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Christmas 'crappers': Podemos boss honoured

George Mills
George Mills - [email protected]
Christmas 'crappers': Podemos boss honoured
The secretary-general of Spain's Podemos party Pablo Iglesias. Photo: AFP

The head of Spain's new Podemos party has become the subject of a new 'caganer' figurine, part of a tradition which sees some Spaniards decorating their Christmas cribs with statues of celebrities defecating.

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The secretary-general of the poll-topping Podemos party is one of a new batch of the ceramic statuettes that Spaniards — especially in Catalan-speaking areas — hide in Christmas nativity scenes.

The figures symbolize fertilization, and hope and prosperity for the coming twelve months and have been sold in Catalonia since the eighteenth century.

Traditionally the caganer is a peasant from one of Spain's Catalan-speaking areas in a red 'barretina' cap. He is also often shown smoking a pipe. 

Nowadays, however celebrities are just as likely to feature.

In 2014, Pablo Iglesias, with his trademark ponytail, is joined by fellow newcomers such as Catalan president Artur Mas and Spain's new King Felipe and Queen Letizia.

The Alós-Pla family who make the figurines are hoping to sell 30,000 items this year at prices ranging from €4 to €16 ($5 to $20), according to Spain's 20 minutos newspaper.    

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