A very common tradition among friends and family is the amigo secreto. At the beginning of December, participants in the game write their name on a piece of paper. Each participant takes a paper (but does not reveal the name of the person on it). During the month there are exchanges of correspondence among the participants who use apelidos. On Christmas, family and friends gather to reveal their secret friends and offer them a special gift.
In Portugal, the winter holidays are very important, as families get together, sharing the joy of the holidays. Every house and every small town display the Crèche. On Christmas Eve, families gather for the consoada, which traditionally consists of boiled codfish and potatoes with cabbage and other vegetables. Traditional fried desserts are served after the meal: filhoses or filhós, rabanadas, azevias, or aletria.
One specific Christmas tradition to Portugal are the Janeiras, which consists of a group of friends or neighbors going from house to house singing and sometimes playing instruments. Traditionally, people go out to the streets to sing Janeiras between December 25 and January 6. While singing, they review the most important events of the year with a spirit of happiness and great humor. At the end, singers are rewarded with chestnuts, nuts, apples, and cured sausages.
Vocabulary
Boas Festas! = Happy Holidays!
Feliz Natal! = Merry Christmas!
Presépio = Nativity scene; the word comes from "presepium", meaning "bed of straws"
Los Pastores = the Shepherds
amigo secreto = secret friend
apelidos = false names
Crèche = Nativity scene
consoada = family dinner
filhoses or filhós = desserts made of fried pumpkin dough
rabanadas = bread mixed with egg and syrup
azevias = round cakes made of a crust filled with a mixture of chick peas, sugar, and orange peel
aletria = vermicelli sweet with eggs, typical of Norte region
Recipe
Bacalhau da Consoada (Portuguese Christmas Eve Cod)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds salt cod, cut into 6 or 8 fillets
- 1 1/2 pounds potatoes, boiled in their skins and peeled while still hot
- 1 large head cabbage, cut into 8 pieces, blanched until just tender
- 12 hard-boiled eggs, sliced in half
- For the sauce
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, per person
- 1 clove garlic, per person, minced
- 1 teaspoon wine vinegar, per person (or less to taste)
Directions
- 1. Rinse the cod under cold running water to remove any surface salt. Place the fish pieces in a large nonreactive pot, cover with water and refrigerate (covered) for 24 hours, changing the water several times.
- 2. Pour off the water, and refill with enough boiling water to cover the fish by several inches. Cover the pan with a heavy dishtowel and leave the cod to soak in the hot water for 30 minutes. (If the fish isn’t cooked fully, simmer gently until finished.) Drain the cod, and remove any bits of skin or bone.
- 3. To make the sauce, bring the oil and garlic to a boil in a small saucepan, remove from the heat, add the vinegar, beat well and serve in a sauceboat.
Note: All these items must be cooked at the last minute, just before serving, so as to be brought to the table at their best. They are served on big platters, separately.
Janeiras (Portuguese carols)
Boas Noites Meus Senhores
Boas noites meus senhores
Boas noites vimos dar
Vimos pedir as Janeiras
Se no-las quiserem dar
Aqui vimos, aqui vimos
Aqui vimos bem sabeis
Vimos dar as boas festas
E também cantar os reis
Ano Novo Ano Novo
Ano Novo melhor ano
Vimos cantar as Janeiras
Como é de lei cada ano
Levante linda senhora
Desse banquinho de prata
Venha-nos dar as Janeiras
Que está um frio que mata
As Janeiras são cantadas
Do Natal até aos Reis
Olhai lá por vossa casa
Se há coisa que nos deis
Ano Novo Ano Novo
Ano Novo melhor ano
Vimos cantar as Janeiras
Como é de lei cada ano
Vimos cantar as Janeiras
Como é de lei cada ano
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