Papai Noel arrives by helicopter at Maracana Soccer Stadium one of the largest soccer stadiums in the world. It s a big party, singers, dancers and local authorities join the event to welcome Christmas and Papai Noel. Families decorate their houses with Christmas trees. Sometimes people use dried branches and they add cotton balls, pretending it s snow. Sometimes the branches are painted white for the same reason.
Many people use homemade ornaments and also store bought ones.
All churches also display the presepios, and many times, children perform the First Christmas story at local schools and church halls. Most families celebrate Christmas Evening and Christmas Day. They pray, sing, eat and drink together. As a rule, families open presents after midnight when Papai Noel delivers the presents. Other families wait until Christmas morning to sit around their tree, or the nativity set and open their gifts.