The Next “Elf on the Shelf”: The Pooping Log

Some holiday traditions stand the test of time, and get passed down for generations. Others start off fun and slowly become exhausting. If you are ready for something truly different, allow us to introduce a Christmas tradition that is equal parts historic, weird, and honestly kind of amazing.

In Catalonia, Spain, families celebrate Christmas with a tradition called Tió de Nadal. That translates to “Christmas log,” but it’s also known as the “poop log.” Yes, that is real.

Here is how it works: About two and a half weeks before Christmas, families bring a regular wooden log into their home. They paint a smiling face on it, give it a little red hat, attach two wooden legs in the front, and drape a blanket over its back end.

In the days leading up to Christmas, kids take care of the log. They pretend to feed it scraps of food, sing songs to it, and not just any songs, specifically songs about it pooping out presents. Parenting books probably do not cover this part.

Then comes the most memorable step: To encourage the log to do its job, the kids beat it with sticks. Seriously. Singing, feeding, and light log violence are all part of the process. Somehow, this is considered wholesome family fun.

On Christmas morning, after one final round of singing and stick-beating, the blanket is lifted off the log’s butt. Surprise. The log has pooped out candy, treats, and small gifts for everyone. Merry Christmas.

If you are wondering where this tradition came from, that’s very understandable. Historians believe it evolved out of old yule log traditions, where logs played a central role in winter celebrations. The stick-beating part likely shares roots with piñatas. Over the centuries, it evolved into the wonderfully strange ritual it is today.

And this is not some new TikTok trend. The poop log has been around for a few hundred years. It has survived wars, plagues, and countless other holiday fads, which honestly says a lot.

The idea is that instead of burning the log for warmth, the family takes care of it. And since it cannot provide heat, it gives back the only other way it can, by pooping presents. Science probably does not support this, but tradition does.

If you are totally burned out on elves on shelves judging your behavior and hiding in increasingly annoying places, maybe it is time to try something new. Feed a log. Sing to it. Beat it with a stick. Then enjoy your chocolate and candy straight from its festive little backside.

Happy holidays.