How to Celebrate a Portuguese Christmas
In Portugal Christmas is a time to get together with family and friends and to partake in holiday festivities such as the traditional Christmas meal, which is served in the very early hours of the morning.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
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1
Set up a Nativity scene, or "crèche," in your house. This becomes the central point for family gatherings during the festivities, similar to the way Americans gather in front of the Christmas tree.
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2
Light a "fogueira da consoada" (yule log) in your fireplace.
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3
Keep the ashes to burn along with pinecones during bad rainstorms. According to tradition, this will protect your house from being struck by lightning.
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4
Welcome "alminhas a penar," or the souls of people who have died, on Christmas. Sprinkle seeds or crumbs for them in front of your fireplace so they'll bring back fruits or grains during the harvest season.
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5
Remind your children to ask infant Jesus for the gifts they most want.
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6
Encourage your children to set out their shoes to be used as a receptacle for the presents, if you still practice this old tradition.
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7
Understand that most children would like to receive "bolo rei," which is a round cake with glazed fruits, nuts and sugar.
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8
Prepare a Christmas feast ("consoada") to be eaten in the very early morning hours of Christmas Day, after the Christmas Eve midnight Mass has ended. The main course is usually dried codfish; serve boiled potatoes as the side dish.
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9
Make "rabanadas," a white bread that has been soaked in eggs and wine and then dipped in sugar, for dessert. It's fried until it takes on a candylike crust.
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10
Open gifts after the Christmas feast has concluded.
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1
Tips & Warnings
"Boas Festas" means "Good Holidays" in Portuguese.
Sometimes the Christmas meal is eaten and the presents are opened before midnight Mass.
Portugal is a European country with many cultural influences, so Christmas traditions can be quite diverse and cannot be generalized. The preceding steps represent a few examples of local traditions that may or may not be appropriate for your personal celebration of Christmas.
