Christmas in Brazil
by Emily P. Sudhoff
December 10, 2003
About Brazil
Brazil is a big country in South America.
Its official name is
Federative Republic of Brazil. The capital city is Brasilia. Brazil is 3.2
million square miles in size. The northeast part of the country is hot and dry.
In other parts of the north, there are tropical rain forests, where it is hot and
wet all year round. In southern Brazil, it can get cold during the winter.
Southern Brazil has summer when we have winter.
Half of all species of
animals live in Brazil.
Figure 1.
Map of Brazil.
Figure 2. Flag of Brazil.
Before Christmas
Before Christmas, everyone puts up a Nativity scene, which is called a
presepio. A Nativity scene is a set of statues showing what it was like when
Jesus was born. For many people in Brazil, this is the most important sign
of Christmas.
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Figure 3.
Nativity scene in Brazil.
Figure 4. An outdoor nativity scene.
Christmas Eve in Brazil
On Christmas Eve, Brazilians have a big Christmas dinner.
They
have it very late – about ten or eleven o’clock at night. After that they go to
midnight mass, which is what Catholics call going to church. Midnight mass
on Christmas Eve is called Missa do Galo, or Mass of the Rooster. It is
called the Mass of the Rooster because according to legend the rooster that
was with the animals in the barn where Jesus was born crowed at his birth.
After mass, they stay up all night. They talk to their friends, and drink wine
and cafezinho, a strong, sweet coffee.
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Figure 5.
Mass of the Rooster.
Christmas Day in Brazil
On Christmas Day in Brazil, Brazilian children who did not open their
presents on Christmas Eve open them. For many Brazilians, Christmas day
is a day to relax and rest.
Christmas Food in Brazil
Turkey is the one of the traditional Christmas foods of Brazil.
Farofa is a special stuffing for the turkey. It is made from manioc flour. A
manioc is sort of like a potato. Some Brazilian families eat a fish cake,
made using cod. Other families eat pork roast.
Santa Claus in Brazil
Santa Claus is called Papai Noel in Brazil. Santa comes in his red suit
and big black boots just like he does here, even though in Brazil Christmas is
in summer. He doesn’t change clothes for the warm weather. Instead of
using a sleigh, he travels to Brazil by helicopter.
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Figure 6.
Santa Claus getting out of
helicopter in Brazil.
Figure 7. Santa Claus in Brazil.
Bibliography
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]
[5]
Rebecca A. Lauer, “Christmas in Brazil,” World Book Inc. 1996.
ISBN: 0-7166-0891-X.
Tom Streissguth, “Brazil in Pictures,” Learner Publications
Company, 2003. ISBN: 0-8225-1959-3.
“We Come From Brazil,” Steck-Vaughn Company, 2000. ISBN: 08172-5514-1.
Herbert H. Wernecke, “Christmas Customs Around the World,” The
Westminster Press. ISBN 0-664-24258-8.
Marion Morrison, “Country Insights Brazil,” Steck-Vaughn
Company, 1997. ISBN: 0-8172-4785-8.
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