Portuguese Christmas

24th to 25th December

       Hello, so as promised yesterday, today I will talk a little about the Christmas traditions that exist in my country, but especially in my family.

    First you have to realize that my mother comes from a part of the country (Trás-dos-Montes), which is almost next to Spain; my father comes from the area of Sabugal (innermost) and my brother and I are the center of the country, then at Christmas is a time when all local traditions mix.

Christmas Eve dinner

      During the day, we prepare the famous "French toast" or "rabanadas", that unlike what happens usually, our, addition to being fried, take a special sauce. The French toast is made with fried bread, and some people you put sugar and cinnamon at the end, which for me are the "fatias douradas", as the French toast take a sauce with homemade wine, port wine, sugar and cinnamon, made in an iron pot at the fireplace (hmmm.... delicious!!!).  

    We also do other types of desserts such as "baba de camelo" (with egg and boiled condensed milk), passion fruit mousse, farófias, crème brûlée and rice pudding. Of course the famous Bolo Rei can not miss on the table. But this is only the end of the banquet. Here at home, the protagonists are cod and boiled octopus, accompanied by potatoes and vegetables (cabbage and rabas); this year had a variation, roasted sweet potato and roasted cod for my brother (the weird of the family, ehehehe).

      As Christmas is to spend with family, normally we are five, me, my brother, my mother, my father and my grandmother occasionally we have guests, like happened this year, a Brazilian friend and a friend of my brother, who joined the party.

     After dinner, usually we spent the time playing cards, until 11pm, at which time we go to midnight mass, then watch the Madeley - a huge bonfire in the church door, that the priest lights up, which are groups of young people that organize - this year were those born in 1997 and that next year will be 1998. At this time families and friends gather around the bonfire, drink and celebrate together. After we returned home to make the exchange of gifts. And so is the 24th of December.

      On the 25th, we have the traditional Christmas lunch, which in our house is made with roast lamb, accompanied by "old clothes" (a dish made with the remains of Christmas Eve in particular with the vegetables). Then we'll walk if the weather permits.

Óbidos Christmas Village

December, 2012/13

    Hi everyone!!! I apologize for my disappearance, all this time, but the work, friends and other wanderings occupied my time.

   So now that I am back and enjoying this holiday season, I decided to do two very similar publications in that it suit this Christmas season.

    Today I'll talk about the Obidos Christmas Village, and tomorrow (I hope), I will present to you some of the Christmas traditions in Portugal, but especially from my family.

Óbidos

    The beautiful village of Obidos, with white houses adorned with bougainvilleas and honeysuckle was captured from the Moors by the first king of Portugal, Afonso Henriques, in 1148. Later, King Dinis gave it to his wife, Queen Saint Isabel. From then until 1883, the village and the surrounding land was always the property of the queens of Portugal.

    Surrounded by a ring of medieval walls and crowned by the Moorish castle rebuilt by D. Dinis, who is now am inn, Óbidos is one of the most perfect examples of our medieval fortress.

Christmas Village

    With the arrival of the month of December, the Obidos village is filled with light, color and fantasy, and becomes a dream place where everyone can live magical experiences, among countless games and amusements. The Santa's House, the nativity scene, shows, games, ice rinks, inflatable, there are many amusements that can provide special moments.

    For two years straight I visit this special place in the most amazing (for me) time of the year, and believe me I became a child again. The will to play with the several characters that go through out the village, and taking picture in every corner, trying hot chocolate and "pasteis de nata" de chocolate, made me happy.
   If you have kids believe me this is a must go place at this time of year, but if you don't have kids but like to live like one, try it too. Also you can visit all the little streets filled with the smell of caramelized dried fruits, and the famous "ginjinha" (a kind of liquor) de Óbidos, in a cup of chocolate.