Brazil today is a kaleidoscope of customs and traditions of different nations. The combination of different beliefs makes the celebration of the New Year into something enchanting and unique. Due to the fact that December 31 is the hottest time of the year, the celebration takes place on the beach. In this place you can see how the New Year is celebrated in Brazil. Residents of this country go to clubs, cafes or on the coast, where they dance to the sounds of numerous drums.
Fraternization
For the celebration of the New Year, Brazilians are preparing long before its onset. Artificial Christmas trees are set and garlanded along the streets. On the facades of buildings hang various lanterns, bulbs and other illuminations.
The new year celebrated in Brazil is called Confraternização, which in Portuguese means literally “fraternization”. On this night, all Brazilians, familiar or not, hug on the street and call each other brothers. Everywhere you hear volleys of salutes and Happy New Year - “Boas Festas e Feliz Ano Novo!” Brazilians sincerely believe that having embraced with dear and close people, they will live the whole New Year in happiness and prosperity.
New Year omens
Following the traditions of Brazil, celebrating the New Year at the festive table, coins are put in shoes. Keeping their weight on their feet, they wait for the end of the last moments of the outgoing year, and with the first second of the New Period, they first lower their right foot to the floor, then their left. Residents of Brazil believe that if you enter a new period with the right foot, you will find success in money matters and more.
Another interesting custom - if on New Year's Eve to eat 12 grapes and conceive a desire, it will certainly come true.
Gifts for the New Year are given symbolically, since Brazilians have a more important Christmas holiday, so all the presents were presented in advance. On the street residents congratulate Santa Claus, whose name in Brazil is Papa Noel.
Gifts to the gods
Historically, the coasts of oceans and seas were inhabited by sailors and fishermen. Over time, a large Portuguese-speaking state of Brazil formed in South America. As the New Year is celebrated in this hot country, we will find out more in more detail.
The most revered ceremony held on New Year's Eve is the worship of the goddess of the seas and oceans, the patroness of women in labor Yemanja. Residents of Rio de Janeiro go to the beach of Copacabana, put on ritual white dresses and bring gifts to the coast to please the spirits, to obtain mercy from the Great Mother of Pearls and ask for what is desired. For this, the Brazilians bring with them to the lady of the seas white flowers and candles, perfumes, mirrors and soap. Everyone making a wish puts a candle on a wooden base and lights it, then sends it to the sea with a request to fulfill a dream. The longer the candle burns, swinging on the waves, the higher the likelihood that the wish will come true. All kinds of sweet gifts, fruits, rice were laid right there. Also, as a sign of veneration, flowers are thrown into the water and jumped over the coastal waves. Then the inhabitants perform a ritual dance and sing songs. Here's how to celebrate New Year in Brazil.
Christmas light show
The chiming clock, traditionally announcing the New Year, in Brazil is declared a shot from cannons. The last seconds of the past year, residents are counting out loud. After that, exactly at midnight above the beach of Copacabana, a dazzling firework soars into the sky, and Happy New Year greetings are heard. The light show lasts about 15 minutes, during which time over the heads of thousands of people, thanks to the insane action of the salute, flowers bloom, billions of sparks and stars fly apart, falling down a waterfall. Since the New Year is celebrated in Brazil, all the action takes place in the coastal zone, which becomes the epicenter of the event.
After the famous Brazilian fireworks on the beach, a disco begins, at which famous singers perform and shows are performed by popular DJs. Trendy Afro-Brazilian rhythms in a contemporary style are heard on the beach. To the unceasing sounds of djembe (the so-called African drum), songs are singing praising the lady of the seas.
Festive tree
Many do not imagine how to celebrate the New Year in Brazil without a vibrant and green beauty. You have no idea what thousands of residents of Rio de Janeiro come to see. Noting the triumph in the circle of loved ones, the inhabitants go to the lagoon of Rodrigo de Freitas, admire the main symbol of the New Year. In Brazil, the holiday is decorated with a huge spruce floating on a platform in the middle of the bay and illuminated by the lights of fireworks. The height of the artificial structure is about 85 meters. Thousands of brightly shining bulbs serve as its decoration.
Above all the beauty of the holiday on Mount Corcovado rises a majestic statue of Christ the Redeemer, arms outstretched in a gesture of blessing.
New year game
The Brazilians, preparing for the New Year, play a lottery in a month called Amigo Secreto, which means “Secret Friend”. It is held a month before the holiday between colleagues, acquaintances, friends and relatives. The meaning of this game is to, by pulling out a piece of paper, choose a secret friend, whose name will be written in it, who will visit you on New Year's Eve. At the same time, no one should be given a guest name until the celebration. A secret friend will open at a time when the owner will give him a special present. Until this moment, the lottery participants, having fun, exchange messages without revealing their name. Thus, creating intrigue, the Brazilians find out from “secret friends” what to present them as a gift. In the process of celebrating and giving presents, it becomes clear who was hiding under the guise of a mysterious guest.