Brazilian Christmas is full of colors, good food, and customs that are a mixture of many different cultures.

Many Brazilian Christmas traditions come from Portugal, which ruled the country for many years.

You will also find Italian and German traditions here.

Who is amigo secreto?

What does the Christmas tree look like in Rio de Janeiro?

Let’s discover together how Christmas is celebrated in Brazil.

When is Brazilian Christmas celebrated?

Most of the population of the largest country in South America is Christian, so the Christmas holidays play an essential role in their lives.

Celebrations begin in the evening on Christmas Eve, or Véspera de Natal. Families usually gather for dinner together, after which they retire to midnight mass. After returning, the handing over and unwrapping of Christmas presents takes place.

Christmas Day is called Dia De Festas in Brazil. People visit their friends or gather at the beach on this day, as Christmas in Brazil falls in the summer.

Christmas celebrations end on January 6; three Kings are called Folia de Reis. On this day, there are parades in the city streets in costumes depicting the three wise men’s journey to Bethlehem.

The official language of Brazil is Portuguese. Merry Christmas in Portuguese is called Feliz Natal, Bom Natal, or Boas Festes.

Do you know Brazilian Christmas traditions?

Brazil is a former Portuguese colony and inherited most of its Christmas traditions from Portugal. Some of these traditions have been preserved unchanged, while others have been influenced by local realities and other cultures living in this multi-ethnic country.

European-style Christmas markets are uncommon in Brazil; they can only be seen in some cities south of the country, where many German settlers immigrated in the late 19th century.

Devout Catholics attend a midnight mass on Christmas Day called the Missa do galo, which celebrates the birth of Jesus. There are often large fireworks displays after Mass. On Christmas Eve, relatives visit each other and have a joint lunch.

The most common Christmas carol is Noite Feliz, a Brazilian version of Silent Night, often sung in churches and on the streets of big cities.

What are the Brazilian Christmas symbols?

At the end of November, Brazilian cities begin to decorate their main streets and squares. In some places, the most famous buildings will receive special Christmas lights, while in others, giant light arrangements in the shape of a Christmas tree will be made. Among the most famous are the ones in the middle of Rodrigo de Freitas Lake in Rio de Janeiro and the Ibirapuera Park in Sao Paulo.

One of the traditional symbols of Brazilian Christmas is the Christmas tree, which, in addition to homes, decorates squares and shopping centers throughout the country. Due to the climate, most of the trees are artificial. The decorations are more colorful than what we are used to from Europe. Flowers are a frequent decoration on trees.

At the same time, nativity scenes called presépio appear in churches. Nativity scenes are less common in homes. Brazilians also do not decorate the facades of their houses with lights.

Who brings the children’s presents?

In Brazil, children are brought gifts by Papai Noel, who changes into a lighter suit when delivering gifts in the southern hemisphere. It is made of silk so that it is not hot in summer.

Children sometimes leave a sock by the window as part of a Brazilian Christmas tradition. If Papai Noel finds the sock, he will exchange it for a present. They bring gifts on the night of December 24-25.

A “Secret Santa” is also part of Brazilian Christmas traditions. In Portuguese, he is called either amigo secreto (secret friend) or amigo oculto (hidden friend). Since extended family and friends are invited to Christmas dinner, buying a gift for everyone involved is almost impossible.

The Brazilian solution is a Secret Santa-style gift exchange where each person is responsible for a gift for one other person. The main difference between a Brazilian tradition and a similar tradition in the US is that in Brazil, you reveal who you are giving the gift.

You stand before the group and describe the person until everyone guesses who it is before handing out the gift.

What do you eat in Brazil at Christmas?

On Christmas Day, Brazilians prepare a special dinner that usually includes pork, turkey, and, in more modest households, chicken. Christmas Eve dinner, Ceia de Natal in Portuguese, usually starts around 10 pm and is accompanied by lots of music.

Although each region has its traditions, the main course is usually turkey or Chester, a kind of more enormous chicken. In some households, slow-roasted marinated pork leg is also served.

All dishes are served with various salads, such as salpicão de frango, a type of cold chicken salad, and white rice fried with garlic and onions.

Another traditional Christmas dish in Brazil is farofa, which combines dried cassava flour with salt, butter, spices, and chopped crispy bacon. How is farofa traditionally prepared?

Dinner is also full of fresh fruit, especially grape wine, representing wealth, and various foods with raisins. A traditional dessert is pavé, a layered unbaked cake with cream and biscuits, or rabanada, French toast dipped in beaten eggs and milk.

In the south of the country, especially in cities influenced by the German tradition, Christmas cannot be complete without a tunnel, while elsewhere, it is eaten with panettone inspired by the Italian tradition.

What places to visit in Brazil at Christmas?

Why not take a break from all the hustle and bustle and go to a sunny beach during the holidays? With more than 7,000 kilometers of coastline, there is no better place than Brazil. But Christmas in Brazil offers much more. Where to go?

• Rio de Janeiro – At Christmas, a visit to Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon is a must, the focal point of Rio’s famous Festival of Lights. The floating Christmas tree here is the tallest in the world. Three million lights are said to be needed to illuminate it.

Giant floating Christmas tree lights up Rio de Janeiro

The city is also home to the famous Copacabana Beach – white-sand beach, and the famous Sugar Loaf in the background.

• Gramado – this city is billed as the capital of Brazil’s Christmas. The reason for this is the Natal Lutz Festival, or Christmas of Lights, which lasts for almost three months and consists of many diverse events and performances.