Christmas In Brazil

In memory of our dear departed friend Leighton Gage, founder of the Murder is Everywhere blog, I am reposting one of his blogs appropriate for the season. Like all of us who knew him and were bathed in the warmth of his friendship, he was unforgettable! Annamaria

Brazil has immigrants from just about any place you can mention.

So we've imported Christmas traditions from just about everywhere.

But you’re busy today with your own traditions, right?

And I’m also very occupied with my own.

So how about if I just show you a few pictures of the sort of stuff that goes on down here this time of year.

This photograph was taken at the 2012 Light Festival in the City of Gramado, a city in Brazil’s southernmost state.

It bills itself as the country’s largest Christmas celebration.

And runs for 72 days, from the 1st of November until the 30th of January.

There’s a huge program, a new event taking place almost every day during the entire period.

Concerts.

Stage shows.

Parades.

Fireworks and fun of all sorts.

And, as befits the name, the whole town is lit up. I think it's safe to say that obody in Brazil does Christmas better than Gramado.

But some do it bigger. This is Gramado's Christmas tree. And, big as it is, it's dwarfed by...

...São Paulo’s. Erected in Ibirapuera Park, it’s 68 meters tall (about 223 feet).

Rio de Janeiro goes us one better. Theirs floats. And it's even larger – 85 meters (about 279 feet.)

But Brazil’s granddaddy of all Christmas trees is in Aracaju, the capital of the northeastern state of Sergipe. It’s a colossus that tops out at over 110 meters (a little over 361 feet.)

Pretty impressive, huh?

Happy Holidays to All.

Leighton – Christmas Eve 2012