Iโll never forget the first time I explained to a friend from abroad that we donโt have a snowy Christmas in Brazilโitโs all sun, sweat, and celebration. Growing up here, the holiday season was always a burst of joy, with its own unique flavor. So, what do they call Christmas in Brazil? Spoiler: itโs not so different from what you might expect, but the way we celebrate it is! Letโs unwrap the name and the magic behind it. Picture a backyard buzzing with laughter, kids chasing each other under a blazing sun, all while โFeliz Natalโ echoes through the air.
Thatโs the holiday vibe hereโfamiliar yet wildly different. Itโs not just a name; itโs a whole way of turning December into something unforgettable. Curious about how we spin this season into our own story?
Christmas in Brazil is my favorite holiday. Brazil is a very Catholic country, so we Brazilians celebrate Christmas Day with the whole family gathered for a big supper on December 24th and the festivities continue until the 25th with a hearty family lunch. I could sum up Christmas in Brazil as follows: religious reflection, family, friends, lots of food and presents.
Don’t forget, If you are looking to travel all around Brazil, we also have our complete Brazil travel companion, which you can read later.
Now back to Christmas!
In my city, as in Brazil as a whole, Christmas decorations are essential in the run-up to the Christmas celebrations. It’s always an expectation for the family to get together to set up their Christmas tree, along with their nativity scenes, my favorite part of the decoration because it’s thought out with great care where the main figures Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, the Magi, and the animals are. Finally, the lights add a special touch to the magic of Christmas.
The arrival of Santa Claus is eagerly awaited by the children to see if their long-awaited Christmas present will arrive. And so, on the morning of the 25th, they are inundated with boxes of presents scattered at the foot of the Christmas trees.
Christmas dinner is the most anticipated moment, and as Brazil is a very large country, the cuisine varies according to each region, but we have some typical local dishes in common such as roast turkey, rice with raisins and fruit, salpicรฃo, farofa, dried fruit, panettone.
We also have the Mass of the Rooster, which takes place on the evening of December 24th. It’s a tradition where families go to church for a mass to celebrate the birth of baby Jesus, and then, after the mass, family members get together to commemorate this religious moment with a festive supper.
what do they call Christmas in Brazil
Christmas Traditions
Brazilian Christmas Traditions: Brazilian brigadeiros
In Brazil, on Christmas Eve, more precisely on the 24th, families usually get together in the evening for Christmas dinner. All the family members dress up and then supper is served. And when I say entire family I mean the whole family. It’s very common for aunts, uncles, and cousins to join the family for the celebration.
At midnight, the TV shows the Mass of the Rooster. The tradition of Midnight Mass is specific to Latin countries and derives from an ancient legend. According to this legend, at midnight on December 24, a rooster would have crowed loudly, in an exceptional way, announcing the coming of the Messiah, the son of the living God, Jesus Christ. This Christmas custom is deeply rooted in popular culture and reinforces the religious symbolism of Christmas.
Hugs and congratulations are shared and presents are exchanged by adults. Santa Claus usually leaves presents for the children after they have gone to bed so that the Christmas morning they can have the great surprise of finding them under the Christmas tree. We affectionately call Santa Claus (the good old man).
Many families like to organize an “amigo oculto” (hidden friend) or “amigo secreto” (secret friend), a game that basically consists of gift exchanges as a group. And on December 25th, the whole family gets together again to have Christmas lunch. This is a more relaxed and informal meeting, but it is also very warm and pleasant.
Christmas Decorations
Brazilian Local Traditions: Nativity scenes
Although it’s summer in Brazil when we celebrate Christmas, we still basically follow the same Christmas decoration traditions as in the northern hemisphere. This includes the use of sleighs, stockings, and snowmen to decorate our homes during December.
The traditional Christmas tree is also used in many Brazilian homes, but it is more common to use an artificial plastic tree, a Christmas pine, which can be used for several years.
In large cities, it is common to find several Christmas trees decorated with lots of Christmas lights, better known as “pisca-piscas” in Portuguese, at Christmas time. On New Year’s Eve, these trees light up the city with beautiful fireworks.
More common than a Christmas tree is a nativity scene. Many Brazilians use nativity scenes as part of their Christmas decorations. In fact, this is a very significant part of the Christmas tradition in Brazil. The term refers to the representation of the place where Jesus Christ was born and is made up of figures such as Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, the Magi, shepherds, and animals, all set in a scene that highlights the birth of Christ in Bethlehem.
Brazilians make nativity scenes of all shapes and sizes and use them on their Christmas trees, displaying them in their homes, shopping malls, stores, parks, and churches. When I was a child, I remember that the nativity scene was always the last stage to be completed in the assembly of the Christmas tree, as certain care had to be taken in the organization of each figure and I carry this with me to this day.
Following tradition, the Christmas decorations are usually taken down on January 6th, when Three Kings Day is celebrated. This date commemorates the visit of the Three Wise Men to the Child Jesus and thus marks the end of the Christmas season and the end of the festivities end of the year related to Christmas.
what do they call Christmas in Brazil
Brazilian Christmas Dinner
The Christmas meal in Brazil is a bountiful one, with a wide variety of foods, drinks, and desserts. In fact, Christmas in Brazil is associated with an abundance of food, which is a defining characteristic of this celebration.
Christmas Rice
White Rice with Raisins on Christmas!
In Brazil, the absence of rice in dinner is not a dinner, as it is a staple dish since the country is a major rice producer. Christmas dinner rice, on the other hand, is delicious and easy to prepare. It’s very common to use other ingredients in Christmas dinner rice, such as dark and yellow raisins, as well as cashew nuts and Brazil nuts.
Salpicรฃo Salad
Salpicรฃo salad is a classic dish during the Christmas holidays. This salad is characterized by its mix of ingredients: shredded chicken, straw potatoes, grated carrots, chopped green apples, raisins, green corn, peas, and mayonnaise as a dressing. It may sound strange, but the combination of these ingredients creates a colorful, crunchy, and incredibly tasty salad, which is served as a side dish at Christmas dinners.
Potato Mayonnaise (Potato Salad)
Christmas Potato Salad, courtesy of Talia
Brazilian potato mayonnaise is a popular dish at barbecues, parties, and family gatherings in Brazil, and of course, it couldn’t be missing from Christmas dinner. It’s a creamy salad made mainly from boiled potatoes, cut into cubes, mixed with mayonnaise and other varied ingredients, such as grated carrots, peas, green corn, green olives, onions, peppers, and seasonings, such as salt, black bell pepper, and green smell. Brazilian potato mayonnaise is served as an accompaniment to meat and other main dishes.
The Christmas Turkey
Roast turkey, a beloved part of our festive customs.
Roast turkey is a traditional dish and is served as the main meal of Christmas dinner in Brazil. It involves roasting a whole turkey in the oven, stuffing it with farofa, and preparing it with a variety of spices.
Christmas Desserts
We love our Pavรช on Christmas! Courtesy of Talia
Desserts are a must. During the holidays, many Brazilian families have their favorite traditional recipes that are prepared for these special days. Some of these sweets are so associated with Christmas that they become an essential part of this date. Here are a few examples:
- Pavรช: A dessert made in layers with cookies, icing cream, and fruit and usually topped with whipped cream or chocolate.
- Panettone and Chocotone: Traditional Christmas sweet breads, delicious, usually made with candied fruit and raisins (in the case of panettone) or with chocolate drops (in the case of chocotone).
- Christmas Cake: A fruit cake, usually made with dried fruit or not, and with a touch of spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Rabanada: consists of a slice of bread dipped in sweetened milk and beaten with eggs, then fried and sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. It’s a classic Christmas dessert in Brazil.
Christmas Songs
In Brazil, the most common Christmas song is “Noite Feliz”, a version of “Silent Night”, which is often sung in church choirs or at school performances and musicals. Another song often sung at Christmas is “Bate o Bino”, and we also have “Jesus Cristo” by Roberto Carlos, which is a classic favorite.
Happy Christmas and Happy Holidays
My favorite dessert around Christmas is Chocotone! Courtesy of Talia
Absolutely! Christmas in Brazil is truly one of my most anticipated holidays of the year. When I was a child, I remember waiting anxiously for Christmas to arrive, not only for Christmas gifts but also to meet up with my relatives who lived in other states of Brazil. Even today, the anticipation of Christmas is enormous, because we know that it will be a time for socializing, with lots of good food and tasty drinks, as well as exchanging gifts and moments of happiness and gratitude.
It’s a tradition that I particularly value, where we enjoy spending time with our loved ones, strengthening family ties, and creating new memories. Christmas in Brazil really is a magical and special time for all of us. Brazilian Christmas traditions here have a rich history, vibrant and exciting, just like our Brazilian culture.
It’s a pleasure for me to explain Brazil’s Christmas traditions, so you can understand how we celebrate this special date and share them with others.
