• Brazilians are a mix of people from many parts of the

world, and as aformer Portuguese colony, they have many

Christmas customs whichoriginate from this heritage.
• One tradition is to create anativity scene or
Presépio. Theword origins from the
word"presepium" which means thebed of
straw upon which Jesusfirst slept in
Bethlehem. ThePresépio is common
innortheastern Brazil. ThePresépio was
introduced in the17th century, in the city of
Olindain the state of Pernambuco by
aFranciscan friar named Gasparde Santo
Agostinho. Nowadayspresépios are set up in
Decemberand displayed in churches,homes,
and stores.
• On Christmas Eve, thousands of devout Catholics
attend the "Missa do Galo" orMidnight Mass.
Masses are also organised on December 25 in the
morning andlater afternoon. Christmas
decorations in the country involve setting up
Christmastrees in individual homes and adorning
them beautifully with decorative itemssuch as
lights, plastic balls and glass balls.A highlight of
Christmas celebrations in Brazil is making huge
Christmas "trees"of electric lights.These "electric
trees" can be seen against the night skies in major
cities such asBrasilia, São Paulo, and Rio de
Janeiro throughout the season.
• Caroling is quite a popular custom here. Various christmas carols
are sung during Christmas tocommemorate the birth of Christ.A
number of Christmas songs (pastorils and others) are sung on
theoccassion."Noite Feliz" ("Silent Night") is probably the song
most associatedwith Christmas in Brazil.
• The beginning of the previous century saw many immigrants
coming from Europeand other parts of the world and
settling in Brazil.As a natural consequence, the festivals
celebrated in the country began to beobserved in diverse
ways and influenced by different traditions that these
peoplebrought with them.Christmas is not an exception. The
food eaten in Brazil (specially in the Southstates) during
Christmas came from Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain and
othercountries.The traditional Christmas dinner here
includes roasted turkey, vegetables andfruits. A huge
Christmas dinner menu includes turkey, ham, colored rice,
andwonderful fresh vegetable and fruit dishes.The less
fortunate have rice with chicken or with beans. In some
regions the feaststarts on Christmas Eve around 9 pm, while
at other places it is eaten at midnightwith the children being
served first.
• Like Santa Claus in the U.S., Papai Noel
(Father Noel) is the giftbringer in Brazil.
According to legend, he lives in Greenland
andresembles Santa in many ways. Papai Noel
can also remind you ofChile's "Viejo
Pascuero" (Easter Old Man). This gift-giver
ofchildren is depicted as wearing a red fur coat
with boots andcarrying a bag full of presents.
He is believed to secretly leave gifts atthe
house of every good child on Christmas Day.
Children wake upearly on Christmas morning
to look for gifts from this benevolentcharacter.
• Project made by:
• Vlase Claudiu
• Popescu Bianca
• Petrescu Andrei
• Cernica Bianca