My least favorite time of year in Brazil

I have to admit that I'm an absolute nut for Halloween, have been since my early childhood and only became more macabre as an adult. I would set up a haunted graveyard display out front every year, complete with tombstones, skeletons, full-size coffin wired for sound so the corpse would talk to the kids. I'd guide them through the display dressed as an old time undertaker. It was probably more fun for me than for them.

I also love to cook so Thanksgiving has always been a very big part of autumn for me back in Canada. I'd always do up a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings, and of course a delicious pumpkin pie heaped with whipped cream to top dinner off.

Well, Halloween has never really been celebrated much here in Brazil, although it's starting to become more popular in the past couple of years. Other than the celebrations in English schools you won't see people in costume everywhere you turn, like back in Canada. Even in the workplace people dressed in freaky costumes, but not here.

Although Brazilians do have Dia de Ações de Graça, and since 1949 it has been fixed as being the fourth Thursday in November, it is not a holiday in Brazil and it is not widely celebrated either. In most places it's just too darned hot for such a large heavy meal anyway.

Also having been born and raised in Southern Ontario, Canada the thing I really miss most of all is the changing color of the entire landscape. The blazing reds, oranges and yellows that paint the countryside. None of that here unfortunately.

Cheers,
James    Expat-blog Experts Team