☺A BRAZILIAN CHRISTMAS☺

HISTORY OF CHRISTMASPAPAI NOEL ,OR FATHER NOEL , IS SAID TO LIVE IN GREENLAND. HE SENDS GIFTS TO KIDS IN THEIR SLEEP SO HE WONT GET CAUGHT. HE WEARS SILK DUE TO SUMMER-LIKE WEATHER IN BRAZIL. DUE TO COMMERCIALIZATION IN THE U.S. AROUND THE 60S OR 70S PAPAI NOEL SOON BECAME KNOWN AS SANTA CLAUS. A LEGEND SAYS THAT EVEN ANIMALS TALK DISCUSSING THE BIRTH OF CHRIST ;THE ROOSTER SAYS “ CHRISTO NASCUE” (CHRIST IS BORN) THE BULL ASKS “ ONDE ” ( WHERE ) THE CHORUS F SHEEP REPLY “ EM BELEM DE JUDA” ( IN THE BETHLEHEM OF JUDEA )

BRAZILIAN CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

A BRAZILIAN TRADITION IS A PRESEPIO. A PRESEPIO IS DONE IN FRONT OF A HOUSE OR CHURCH AND COMES FROM PORTUGUESE. THE WORD PRESEPIO COMES FROM PRESEPIUM WHICH MEANS BED OF STRAW . ANOTHER TRADITION IS A PLAY THEY DO THAT ORIGINALLY COMES FROM MEXICO. ITS CALLED LOS POSTORES ( THE SHEPHERDS ) .THE PLAY WAS ALSO MADE INTO A BRAZILIAN VERSION. PEOPLE IN BRAZIL HAVE SECRET FRIENDS. THIS IS LIKE A SECRET SANTA THEY PUT THEIR NAMES ON A PIECE OF PAPER AND PUT IT IN A BOWL. AFTER THEIR DONE THEY ALL CHOOSE A NAME. ALL THROUGH DECEMBER THE PEOPLE GET GIFTS. A POPULAR CHRISTMAS SONG IS NOITE FELIZ ( SILENT NIGHT ).

☻FOOD☻

THE SIZE F THE FEAST DEPENDS ON THE AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU HAVE. MOST BRAZILIANS HAVE ROAST TURKEY, VEGETABLES AND FRUIT, WHILE THE POOR, CHICKEN AND RICE OR BEANS AND RICE WILL BE THEIR “ SPECIAL FEAST ”.IN SOME REGIONS THE FEAST STARTS ON 9 PM CHRISTMAS EVE. IN BRAZIL THEY EAT AT MIDNIGHT THE KIDS GET FIRST SERVING INCASE PAPAI NOEL COMES THEIR IN BED. AS TO HOW LATE DEPENDS ON RELIGIONS. SOME MIGHT GO TO “ MISSA DO GALO “ WHICH IS A LATE MASS THAT ENDS AT 1 AM.

DECORATIONS

BRAZIL HAS BRIGHT COLORFUL DECORATIONS AND ORNAMENTS THAT REPRESENT BRAZIL IN THEIR OWN WAY. THEY HAVE SPORTS ORNAMENTS AS WELL AND DECORATE THEIR TREES IN DIFFERENT WAYS.