Tio - Christmas tradition
In Catalonia, a region in Spain, there is a Christmas tradition. Instead of Santa, we have something called the "Tió". It’s a piece of wood decorated with a face, and you can personalize it as much as you want. It’s supposed to be magical, and when it arrives (usually a couple of weeks before Christmas), children have to take care of it: they feed it and keep it warm.Some families go to the forest to find the Tió instead of waiting for it to come. Since it’s usually the same Tió every year, parents hide it there beforehand so the children can “discover” it.Then, on Christmas Day, children hit it with a stick while singing traditional "Tió" songs. After that, they lift the blanket covering it, and there are presents, candy, and other treats for everyone.The stick is supposed to be warm, so children go to the kitchen to heat it up while they rehearse their song. That’s when the parents secretly place the gifts underneath.
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