DOSSIER

THE CATALAN CELEBRATION OF THE CYCLE

CATALANCHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS STILL MAINTAIN THE TRADITIONAL FAMILY SPIRIT WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN PART OF THE FESTIVITIES LINKED TO THE WINTER SOLSTICE AND THE COMMEMORATION OF THE BIRTH OF CHRIST.

JOAN LLOPlS DOCTOR OF THEOLOGY

he Christmas cycle of celebra- Christmas celebrations are the follow- scenes; various traditions belonging to tions in the Paisos ing: the construction of the Nativity the last week of the year (the day of the have particular characteristics scene andlor the planting of the Christ- innocents, the man with the noses); New which in some aspects make them very mas tree; in some places, the children's Year's Eve parties; and the celebration different from the Christmas celebra- tradition of "making the log shit"; of the coming of the Magi, with proces- tions in other parts of the lberian Penin- , celebrated in al1 the sions on horseback, gifts of toys for the sula. One of the idiosyncracies of churches at midnight on ; children and the exchange of presents Christmas in is the fact that St Christmas carols, sung during the mid- between adults. Stephen (Boxing Dayl is also a holiday night mass or at home or else in public The pessebre, or , has -as is traditional in the majority of Euro- concerts; Christmas lunch, followed up always been very popular in Catalonia, pean countries- and that the family ce- by another meal the next day, Saint where it was originally introduced from lebrations attach greater importance to Stephen; Christmas boxes or gifts of . Pessebres are built in the chur- Christmas Day lunch than to the evening money to the children and to people ches as well as in private homes and meal the day before. whose trade brings them into contact even in the streets and public squares. Limiting ourselves strictly to Catalonia, with the family; performances of Christ- The so-called popular pessebres place the elements that go to make up the mas plays (Pastorets) and living Nativity the figures -both the central ones DOSSIER 1

(Mary, the baby Jesus, Joseph, the ox After the mass, there is often a late tom of staging the birth of Jesus using and the mule, the shepherds, the three supper, but the most important meal of suitably dressed actors and actresses Wise Men, the Angel) and the extras the Christmas festivities is the grand, and using a rustic setting or a famous (the washerwoman, the old woman solemn Christmas lunch, which gathers building was started in the town of En- spinning, the hunter, the fisherman;the al1 the members of the family round the gordan~,in , in 1956, by Este- priest, the caganer, or man crapping, table, even those who normally live ve Albert. Since then, the custom has etc.1- in a landscape which is tradition- away from home, as the popular saying caught on in many other places, ally made with pieces of cork, moss so eloquently underlines: "Per Nadal, amongst which the most important are and silver paper. The artistic versions, cada ovella al seu corral" (At Christmas, Corbera de Llobregat, la Pobla de on the other hand -built using the dio- every sheep back in the fold). The meal Montornés and Bascara. rama technique-, use other materials is abundant and the traditional foods The Christmas cycle includes other cele- and show a number of scenes from Je- are escudella i carn d'olla (a mixed brations and customs, some of which sus Christ's childhood. Markets are held meat stew of which first the broth is are undoubtedly dying out as a result of in which al1 the necessary materials for served and then the meatl, stuffed chick- the circumstances of life today, espe- the construction of the Nativity scene en or turkey, wafers and torrons (simi- cially in the big cities. But two events can be found, as well as Christmas trees lar to nougatl, while the traditional that play as large a part as ever in and decorations. One of the most fa- drink is sparkling wine or champagne. family and popular traditions are the mous and most picturesque of these After the meal, the conversation round New Year's Eve celebrations (with cer- markets is the fira de Santa Llúcia, which the table tends to go on until well into tain foreign customs fully incorporatedl is held around the cathedral in Barce- the evening, and there are always and the festival of the Wise Men of the lona. Christmas carols or poems recited by East, which brings the whole Christmas The tradition of "making the the youngest members of the family, cyle to a close. The origin of this cele- shit" on Christmas Eve isn't common to who are rewarded with the traditional bration can be found in the Bible story al1 of Catalonia, but is still very much estrenes, or gifts of money. The next of the : just as alive in many places and has recently day, Saint Stephen, the family gets to- these mysterious characters came from undergone a considerable revival. The gether again -often exchanging mem- the east with gifts to worship the infant yule log, or fió, is a piece of tree trunk bers with other families- for another Jesus, each year these same characters or a thick branch, beneath which are important meal made up of the leftovers (traditionally always thought of as hidden presents that will be distributed from the day before. kingsl visit the houses on the night of the amongst the children and. adults who The Christmas mystery plays originated 5th to 6th January, leaving presents for join in the act of beating the log with a in the Middle Ages, and in Catalonia the boys and girls who have behaved stick while asking it to "shit" sweets and great importance is still attached to the themselves throughout the year. Around other things, chanting the formula "tió, tradition known as the Pastorets (shep- this belief, markets are held (such as caga torró, d'avellana i de pinyó" or herd boysl -who play an important part that of Sant Tomas, in the Barcelona something of that sort. in the adoration of the infant Jesus-, Gran Vial and in many towns and villa- The attendance at midnight mass on the still performed in al1 the towns and villa- ges there is the "procession of the part of the whole family is still one of ges, not usually in commercial premises Kings", when crowds of people turn out the most important events of the Christ- but in Catholic and civic centres, village to welcome Melcior, Gaspar and Baltasar mas celebrations today, even among halls, cultural associations, etc., before as they arrive -by land or sea- accom- people who don't regularly take part in an enthusiastic audience. The most fre- panied by a retinue of pages and car- religious ceremonies. The mass starts on quently performed versions -which riages loaded with sweets and presents. the stroke of midnight, though it's often combine the same traditional elements We can safely say that the Catalan fes- preceded by prayers (the equivalent of in different ways- are those of Ramon tivities of the Christmas cycle, in spite of the old "matins"). One characteristic ri- Pamies, Josep M. Folch i Torres, Fran- the changes introduced as a result of tual is the procession to approach and cesc d'A. Picas and Lluis Milla. Another today's way of life, still preserve the worship the image of the baby Jesus, form of dramatization of the Christmas strong family and traditional spirit that during which populcir Christmas carols mystery is what is known as the living has always accompanied the celebra- are sung, taken from the rich Catalan Nativities, whose remote forerunner is tions linked to the winter solstice and traditional repertory or else imported the performance organised by St Fran- the Christian commemoration of the from other countries. cis of Asisi in Greccio in 1223. The cus- birth of Jesus Christ. •