Christmas 2015: Nativity scenes aren’t complete without defecating celebrities in Spain

For a country that in part upholds strict Catholic traditions, the caganers, or 'crappers', are an bizarre oddity

Barack Obama’s ‘caganer’ model – one in a series of Catalan Christmas toys dating back centuries

Sir Elton John, Bono and even David Cameron have the dubious honour this year of being immortalised as caganers, the small figures that depict celebrities defecating on nativity scenes in Catalonia, Spain.

For a country that in part upholds strict Catholic traditions, the caganers, or “crappers”, are an bizarre oddity. They are sold in gift shops before Christmas and depict well-known figures bending over, trousers around their ankles and pile of something not so nice sitting on the ground behind them.

Each year, the great and good are honoured and the figures are placed at the rear of many nativity scenes that take pride of place in sitting rooms. Thought to bring good luck and be a symbol of fertility, the figures are hunted out by children , in a tradition believed to date to the 17th century.

Barack Obama’s model was created the day after being elected US President. This year, David Cameron has been included after his September Madrid visit. Elton John and Bono also make it, alongside Real Madrid players.