by Madeira BlogLast updated:: 7:00 AM ET, Thu November 18, 2021 Madeira, the autonomous Portuguese island chain located west of Morocco, celebrates the Christmas holiday with vivacity and spirit, celebrating what they call A Festa, or the party, from December through January.
A Festa begins on December 1, when the islands decorate and turn on their Christmas lights. Walking around the capital of Funchal, travelers can enjoy beautiful tunnels of lights, giant Christmas trees you can enter and the city's own trees wrapped in lights and color.
Travelers to Madeira during A Festa will also notice the Lapinhas, which are displayed in every square, chapel and house in Madeira. Similar to nativity scenes, they feature the baby Jesus but are decorated with locally grown fruit and small pots with sprouted wheat or barley and oftentimes feature Jesus lying not in a manger, but on a small limpet shell, from which the term Lapinha is derived.
Lapinhas can also be quite complex, showcasing Madeira and its people, from historic times to the present, from miniature cities to scenes of religious processions or even washerwomen, fishermen and other locals.
Cooking is an art form in Madeira, and the Christmas holiday makes for a great time to enjoy some of the islands' best dishes. Vinha d'alhos, a dish of marinated meat with garlic and wine, as well as Bolos de Mel, cakes made from sugar cane honey grown and produced on the islands with spices, candied fruits and nuts from around the world are just two Christmas classics to enjoy. Bolos de Mel are traditionally made on December 8, where families and friends come together to bake these Christmas cakes together.
The churches and cathedrals during A Festa also take part in the celebration, where locals go very early each morning to sing the Missas do Parto, masses that symbolize the months of Mary's pregnancy and are dedicated to shepherds, fishermen and others.
Christmas, like elsewhere in the world, is truly a season of welcoming, hospitality and love, and this is especially true in Madeira, when families and friends spend time together, visit each other's homes and enjoy the best of all the abundance they've been given. Travelers to Madeira during A Festa will be welcomed each day with the phrase, "Boas Festas!", or happy holidays.
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