CAGA TI The Tió de Nadal (Christmas Log), or simply Tió (Trunk or Log) or Tronca (Log), is a character in Catalan mythology relating to a Christmas tradition widespread in Catalonia and some regions of Aragon, Spain. The Tió is a hollow log roughly 30 centimetres long. Its stick legs, painted face, red barretina and nose were added only recently, altering the more traditional and rough appearance of dead wood. On Christmas Day or Eve, a family puts the Tió partly into the fireplace or under their tree and orders it to defecate. They do so by beating the log with sticks while singing various songs of Tió de Nadal. Before this occurs all children must leave the room to pray, asking for the Tió to deliver a lot of presents (today, they usually just leave to warm their sticks by a fire). Relatives then place presents under the Tió's blanket. The Three Wise Men traditionally bring larger gifts but the Tió "drops" candies, nuts, turróns, sometimes dried figs, and small toys. As a communal experience, everyone shares these presents. The Tió is popularly called Caga Tió (Shitting log or Poo log). SLIMER Slimer (also known as Onionhead, Little Spud or The Green Ghost) is a ghost made up of pure Ectoplasm and the first successfully captured by the Ghostbusters. The ghoul is well known for his gigantic appetite and the slime he leaves behind when he passes through solid objects. Throughout the first film (which takes place during the holidays), Slimer appears to lack intelligence, comes across as shy and only cares about snacks. In the second movie he can drive a bus, and his ability to understand human concepts has continued to grow in the video game and cartoon. Slimer is classified as a focused, Non-Terminal Repeating Phantasm, or a Class 5 Full Roaming Vapor. And a real nasty one at that. NUUTTIPUKKI Nuuttipukki was the traditional guest during St. Knut's Day. The creature was a man dressed up to look frightening, especially to children. The tradition's source is believed to be the lore of the Sámi, the indigenous Finno-Ugric people, who featured a goat-horned figure for centuries. In early January groups of mostly young adult men would dress in threadbare clothes and furs worn inside-out, donning a pair of horns and a mask made from leather, wood bark or paper. They went around to their neighbors' homes demanding beer and drinking it in copious amounts, singing rowdy songs and playing pranks if the hosts were stingy. The hosts stayed entertained by trying to guess who their guests were. Nuutti's Day was also known as Yeast-nuutti or dregs-nuutti as the beer barrels would have been almost empty at this point in Christmas celebrations. The celebrants believed their dead relatives would visit on Christmas but would need to be evicted after the festivities. Wearing a disguise was the best way for the living to avoid angering the deceased. The tradition is still alive in areas of Satakunta, Southwest Finland and Ostrobothnia. SEE MORE OF IMI'S CREATURES & LEARN THEIR STORIES ON: INSTAGRAM: @MYTHICAL.CREATUROLOGIST | X: @IMIJOYELMADER 3
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