by Ella, age 8 from Orlando, asks Pai Natal about Portuguese Christmas Eve traditions and the dish bacalhau.
A Letter to Pai Natal from Ella in Orlando, Florida
Dear Pai Natal, my name is Ella and I am eight years old. I live in Orlando, Florida, and my pen pal lives near Lisbon, so I have questions for you:
- Do children leave their shoes by the fireplace for you?
- Do you bring gifts to every Portuguese child?
- Do you bring presents on Christmas Eve in Portugal?
- Do you come down the chimney?
- Do you have helpers or elves?
- Do you have reindeer, or do you have a different way to travel?
- Do you look like the American Santa Claus?
- Do you wear a long red coat that goes all the way down to your ankles?
- Where do you live, the North Pole or Portugal?
- Your name means Father Christmas in Portuguese, is that like Santa?
- Geography: What ocean borders Portugal along its entire western coastline?
- Social Studies: In Portugal, Christmas Eve dinner traditionally features a dish called bacalhau. What is this dish made from, and why might a fish dish be a traditional Christmas Eve meal in a historically Catholic country?
Love, Ella
Pai Natal Writes Back
Do children leave their shoes by the fireplace for you?
Yes, Ella, Portuguese children traditionally leave a shoe near the fireplace, hoping to find it filled with small treats and gifts in the morning.
Do you bring gifts to every Portuguese child?
I try to reach every child across Portugal, from the busy streets of Lisbon to small coastal fishing villages.
Do you bring presents on Christmas Eve in Portugal?
Christmas Eve, called Consoada, is my big night, right after a large family dinner that often stretches late into the evening.
Do you come down the chimney?
Chimney, yes, when the home has one, following the same general tradition found across much of Europe.
Do you have helpers or elves?
A small team of helpers assists me, though Portuguese Christmas traditions tend to focus more on family gatherings than a big toy factory story.
Do you have reindeer, or do you have a different way to travel?
I keep a sleigh and reindeer for the long trip, though I will admit a good pair of walking boots comes in handy along Portugal’s narrow, hilly old town streets.
Do you look like the American Santa Claus?
Quite similar these days, red suit and white beard, especially in newer books and store displays.
Do you wear a long red coat that goes all the way down to your ankles?
Yes, a long red coat, often trimmed with white fur, reaching nearly to my ankles.
Where do you live, the North Pole or Portugal?
Modern stories usually place my home at the North Pole, much like the American Santa, even though my traditions are distinctly Portuguese.
Your name means Father Christmas in Portuguese, is that like Santa?
That’s right, Pai Natal simply means Father Christmas, and yes, I am considered Portugal’s own version of Santa Claus.
Geography: What ocean borders Portugal along its entire western coastline?
The Atlantic Ocean stretches along Portugal’s entire western coastline, shaping much of the country’s history as a nation of sailors and explorers.
Social Studies: In Portugal, Christmas Eve dinner traditionally features a dish called bacalhau. What is this dish made from, and why might a fish dish be a traditional Christmas Eve meal in a historically Catholic country?
Bacalhau is a traditional Portuguese dish made from salted, dried codfish, often served as the centerpiece of the Christmas Eve dinner. Fish became a common Christmas Eve meal in many Catholic countries because the evening was traditionally treated as a day of fasting from meat, with the bigger, richer meals saved for Christmas Day itself.
