MAIN Christmas Europe Christmas in Portugal

As in many other European countries, a Portugal Christmas is a time of gathering with parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins (and any other relatives in town!) for a warm family celebration.

The main holiday celebration takes place on Christmas Eve with a gathering around the Christmas tree and the Nativity scene or Presepio to celebrate the birth of Jesus, followed by "Missa do Galo" or midnight mass services.

For Christmas Eve celebrations, salt cod is the traditional dish, usually served with boiled potatoes and cabbage. Next comes the much-awaited Christmas desserts, which vary from region to region and may include fried felhozes or fritters, rabanadas (often called Portugese "French toast") and, of course, the traditional Bolo Rei or King Cake, which can be both a Christmas and New Year's Eve tradition.

When the Bolo Rei is served, family members wait to see who gets the surprises baked within , usually a coin or toy ring - and another "unlucky" surprise, a raw bean. Whoever gets the bean must buy or make the Bolo Rei the following year!

Christmas Eve is also usually the time in Portugal when Father Christmas arrives to fill the shoes of good little children with toys and treats.

On Christmas Day, meat is most often on the menu, customarily a big stuffed turkey which is of course followed by more holiday sweets.

The festivities end on January 6, on "Dia de Reis" or King's Day, but not before a festive New Year's Eve celebration with spectacular fireworks everywhere, along with the traditional eating of 12 raisins, representing one wish for each month of the coming year.

Christmas traditions and recipes in Portugal - Nice narrative explaining holiday customs and religious services, with a complete Christmas dinner menu including recipes for boiled cod, stuffed turkey, rice pudding, leite creme, and Portuguese Christmas "French toast".

Madeira Christmas & New Year's Photo Collection - A colorful virtual tour of holiday lights & decorations around Funchal, along with more on the traditional New Year's Eve fireworks display.

Christmas in Lisbon - Video presentation of the the city lit up for the holidays, from GoLisbon.com

also see in Travel -> Portugal Tourist Attractions

also see -> Christmas in Spain