Celebrating Halloween, as we know it, here in Portugal is a relatively new social phenomenon. Witches and ghouls galore, kids’ parties, commercial tra la la. This concept doesn’t mean anything to the Portuguese. Thank globalisation for this commercial orgy.
Halloween here is usually spent at the cemetery in preparation for All Saints’ Day, 1 November. On this day, the cemetery will be alive with activity and the smell of bleach. Come rain or shine the family grave will be washed and scrubbed
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Christmas around the world – Portugal
I love Christmas, always have done. I’m not a practising Christian (don’t hold that against me) but I just love the build up, the colours – red, green, white, gold, the lights, the christmassy images of snow-covered pine trees, log fires, reindeer, snow, candles, christmassy flower arrangements, the friendly Santa faces – it’s feel good time for me.
I spent six months in Norway in my youth working on a farm and one day in September we went to the mountains.
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