8. The Catalan Caganer
Where: Portugal, Spain, Italy, France
Cost: $40–$50 for a handcrafted Caganer on Etsy*
The Caganer is a crude and humorous figurine. This figurine is actually in the middle of using the restroom; his moniker, which translates as “The Pooper” in Catalan, does not fool you. There’s a bad trend for this peasant figurine to show up in Nativity Scenes.
In Catalonia, The Caganer ©Wikimedia/Roeland P.
He is located throughout Spain, Portugal, and Southern Italy, and since the 1700s, he has posed a threat. The Pooper must be taken out of the Nativity Scene if he is discovered there, but like Elf on the Shelf, he has a terrible habit of continually reappearing to cause trouble.
9. The Yule Goat of Sweden
Where: Sweden
The Gavle Goat’s construction costed $8,942 in 2005.
Giant goat statues are part of a very significant Christmastime custom that is practiced in many Swedish towns and cities. The so-called “Yule Goat” represents an unseen being that appears around Christmas to make sure all the arrangements are made for the festivities.
The Yule Goat of Sweden @cbc/Pinterest
The Yule Goat is not just about following rules; he also gives gifts. This goat is traditionally burned at the start of the holiday season in an attempt to see whether it survives to see Christmas. One of the most well-known Yule Goats in Sweden, the Gavle Goat, for instance, is ringed by security and is burned almost annually despite being next to a fire station.
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