An Excerpt from “A Portuguese Christmas”
One of the last chapters in my sweet romance novella, A Portuguese Christmas, explores Christmas Eve traditions in Portugal. Krystal, the heroine, is a professional surfer. Adolfo, the hero, is a Portuguese olive farmer. Veronica, Krystal’s cousin, married a Portuguese man and resides in Portugal. Aunt Edite is their elderly aunt and a professional artist. […]
Away in A Manger
In researching A Portuguese Christmas, I learned that on Christmas Eve, many Portuguese families gather around the Christmas tree and Crèche to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Catholicism is the main religion practiced in Portugal, and the Crèche is an extremely important part of Christmas festivities. A fun activity for Portuguese children is collecting materials, […]
A delicious and easy Portuguese Cranberry Sauce Recipe.
Did you know that Thanksgiving doesn’t exist in Portugal? In fact, many Portuguese have never heard of Thanksgiving. And, if you were in Portugal in November and wanted to prepare a Thanksgiving dinner, you would soon find that many of the ingredients are non-existent. Looking for pecans to bake a pecan pie? Nope! Canned pumpkin […]
Does it snow in Portugal during the holiday season?
Feliz Natal means Merry Christmas in Portuguese! I had such fun writing A Portuguese Christmas, my sweet romance contemporary novella. And, in turn, I learned a great deal about Portugal, and the country’s lack of snow during the holiday season. The story is set in December. Krystal Walters, the heroine, is an American professional surfer, […]
Is Halloween observed in Portugal?
In my research for A Portuguese Christmas, I learned that Halloween is not observed in Portugal, although the observance of the American Halloween exists in the more rural areas. On October 31st and November 1st, children go from door to door and ask for sweets, such as honey, walnuts, and small cakes. However, November 1st […]