaint?

I saw this done at the lake one summer – all of the cousins gathered around to hear how the Pooping Log works at Christmas time.

Cagatió. Cagatió. To hear the chant once is enough to know how and when to join in.

This is our fourth round of gifts and the log is still delivering!

When I celebrated Christmas 2012 in Catalonia, I saw this event played out in the hacienda of a lovely wine vineyard. There was a traditional buffet of foods I was not familiar with. Many families had gathered together to share the tradition that belongs to the pooping log.

Joaquim hiding more presents.

Duncan with the stick, ready to pound the log again.

Joaquim planned the 2013 event for us – buying the gifts and setting up the time and space.

The weather was colder.

The group was smaller.

But the fun was enjoyable – gifts, gifts and more gifts delivered by the log when the kids would run out of the room.

Here's to more family traditions.

Arta