Category Archives: Traditions

Histórias de Saudade – Stories of Longing

Posted by Aug 29, 2021 Our Journey, Portugal in General, Traditions 24 Comments
Histórias de Saudade – Stories of Longing

“Saudade is a vague and constant desire for something that does not and probably cannot exist, for something other than the present.” – Aubrey Bell from his book In Portugal According to Wikipedia saudade “is a deep emotional state of nostalgic or profound melancholic longing for something or someone that one cares for and/or loves. […]

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Feliz Natal

Posted by Dec 20, 2020 Our Journey, Traditions 16 Comments
Feliz Natal

I’m told that it is tradition for families in Portugal to gather on the 24th of December, and like in most cultures it is the dinner table around which it happens. It doesn’t come as a surprise then that the Catholic Church recommends a period of fasting before Christmas. Families gather after Midnight Mass on the […]

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