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THE “TIÓ”

In the old days, the “tió” was nothing but a huge tree trunk used to burn in the fireplace, it was the time when the fire was still made right on the floor. It’s burning gave precious goods, such as heat and light, and in a symbolic way it gave presents away to all people in the house, such as: sweets, special rolled Christmas wafers and Christmas nougats.

From this primitive form the “tió” evolved. About two generations ago the “tió” was a tree trunk chosen by children, which magically became a being that lived for a few days in the kitchen, gave presents for Christmas and later was burnt.

Pretty soon this characteristic of being a fantastic beast was reinforced by the addition of small legs to the trunk, taking advantage of the shape of the wood a face was drawn and a tongue was stuck in it. This is the “tió” as we know it nowadays in the cities: a character resembling a beast, arriving a few days before Christmas, living in the kitchen or the dining room and which must be fed. The traditional food were carob beans, dry bread and water;

nowadays it is fed all kinds of food.

In the cities, we can find families keeping traditions alive in which the same “tió” has been used for all children and it even has been passed on from one generation to the next one. The purpose is still the same: to offer presents to people in the house. Along the years, the presents have changed too: in the beginning it gave honey and dry fruits; later, sweets, rolled wafers, nougats, that is, what was needed for Christmas celebration; nowadays it gives toys away. Still the “tió” has never been a gift producing machine.

The “tió” is usually made to shit (sorry, this is the translation of the word we use, in the context it means to eject) the presents on Christmas night, traditionally, after the midnight Mass. There is a particular ceremony to make the “tió” shit: some special songs are to be sung, then the kids have to strongly beat the trunk with sticks and afterwards they have to look around everywhere in the house to find the presents.

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