Barcelona Apartments - Akaza Holiday Apartments in Barcelona

In Spain we generally consider 8th December – the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, to be when Christmas begins. This is the day when the people in Spain start to put up the Christmas decorations. In most of the Spanish homes the nativity is one of the most important features of the decorations. The family enjoys building together the Bethlehem where the Baby Jesus is born.

You can find the biggest Christmas market in Barcelona in the Avenida de la Catedral, in front of the Barcelona’s Cathedral in the Gothic quarter of the old city. 2011 is the 225^th edition of the Santa Lucia market in Barcelona. You can find hundreds of “figuritas de Belén” which are the tiny figures to make the Christmas nativity scene called “pessebres”. You can also find crappers called “Caganers” and other Christmas decorations.

The Caganer is a feature of the nativity scene that you only see in Catalunya. It is a figure of Catalan man wearing traditional Catalan clothes. He is squatting with his trousers around ankles and pooing! This may seem strange, but it is a custom from the 18^th Century. His poo is seen a sign of good luck as it fertilizes the earth and ensures a good harvest for the coming year.

Caga Tio comes out on 8^th December. It is a small log with a smiley face, wearing the traditional red Catalan hat – the Barretina. The name Caga Tio means ‘Poo Log’. Every day between 8^th December and Christmas Eve, children look after the Caga Tio. They cover him with a blanketto make sure he is warm and they feed him Turron every evening. This is to ensure that he is nice and full so that he will poo out lots of treats on Christmas Eve!

A special day during the Christmas market are 13^th December – “Dia de Santa Lúcia” and the “Diada de les Tradicions u els Costums Nadalencs a Catalunya”, and 20^th December , which is the “Tió gegant” giant long day.

On Christmas Eve, after dinner, dessert comes courtesy of Caga Tio. The children are given a stick with which they hit the Caga Tio. They sing a special song:

“Caga Tio avellanes I torró

Si no vols cagar

Et donanem un cop de pal.”

The translation of this is: “Caga Tio hazelnuts and turron, If you don’t want to poo, We will hit you with a stick.”

The children then reach inside the Caga Tio1s blanket and find sweets and small toys. Similar to the sorts of treats that children receive in their stockings from Santa Claus.

The 11th September is the national day of Catalonia. The Catalan National Day - La Diada Nacional de Catalunya commemorates the fall of Barcelona during the War of Spanish Succession in 1714 resulting in Catalonia losing much autonomy. This day was officially proclaimed as Catalonia's national day in 1980 by the restored Generalitat de Catalunya.

There had been an ongoing war after the death of the Spanish king Charles II when the Bourbon and Hapsburg dynasties challenged each other for the Spanish throne. The Catalans had sided with the ultimately losing Hapsburgs and were punished by Philip V on his succession; on defeat the Catalan national identity was attacked in punishment.Catalan laws, language and traditions were abolished; the celebrations on 11 September therefore represent the region’s historic fight for independence and its hopes for regaining its own nationality

The centre of the celebration is the Generalitat, the Catalan government, in Placa Sant Jaume. An important tradition is laying flowers at the monument of Rafael Casanova, leader of the Catalan resistance at the time of their defeat and a symbol of the Catalan´s ongoing fight

Activities take place all over the city, with the dancing of the sardana, castellers displays (human towers),much singing of the Catalan national anthem Els Segadors, and the Catalan flag senyeras being displayed from balconies, buses and even worn by the very enthusiastic.The deceased heroes of the war are venerated all year round by an eternal flame in the square just next to Santa Maria del Mar, known as the Fossar de les Moeres, placed on the site of their grave.  

When autumn arrives to Barcelona, it brings a unique event with it; the fiesta de la Merce. The festival used to be a religious happening, but nowadays it is a popular fiesta with not much to do with religion. However, the name Merce comes from the patron saint of Barcelona.

If you happen to be in Barcelona during one week in the late September, you definitely shouldn’t miss La Merce. One part of the popularity and tradition is that the festival itself was forbidden in Catalunya during the Franco time.

One part of the festival is the “giants” who walk in and around the city. They are several meters tall figures with large heads. If that is not enough for you, be sure not to miss the castellers, which means people who gather together to build big human towers. That’s right, a tower made of people, many meters tall. Also you can spot dragons and people with firecrackers so don’t forget to be aware of the fire! Although, if you are not afraid, you can join the party.

A more “normal” side of this festival is the various musical performances which will take place on many of the town squares. Finally, to conclude the week there will be a fireworks opera, which means shooting some spectacular rockets to the air while the speakers play different songs to accompany the light show.

Where will all this take place? All over the city. What’s the price? Free. When will it happen? The dates for La Mercé 2011 are Thursday 22^nd September until Sunday 25^th September.

For more information, check out the official website: http://www.bcn.cat/merce/en/index.shtml