So I know that this blog is long over due, but this is the first free moment that I have had to write this. The best way to summarize Christmas in Brazil as HOT. The heat made it difficult to feel the holiday spirit. I have to say that one that the U.S. does well is Christmas. I sorely missed the commercialized frenzy of an American Christmas with decorated shopping malls, houses covered in lights, pumpkin spice candles, Starbucks coffee holiday cups,Christmas here is not as big of deal and is a little different. First of all, Christmas trees do not exist in Brazil, thus everyone has fake ones, if they have one at all. Also, here Santa Claus (papei noel) is not really a magical person. Here families have one person dress-up and come to the Christmas dinner and give gifts to the children. Also, gift giving is a much smaller things here.
This year Christmas was at our house, meaning that on the 24th all of the family and closest friends come over for a dinner...that doesn't start until MIDNIGHT. In typical Brazilian fashion, though people were expected at 9:00, the first person arrived at 10:00. In total we had about 30 people over. Here everyone chats until midnight and at midnight fireworks went off and you go around to every person and wish Feliz Natal, and after this you start to eat "cena". It felt a lot more like News Years than Christmas, but was still a new and fun experience.
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