CITY LIGHTS
Magical...
Looking out of our apartment...
Luke watches a band playing in the Gothic area.
FIRA SANTA LLUCIA
Dating from 1786, the Fira de Santa Llucia is a Christmas Market held every December outside Barcelona Cathedral. Around 300 market stalls sell seasonal goodies, while nativity scenes, musical parades and exhibitions add to the fun.
CAGANER
Caganer is Catalan for "shitter". A Caganer is one of Barcelona's most popular items selling at the Christmas Markets around town. A Caganer is hidden amoungst a Nativity scene.
Recently there was a protest in the city when a Nativity scene in the center of the city was missing the traditional Caganer, and so city officials responded quickly and made sure a Caganer was in every public Navitity scence throughout the city.
The locals have changed this tradition a little bit since the 1940s. In addition to the historic red hat shepherd caganer design, even more popular now are other characters squatting in the caganer "pooping" position, such as nuns, celebrities, athletes, politicians, Spanish royalty, and others. Just days after his election as US president in 2008, a "pooper" of Obama was instantly in high demand. I thought for sure this year I would find a Micheal Jackson Caganer, but no luck. Who else can you spot?
"Why?" you may ask, "Is the Caganer such a popular figure in Barcelona (Cataluyna)?"
When talking to locals, here is what I discovered......
-The Caganer represents the equality of all people: regardless of status, race, or gender. Basically everyone poops.
-Increased naturalism of an otherwise idealised story, so that it is more believable, taken literally and seriously.
-The idea that God will manifest himself when he is ready, without regard for whether we human beings are ready or not.
-Tradition and fun amoungst children to spot the Caganer in the Nativity scenes.
When talking to locals, here is what I discovered......
-The Caganer represents the equality of all people: regardless of status, race, or gender. Basically everyone poops.
-Increased naturalism of an otherwise idealised story, so that it is more believable, taken literally and seriously.
-The idea that God will manifest himself when he is ready, without regard for whether we human beings are ready or not.
-Tradition and fun amoungst children to spot the Caganer in the Nativity scenes.
I am getting that one....
THREE KINGS
To be fair to my percieved late start on Christmas, in Spain, people don't celebrate Christmas they celebrate Three Kings. until January 5th or 6th. Cavalcades dels Reis Mags orThree Kings' Day is celebrated with a parade where gifts and candies are handed out by the Three Wise Kings.
We are leaving soon to go to California so we won't be here for the Three Kings Celebration. We are excited, yet nervous to go back to California. Our friends tell us here it is harder to adjust back to life back home, than it is to adjust to life in a foreign country. That seems really hard to believe. On that note, we wish you all a peace and happiness in enjoying the traditions that you celebrate this time of year. May the universal spirit of LOVE be with us all now and throughout the coming weeks.
Love,
The Schroders
