A "Pooping" Log Keeps the Fire Burning

In some rural areas of France, particularly in the south, children participate in a ritual called Cacho Fio. The oldest and youngest family members carry a massive log to the hearth together. Before lighting it, they pour wine over it three times while singing a prayer for a prosperous new harvest. In some older variants of this folklore, children hit the log with a stick so it "poops" out hidden sweets and nuts.