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
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Main image: Catalan figurines representing Spain's prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, and Catalan regional president, Pere Aragonès.
Fri 22 Dec 2023 08.54 EST Last modified on Thu 28 Dec 2023 14.48 EST
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 Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
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 Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
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
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 Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
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 Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
