Brazil knows how to celebrate special occasions in style and Christmas in Brazil is no different! Brazilians celebrate Christmas in some very Americanized ways, but they also bring the diverse flavor of their varied ethnic backgrounds to the holidays by following customs and traditions of Portugal, Italy, and others.

The weather during Christmas is definitely different in Brazil than some of the other parts of the world given that it's often in the high 90s or even in the low 100s during December. It can be tough for anyone who has celebrated Christmas with cold weather, snow, hot chocolate, and roaring fires to understand celebrating while you're sweating constantly!

Brazilians set aside December 25th as a national holiday, but they do most of their celebrating, eating, and gift exchanges on Christmas Eve, December 24th.

Some families will serve Christmas dinner at midnight on the 24th of December. The children are served first so they can get to bed and sleep so that Papai Noel, Santa Clause, can come visit their home and leave gifts.

Religious families used to attend mass at midnight on the 24th instead of cooking a large dinner. This special mass is called Missa do Galo, the rooster's mass, because the mass ends at 1 a.m. on Christmas morning. Unfortunately, due to high crime in the cities now, mass is held either in the afternoon or early evening instead of midnight.

A folk play, Los Pastores, is usually organized during the holidays to celebrate Christmas in Brazil. The general story is that there are shepherdesses and a gypsy who contrive a plan to steal Jesus Christ from his manger.

The legend that goes along with this play is that Father Noel, otherwise called Papai Noel, will leave Christmas gifts for all of the babies or infants in Brazil.

Nativity scenes are seen in several areas of the country as well. The nativity, also called Presepio in Brazil, symbolizes the bed of straw that Jesus slept on in Bethlehem. These simple nativities are set up in homes, retail stores, and churches for the month of December.

A beautiful cone of lights is erected in the middle of Rio de Janeiro's lagoon for all to enjoy. The lights don't just shine through the night, there is an actual light show that happens periodically throughout the night hours.

You'll see blue and silver lights, golden lights, red and green lights shifting and changing from one to another. Lights shaped like penguins, bells, lace, musical notes, flowers, doves, and candles light up on different areas of the tree at different times.

At the end of the light show you'll see snowflakes and stars. The cone structure is 85 meters tall or just shy of 26 feet high!

Brazilians like to practice a tradition called secret friends or amigo secreto. Groups of friends or family members write their name on a piece of paper, mix them up, and then everyone draws a name. Throughout the month of December, you shower your secret friend with cards and notes using a fake name to sign all the correspondence. Then, on Christmas, you get to find out who your secret friend was and you exchange gifts.

Papai Noel is Brazil's version of Santa Claus. Their belief is that he lives in Greenland during the year and then visits Brazil on Christmas Eve, December 24th.

Children leave their shoes out in the open before they go to bed and rise on Christmas morning delighted to find their shoes filled with small sweet gifts! The children also know it's tradition to look for the gifts Papai Noel left for them around the house.

It is said that Papai Noel wears lightweight red silk clothing with his boots because of the hot temperatures during Christmas in Brazil. He has a beard and still wears a red hat trimmed with white silk.

What special foods do Brazilians enjoy during the Christmas holiday? Brazilians who can afford it will enjoy a specially prepared roasted turkey or ham, cod-fish cakes, a variety of fruit and vegetables, and colored rice.

In some Southern states of Brazil beer and wine might also be served - this is the European influence. Wine or champagne are also popular accompaniments to Christmas dinner.

Rabanada is a popular Christmas dessert enjoyed by many Brazilians. It is pieces of bread soaked in milk until they're soggy and then fried in beaten egg and covered in sugar and cinnamon.

The poorer people of Brazil will fix rice and beans or chicken and rice for their special meal on Christmas.

I've really enjoyed getting to know Brazilian Christmas songs. This is one of my favorites, which I love because of the sacred and beautiful lyrics and the sweet purity of the children's voices.

You'll probably recognize the tune, but the words are very different! Here is the translation:

Bells of Bethlehem

Tonight is beautiful
Together she and I
Let's go to the chapel
Happy to pray
At the sound of the bell
The little bell
The God child
Comes to bless us.
Ring the little bell
Bell of Bethlehem
The God child was born
For our sake (for our good)
Peace on Earth prays the bell
Joyful singing
The God child blesses
This our home

Here are some other popular Brazilian Christmas Songs

It's not unusual to see homes and stores decked with lights during Christmas in Brazil. Some towns and cities in Brazil will host decorating contests where awards are given for the best decorated house both on the inside and outside.

Gifts are usually exchanged on the 24th instead of the 25th and then after sleeping in late, Brazilians head to the beach for a long day of relaxation.

It's possible that you'll see trees decked out with small cotton pieces hung from the branches to symbolize snow in the Southern states of Brazil. It's their version of a Christmas tree!

Similar to countries like Australia and the U.S., Christmas carols are sung throughout the country too in celebration of the holiday and in honor of Christ's birth

Christmas in Brazil sounds a lot like the 4th of July here in the United States. The streets are often filled with people of all ages setting off fireworks and noisemakers to celebrate the holidays. Sparklers and rockets are favorites of the children.

Brazilian legend says that the animals like to talk to each other about the Christ child too! The rooster will say Christ is born! In response, the bull asks, where? And then all of the sheep respond, in Bethlehem of Judea!

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The Christ the Redeemer Statue, or Cristo Redentor, in Brazil is a breathtaking and amazing sight. It's sheer size of this concrete and soapstone statue is enough to make you look upon it in wonder, but it is much more than just a statue to the Brazilian people. It's their way of welcoming visitors, friends, and family to their country with open arms. It's a symbol of peace.

It's a challenge to get your mind around how big this statue really is, but perhaps some dimensions will help a little. The pedestal on which the statue stands is 31 feet high and the statue itself towers another 99 feet into the air, for a total of 130 feet high. The distance between Christ's outstretched hands is wider than the length of a helicopter at roughly 92 feet from fingertip to fingertip. It weighs an amazing 635 tonnes or 1,399,935.36 pounds.

Christ the Redeemer statue is perched on top of Corcovado Mountain, which overlooks the city of Rio de Janeiro. Thousands of photographs have been taken of this incredible statue from every vantage point - all of them breathtaking.

The statue was constructed from concrete that is reinforced along with soapstone. Soapstone was chosen because it's easy to work with and easier to form than other durable materials.

Much to the Brazilian people's joy, the Christ statue was named one of the Seven Wonders of the World in the year 2007.

The idea of building a religious monument was first thought of and mentioned by Father Pedro Maria Boss, a Catholic priest. During the middle of the 8150s, he made the suggestion to Princess Isabel who was in power at that time, but she didn't think much of it and it was not considered at all again in 1921.

In 1921, the Catholic Circle of Rio gathered signatures and financial donations toward the building of a religious monument on top of Corcovado Mountain. The first suggested design was one of Christ holding a globe in His hands.

The second suggested design was Christ on top of a pedestal with His arms outstretched to the sides. This was the design that was chosen and the one that the statue was modeled after. Some say that this design is a symbol of all the people in the world who follow Christianity.

Heitor da Silva Costa was the designer of the statue. Paul Landowski was the sculptor of the statue. It was decided that the statue would be created from reinforced concrete and soapstone. Construction began in 1922 and lasted until 1931. The monument was dedicated on October 12, 1931 to the Brazilian people and the country of Brazil.

1980s - restoration began on the statue and continued over the next two decades

Year 2000 - new lighting installed on the statue

2002 - escalators and elevators were installed

2006 - Chapel was built to accommodate 150 visitors at the base of Corcovado Mountain. Chapel was consecrated by Cardinal Eusebio Oscar Scheid, the Archbishop of Rio - once the chapel was consecrated, Catholics were permitted to have celebratory events like weddings and baptisms at the chapel.

2008 - the statue was damaged by lightning - repairs were made and in addition, lighting rods were installed at the same time

2009 - the National Heritage Institute declared the Christ statue a protected monument

2010 - Paulo Souza dos Santos desecrated the statue's right arm and part of the head with graffiti

People who visit the city of Rio de Janeiro see the statue as a huge welcome from the city of Rio and the country of Brazil. Most people know that the majority of the people who live in Brazil are Catholic, so seeing Christ with his arms outstretched seems perfectly natural, as if He were on the Cross.

Thousands of photographs have been taken of this breathtaking statue. Looking at the photos from the photographers' points of view, one could surmise that there are feelings of awe, inspiration, wonder, and keen interest when people look upon the statue of Christ.

Back in 1931, the cost to build the statue was $250,000. If the same statue was built today, in 2011, the cost would be just under 3.1 million dollars!

Between tourists and local people, there are over 300,000 visitors to the statue every year. Located in the Tijuca National Park, it's a natural stop along the way, especially if you're hiking one of the many trails within the park surrounding the statue.

The Christ statue has been labeled one of the world's largest art deco pieces and the largest art deco statue. It's one of the most visited places in South America.

While standing at the base of the Christ the Redeemer statue, you will enjoy an amazing view of not only Rio de Janeiro, but also of the Botanical Gardens, Copacabana, Botofogo, Ipanema, Flamengo, and Leblon. The views of both the statue and the surrounding landscapes are well worth the 20 or so minute ride on the train to get up to the base of the statue.

It is said by some that the best time to view the statue is early morning or just before darkness falls. Still others say you can enjoy a fantastic view from the city below, depending on which view intrigues you the most. Either way, if you have a chance, you should definitely visit the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil!

View the original article here

The Christ the Redeemer Statue, or Cristo Redentor, in Brazil is a breathtaking and amazing sight. It's sheer size of this concrete and soapstone statue is enough to make you look upon it in wonder, but it is much more than just a statue to the Brazilian people. It's their way of welcoming visitors, friends, and family to their country with open arms. It's a symbol of peace.

It's a challenge to get your mind around how big this statue really is, but perhaps some dimensions will help a little. The pedestal on which the statue stands is 31 feet high and the statue itself towers another 99 feet into the air, for a total of 130 feet high. The distance between Christ's outstretched hands is wider than the length of a helicopter at roughly 92 feet from fingertip to fingertip. It weighs an amazing 635 tonnes or 1,399,935.36 pounds.

Christ the Redeemer statue is perched on top of Corcovado Mountain, which overlooks the city of Rio de Janeiro. Thousands of photographs have been taken of this incredible statue from every vantage point - all of them breathtaking.

The statue was constructed from concrete that is reinforced along with soapstone. Soapstone was chosen because it's easy to work with and easier to form than other durable materials.

Much to the Brazilian people's joy, the Christ statue was named one of the Seven Wonders of the World in the year 2007.

The idea of building a religious monument was first thought of and mentioned by Father Pedro Maria Boss, a Catholic priest. During the middle of the 8150s, he made the suggestion to Princess Isabel who was in power at that time, but she didn't think much of it and it was not considered at all again in 1921.

In 1921, the Catholic Circle of Rio gathered signatures and financial donations toward the building of a religious monument on top of Corcovado Mountain. The first suggested design was one of Christ holding a globe in His hands.

The second suggested design was Christ on top of a pedestal with His arms outstretched to the sides. This was the design that was chosen and the one that the statue was modeled after. Some say that this design is a symbol of all the people in the world who follow Christianity.

Heitor da Silva Costa was the designer of the statue. Paul Landowski was the sculptor of the statue. It was decided that the statue would be created from reinforced concrete and soapstone. Construction began in 1922 and lasted until 1931. The monument was dedicated on October 12, 1931 to the Brazilian people and the country of Brazil.

1980s - restoration began on the statue and continued over the next two decades

Year 2000 - new lighting installed on the statue

2002 - escalators and elevators were installed

2006 - Chapel was built to accommodate 150 visitors at the base of Corcovado Mountain. Chapel was consecrated by Cardinal Eusebio Oscar Scheid, the Archbishop of Rio - once the chapel was consecrated, Catholics were permitted to have celebratory events like weddings and baptisms at the chapel.

2008 - the statue was damaged by lightning - repairs were made and in addition, lighting rods were installed at the same time

2009 - the National Heritage Institute declared the Christ statue a protected monument

2010 - Paulo Souza dos Santos desecrated the statue's right arm and part of the head with graffiti

People who visit the city of Rio de Janeiro see the statue as a huge welcome from the city of Rio and the country of Brazil. Most people know that the majority of the people who live in Brazil are Catholic, so seeing Christ with his arms outstretched seems perfectly natural, as if He were on the Cross.

Thousands of photographs have been taken of this breathtaking statue. Looking at the photos from the photographers' points of view, one could surmise that there are feelings of awe, inspiration, wonder, and keen interest when people look upon the statue of Christ.

Back in 1931, the cost to build the statue was $250,000. If the same statue was built today, in 2011, the cost would be just under 3.1 million dollars!

Between tourists and local people, there are over 300,000 visitors to the statue every year. Located in the Tijuca National Park, it's a natural stop along the way, especially if you're hiking one of the many trails within the park surrounding the statue.

The Christ statue has been labeled one of the world's largest art deco pieces and the largest art deco statue. It's one of the most visited places in South America.

While standing at the base of the Christ the Redeemer statue, you will enjoy an amazing view of not only Rio de Janeiro, but also of the Botanical Gardens, Copacabana, Botofogo, Ipanema, Flamengo, and Leblon. The views of both the statue and the surrounding landscapes are well worth the 20 or so minute ride on the train to get up to the base of the statue.

It is said by some that the best time to view the statue is early morning or just before darkness falls. Still others say you can enjoy a fantastic view from the city below, depending on which view intrigues you the most. Either way, if you have a chance, you should definitely visit the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil!

View the original article here

Brazil religion and practices are extremely diverse and span several different belief systems and religious traditions. Brazilians enjoy complete freedom to practice their personally held religious beliefs, so the country has every religion from Catholicism to Candomble.

The Brazilian Constitution of 1889 declared that there was no official religion in Brazil, so everyone was free to believe as they liked.

It's a well-known fact that Catholicism is the most widely practiced religion in Brazil, but there are several others too, lending the country to an interesting mix of customs, festivals and traditions.

The Catholic faith was first brought to Brazil by Iberian missionaries who sought to convert the African slaves and Amerindians living during the 15th century. Fast forward to current day, and roughly 3/4 of Brazil's population is staunchly Catholic. Even though the government tries to separate itself from state, many times political decisions are made in light of whether or not the end result will offend the Catholic church, so that alone shows how prevalent Catholicism is in Brazil.

It is widely accepted for Brazilians to be baptized as infants in the Catholic church and also be married in the Catholic church. There are many professed Catholics however who rarely attend mass or practice in any other way other than attending on Easter and Christmas.

Catholics are known for praying to idols or figures such as the Virgin Mary, but in Brazil they also pray to people of the faith who have passed away. Some figures to whom the Brazilian Catholics pray is Nossa Senhora Aparecida and a deceased priest by the name of Father Cicero.

Festivals are celebrated throughout Brazil by Catholics, including Cirio De Nazare, Festa do Divino, Festa do Divino Espir?to Santo, and Cirio in the city of Belem.

Semana Santa, or Holy Week in Brazil is a special time of year for celebrating the risen Christ. Plays and special services are held in honor of this blessed time of year including Washing of the Feet, Good Friday, Paix?o de Cristo do Recife, the Passion Play in Nova Jerusalem, Paschal Vigil, and Procissao do Fogareu.

Non-practicing Catholic families may head out for a holiday to the beach or to other parts of the country to visit friends and family members since the children are typically out of school during Holy Week.

During the years of slavery in Brazil, Candomble was introduced by Nigerian and Benin slaves coming into the country. Many times, you will see this religion and the Catholic religion co-exist in an odd manner. This is due to the fact that years ago slave owners were almost always Catholic. They wanted their slaves to convert, but of course the slaves wanted to keep their own religion.

To appease their owners and keep from getting in trouble, they likened their religious practices to Catholic ones and identified their gods and idols with personalities of the Catholic faith. Their goddess of the sea, Iemanja, was like the Catholic's Virgin Mary and their god named Oxala was like Jesus Christ.

Candomble and Catholicism are still intertwined to this very day in Brazil religion.

The Protestant faith is alive and well in Brazil also, but in much smaller numbers. Only about 15% of Brazilians claim to follow a Protestant faith of some kind, including Evangelicals, Lutherans, Assemblies of God, Christian Congregation, Baptists, Fundamentalists, and a church called the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God.

How do the Protestants demonstrate or live out their faith? They encourage their members to participate and get involved in the services. The services consist of prayer, chanting, and singing songs. Some of the stricter Protestants show their faith outwardly by dressing a certain way and completely abstaining from gambling, drinking spirits, and smoking altogether.

People who follow this Brazil religion believe that there are indeed spirits, dead beings, who exist among the living. They also believe in talking to the dead and in reincarnation after they've died. This religion was brought to Brazil by a man by the name of Allan Kardec, thus the name Kardecian.

Worship locations aren't referred to as churches or chapels, but they instead refer to meeting places as associations, centers, or societies.

How do they practice their religion? They are active in helping out with charitable organizations, healings, and actively studying the writings of Allen Kardec, which includes the doctrine believed by the Kardecian Spiritists.

We mentioned before that there is great diversity when it comes to Brazil religion. The religions or belief systems found in Brazil other than the ones above include:

Jehovah's Witnesses

Muslims

Pentecostals

Neo-Pentecostals

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Methodists

Episcopalians

Buddhists

Ayahuasca

Afro-Brazilian religions - Xango, Batuque, Umbanda, Tambor de Mina

Hinduism

Islamists

Shinto believers

Judaists

Rastafarian

Eastern Orthodox Christian

American children covet a chocolate Easter bunny in their basket each year. The equivalent to the bunny in Brazil is the chocolate egg. Imagine all colors of eggs, types of chocolate eggs - some with fillings, some solid, and some hollow. These are what the Brazilian children look forward to seeing in their baskets.

During the Holy Week before Easter, several Brazilian cities will celebrate Corpus Christi by artistically creating mosaics or carpets on the streets using mediums like flour, flower petals, shavings of wood, and coffee grounds. The results are stunning and a memorable way to celebrate this holy time of the year.

Every part of the country has been uniquely shaped by the religion practiced there. Celebrations, festivals, traditions, and customs are all practiced due to some religious or spiritual beginnings and purposes.

The music, dancing, chanting, singing, or other activities all stem from one faith or another and make the people who they are.

The entire culture of the Brazilian people is intertwined with religion or faith in some way. No wonder they're such an amazing, diverse, and wonderful people!

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