Christmas Ornaments from Around the World

A star from Bethlehem

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at my house. When my kids were younger, they often had the school assignment of telling the class about a holiday tradition from their heritage. While I forget what their reports covered, I clearly remember one classmate's presentation on Tio Nadal, the pooping log or cagatió, from Catalan, Spain. At first, I thought the kid was completely making it up, but an internet search confirmed his info. The hollow log is decorated with a face, traditional Catalonian hat and a blanket. In the days leading up to Christmas, the kids give Tio Nadal food offerings like fruit and nuts which he mysteriously eats when no one is looking. According to Donquijote.org,

"On Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, according to traditions of each family, the children will approach the cagatió while singing: 

'Poop log, poop turron, if you don't poop well, I'll hit you with a stick' 

There are many variations to the song depending on each family and their traditions. After each song, the kids hit the cagatió with a stick to make it poop. After their parents quickly distract the children, a small present, normally candies, turron (Spanish nougat) or wafers (called neules en Catalonia), appears underneath the blanket. Nowadays, more and more often, different presents are being incorporated into the cagatió pooping log tradition. 

The process is repeated until the log “poops” a head of garlic, an onion, an egg, or any other symbolic item that represents the end of the fun until next year."

It's so fascinating how different places celebrate the same holiday. For the record, Krampus can stay far, far away from me. My family doesn't have an Elf on a Shelf, but I kind of want Tio Nadal.

A Very Asian Christmas

I'm back in Texas for a visit home right now, and boy, does it feel good. I've traded shorts and tees for pants and jackets. I found it a little difficult to get into the holiday spirit in Penang where, located so near to the equator, the daylight hours are still long, and the weather is hot. We drove around my childhood Houston neighborhood today looking at Christmas lights, something that we didn't really see in Penang. Strings of lights are sold there, but they're put up to celebrate Hari Raya (End of Ramadan) and Diwali (Hindu Festival of Lights).

Christmas is a public holiday in Malaysia, but it ranks far below Chinese New Year and all the Muslim and Indian holidays. It's actually been kind of nice to not have the commercial aspects of Christmas in my face all the time, allowing me to dial back the craziness. No TV shows or magazines enticed me to dazzle everyone with cooking feasts or transform my home into a Winter Wonderland.  Normally, I spend at least 2 days decorating the house, but in Penang, it took me all of an hour to set up the small tree and put out the few Christmas items we shipped over.

My kids were at somewhat of a loss when trying to figure out what to put on their lists for Santa since we've had zero toy catalogs in the mail or commercials on TV.  (Don't worry. They dug deep and were able to come up with items for their wish list.) LEGOs cost more than double what they do in the USA, by the way. Not surprisingly, American Girl dolls are completely absent.

The Christmas spirit isn't totally lacking in Penang. At the expat grocery store, there were a few displays of Christmas decor and foods. It actually reminded me of World Market in America with their selection of German stollens, Italian panettones, and British mince pies. The malls do deck the halls, but Santa doesn't hang out there waiting to greet children dressed in their holiday finery.

Kuala Lumpur's Suria Mall

An American friend hosted an ornament-making afternoon for the young'uns followed by a dinner of spaghetti and meatballs. I managed to put together a cookie decorating party. What I could typically accomplish with one trip to Michael's took me an entire school day of driving to nine stores looking for sprinkles plus pipe cleaners, stick-on googly eyes and red crystals or pompoms to make Rudolf the Reindeer candy canes. Imagine pantomiming "googly eyes" to a saleslady who isn't fluent in English. She shook her head and sent me away, probably thinking that I was crazy.

Hubby's company had a potluck and gift exchange, complete with caroling. My son's middle school teacher even hosted a field trip to her house so the kids could decorate cupcakes and share gifts in a homey environment. My daughter's class made ornaments encouraging everyone to "Remember the reason for the season." So true!

Flying to Texas, we stopped in Hong Kong and Los Angeles where we witnessed some airport merriment. Hong Kong had a giant Christmas tree plus a Gingerbread man to greet you. At LAX, we saw Santa Claus walking through the terminal followed by the Grinch disguised as Santa.

Two hottie helpers at the Hong Kong airport

Anyways, I got my wish — to be home for Christmas.

Merry Christmas Y'all!

Selamat Hari Krismas!