Christmas in Brazil

I have never celebrated a christmas in Brazil, it is the one time of year I get to go home, but I do spend the build-up to christmas here in the heat. The christmas lights are already up in the streets, our classroom is decorated and trees stand in peoples' house, but somehow it just does not feel like christmas is coming. I associate christmas with cold cloudy days, frost and snow, bare trees, people wrapped up in thick coats and scarves, wearing boots.

Today was like most days, clear blue sky, sun shining brightly, the heat at times suffocating. People walked the beach and pavements in shorts and vests, sunglasses protecting their eyes and flip-flops on their feet. Today was hot and it will only get hotter as the weeks pass, come christmas day it will be difficult to leave the cool shade of the house, except for early morning and evening. I can not imagine what it must be like to spend christmas in this heat. I discovered the other day that like us Brits, the traditional food on christmas day is turkey, however it is not served with roast potatoes, vegetables, stuffing, sausages, bread sauce and gravy but instead, rice, beans and farofa (floury side dish), and for pudding ice cream!