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Brazilian Santa Claus doesn’t have a sleigh and delivers presents by helicopter instead

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Published 13:17 24 Dec 2022 GMT

Brazilian Santa Claus doesn’t have a sleigh and delivers presents by helicopter instead

Brazil's version of Santa sounds a lot more slick

Emily Brown

Emily Brown

Countless Christmas films, cards and songs all tell us the same thing: Santa Claus travels in a sleigh pulled by reindeer. But that's not the case in Brazil.

He doesn't need Prancer, Dancer, Blitzen or even Rudolph, because Brazil's version of the jolly bearded man has been upgraded to a slightly fancier mode of transport to deliver his presents.

Santa does sometimes still uses a sleigh, but rather than relying on four-legged creatures to fly him around, he instead has been known to attach himself to a helicopter or simply ride inside like a true VIP - which, of course, he is.

Santa has been seen in a helicopter in Brazil.
Cliff Hide Local News / Alamy Stock Photo

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Admittedly, it might be a bit harder to hear the jingle of the bells on his sleigh, but you'd definitely hear him coming once those propellers start whizzing around.

Santa Claus is known as Papai Noel in Brazil, and he can be spotted flying about the country throughout December. He visits supermarkets to throw sweets to excited youngsters, and has been known to entertain thousands of people by singing Christmas songs at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

The mystical gift-giver is dressed similarly to the Father Christmas often depicted in America and the UK, though he's likely to break a sweat under his layers as Christmas in Brazil falls in the early days of summer.

Rather than relying on chimneys to enter houses, Santa instead just saunters in through the door, which honestly sounds like much less hassle.

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Families decorate with Christmas trees, fairy lights and tinsel, and a popular way to give presents in the country is the popular game Secret Santa, which involves people buying gifts for one person in particular, rather than numerous people.

Secret Santa is popular in Brazil.
RTimages / Alamy Stock Photo

And when it’s time to hand over the gifts, the person behind the present will often describe the recipient and allow people to guess who it belongs to.

According to Travel Brazil Selection, Christmas carols in the country take on samba rhythms to help ensure people get moving, and companies are known to distribute 'cestas de Natal', or Christmas baskets, to their employees. The baskets are packed with gifts such as sweets and food, which they can take home to share with families.

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On Christmas Eve, residents enjoy a midnight mass to mark the occasion before children head off to bed. Instead of following suit, however, adults celebrate all night as many residents enjoy the Brazilian festival the Folia de Reis.

The festival lasts from December 24 to 6 January and involves door-to-door processions featuring musicians, dancers and singers.

Featured Image Credit: Xinhua / Cliff Hide Local News / Alamy Stock Photo

Topics: World News, Christmas

Emily Brown
Emily Brown

Emily Brown is UNILAD Editorial Lead at LADbible Group. She first began delivering news when she was just 11 years old - with a paper route - before graduating with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University. Emily joined UNILAD in 2018 to cover breaking news, trending stories and longer form features. She went on to become Community Desk Lead, commissioning and writing human interest stories from across the globe, before moving to the role of Editorial Lead. Emily now works alongside the UNILAD Editor to ensure the page delivers accurate, interesting and high quality content.

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