By: Maria Barreto nº6 Maria Leonor Gomes nº9 Marta Sofia nº12 January 2010

Christmas In Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus

After December 8th, the children used to go with adults to take moss. They made the crèche and put around the little corn field, planted in November.

Depois do dia de N. Sr.ª da Conceição They also used to go with their parents and took a Christmas Tree, decorated it and put it beside the crèche. Nowadays the tree is fake, or they buy it at the market.

In the afternoon of December 24th people started to prepare dinner, that usually consisted in:  Roasted pork loin  Fried fish with finely chopped greens. Nowadays we also eat codfish and shellfish.

Dia 24 de Dezembro During the evening we used to prepare the dougth with the rolling pin and we make traditional sweets such as:  filhós  azevias They were fried in crackling oil, in a pot settled under a trivet.They came out crispy and after they were powdering with sugar. Nowadays all of this sweets are made before the 24th, and we use to eat a lot of chocolats and candies.

Dia 24 de Dezembro We used to spend the evening around the fire, stretching out when more family members come.

Dia 24 de Dezembro After there were children party. At midnight Little Jesus came and took the gifts, some chocolates, some socks or other clothes. Of course the chocolate figures are the appraised. Nowadays the children receive a lot of toys.

Dia 24 de Dezembro Adults used to play Zabumba and Sing to the Little Jesus. And they drink hot chocolate. Nowadays, they don’t play zabumba.

We didn’t use to go to the church. At this time our region, Alentejo, was considered a place where people have a small participation in religious celebrations. Nowadays, it’s a tradition to go to the cock mass.

At December 25th, we cook the turkey, before it was drunk with brandy. We use the blood to make cabidela rice ( stewed giblets), for lunch and for dinner, turkey broth and roasted turkey. Dia 25 de Dezembro