New Year

Celebrating the New Year in Rio de JaneiroNew Year in Brazil is a summer holiday, as begins in the height of summer, which coincides with the Russian winter. Officially, the holiday is called Confraternização, which literally means "brotherhood", but the more common French name is Reveillon.

In October, the streets of cities begin to decorate with colorful illuminations, and artificial Christmas trees to decorate with traditional toys. All these attributes remain in place until mid-January. Although it should be noted that in the thirty-degree heat, New Year preparations, as well as Santa Claus and Snow Maidens, look somewhat unnatural.

Brazilians celebrate the New Year at home, in restaurants or clubs. As a rule, they gather several families at the same table in a large and fun company. Young people prefer activities more appropriate to their age.

On this holiday, it is customary to be dressed in white clothes, to give small gifts packed in beautiful paper with a gift ribbon, since the main gifts are given at Christmas.

There is a tradition in Brazil: standing up to count out the last seconds of the outgoing year, wishing each other "Feliz Ano Novo!" - "Happy New Year!" and drinking champagne during the festive fireworks.

The New Year is especially magnificent in Rio de Janeiro, where it is customary to throw white flowers into the ocean water, which makes the shores snow-white. And you can imagine how beautiful thousands of people in white clothes look on such a shore, contemplating a grand salute, the sparks of which melt in the Atlantic Ocean!

January 1 is officially a non-working day in Brazil.