A Portuguese Christmas

“Feliz Natal” or “Boas Festas” translates to “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays”!

The Holiday season in Portugal is celebrated as a time for family, of giving and sharing. Towns and homes are decorated with lights and with “Scenes of the Nativity”, or the Presépio which is the main focal point of the Christmas decorations in the Portuguese homes. Some towns mount a living Nativity Scene, with locals and live animals playing the roles at scene at the birth of Christ.
The creche scene was the idea of St. Francis of Assisi in the 13th Century to re-create the stable where Jesus was born at Christmas.

According to the gospels, the crib represents the stable where Jesus was born, a place that is still worshiped in Bethlehem today, at the Basilica of the Nativity.

Based on the interpretation of the Old Testament gospels, the Nativity was represented in the 4th century by the image of the Baby Jesus lying on the ground, accompanied by figures representing the ox, the donkey and the shepherds. The representation of the Crib began to spread from the 8th century onwards.

In Portugal, many creche scenes have locally crafted clay figures. In the cribs at Estremoz and Barcelos, as well as to the baroque cribs designed by the sculptor Machado de Castro at the Lisbon cathedral or by the sculptor António Ferreira at the Basílica da Estrela.

The nativity from the 18th century is centered around the Nativity and the arrival of the Three Wise Men at Bethlehem, but it also recreates Portuguese rural settings, crafts, professions and clothing worn at that time that are now longer used.

You can find famous Creche here and listings of permanent Creche displays all over the world at friendsofthecreche.org.

Missa do Galo or midnight mass, is a custom among Catholics who celebrate Christmas. The Missa do Galo was first included the Christmas celebrations during the 5th century. It is celebrated at midnight, which is the time referred to as being “in galli cantu” (at cock crow), and it was originally the first of three masses comprising the liturgy of Christmas Day.

During the Missa do Galo, people can admire the crib, which has been specially prepared for the occasion, and, after communion, everyone moves up to the altar to “kiss the Baby Jesus”, an act that is sometimes accompanied by songs of worship.

Traditionally, people go out to the streets to sing “Janeiras” (January songs) between December 25 and January 6. The Janeiras (January songs) is a Portuguese tradition consists of a group of people strolling the streets of a town singing in the New Year.

To the modern eye, Janeiras is like Christmas caroling as this tradition involves a group of friends or neighbors going from house to house singing and sometimes playing instruments. While singing, they review the most important events of the year with a spirit of happiness and great humor. They sing traditional songs and those who pass by are wished a Happy New Year full of luck.

Once the song is done the singers are rewarded with chestnuts, nuts, apples, and cured sausages. These days, chocolates are often offered too. The Janeiras tradition varies from region to region.

In the Algarve, residents form charolas, which are spontaneously formed groups that join together to sing songs of both a religious and a secular nature.

Also in the Algarve, singers receive traditional alms such as one of the seasonal sweet fritters or a glass of brandy. Every year, the municipality of Silves has a festival in January to welcome in the New Year by singing.

New Year’s Eve in Portugal is filled with celebrations. People get together in the 31st December, usually for dinner, and celebrate all night long, saying goodbye to the old year and welcoming the new one — hoping it will bring only good things.

The party in Madeira is renowned for being the most dazzling, with a display of light and color over the whole island you can even see from the ocean. At midnight, there’s a fireworks display in every town.

Everyone eats 12 raisins, with one wish for each month, and drinks champagne to bring in the New Year.

The Bolo Rei (literally the King Cake) is a cake made in the shape of a crown, filled and decorated with dry and crystallized fruits. Hidden inside the cake are a broad bean and a surprise gift. The person who ends up with the slice containing the broad bean is traditionally the one who should provide the next cake. The cake is eaten on Christmas and also on “Dia de Reis” the 12th day of Christmas – Day of Epiphany, when the Three Wise Men arrived at the Nativity and brought gifts to baby Jesus.

Dia de Reis – Kings Day – Day of Epiphany 

“Dia de Reis” known as the day of the Epiphany is on the 12th day of Christmas. Children put out their shoes, with carrots and straw to attract the camels of the Three Wise Men hoping that the shoes will be filled with gifts in the morning.

Bolo Rei – (King Cake)

 New Year in Madeira