Excretion’s greetings: the pooping Christmas caganer figurines of Catalonia

The caganer – or pooper – figurine has long been a staple of Christmas in Catalonia, usually placed in a discreet corner of a nativity not far from Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus. The defecating statuettes are believed locally to bring prosperity for the coming year

Josep Lago /AFP / Getty Images

Main image: Catalan figurines representing Spain's prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, and Catalan regional president, Pere Aragonès.

  • Mexico’s president, Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador. The traditional clay figure depicts a peasant or shepherd wearing black trousers, a white shirt and the classic red Catalan cap called the barretina. But the tradition has expanded to include famous figures
    Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

  • Paris Saint-Germain’s French forward Kylian Mbappe. The roots of the caganer are vague but are generally thought to date from the 18th century
    Paris Saint-Germain’s French forward Kylian Mbappe.

  • Colombian singer Shakira and former FC Barcelona Spanish defender Gerard Pique. One of the biggest caganer makers, family-run Caganer.com, currently sells 650 different models of the figures at its six shops in Barcelona and Madrid as well as online, where the United States accounts for the bulk of orders
    Colombian singer Shakira and former FC Barcelona’s Spanish defender Gerard Pique.

  • Argentina’s president, Javier Milei. The figurines aim to ‘connect the people to the mystery of the nativity’, said Josefina Roma, a retired University of Barcelona anthropology professor.She likened caganers to playful characters that appear in theological narratives to make them more understandable
    Argentina’s President Javier Milei.

  • Space X and X (formerly Twitter) CEO, Elon Musk
    Space X and X (formerly Twitter) CEO Elon Musk.

  • A Barbie doll. The statuettes have become popular tourist souvenirs in Catalonia
    A Barbie doll.

  • Spanish golfer Jon Rahm
    Spanish golfer Jon Rahm.

  • Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and supporters of Palestine
    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and supporters of Palestine.

  • Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz. Xavier Borrell, the president of the 33-year-old Friends of the Caganer Association, which has around 100 members, said the figures ‘have gone beyond nativity scenes to become an icon’. The retired engineer owns 1,400 caganers, the bulk of them classic figurines of peasants
    Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz.

  • Formula One Red Bull Racing’s Dutch driver, Max Verstappen
    Formula One Red Bull Racing’s Dutch driver Max Verstappen.

  • Argentina’s forward Lionel Messi
    Argentina’s forward Lionel Messi.
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