Dia dos Namorados

Feliz dia dos Namorados!

When: June 12th every year.
Where: Brazil.

In Brazil, the Dia dos Namorados (“Day of the Enamored”, or Boyfriends’ / Girlfriends’ Day) is celebrated by lovers exchanging gifts, chocolates, cards and flowers.

June 12th was chosen for this day probably because it is the day before Saint Anthony’s day (St Anthony being known as the marriage Saint) when traditionally many single girls perform popular rituals, called simpatias, in order to find a good husband or boyfriend. Girls write the names of three potential boyfriends on small pieces of paper and place them under their pillow on the night of June 12th. The one they pick out first in the morning is to be their fate.

Brazilian Food & Drink

Brazilians love their cakes as much as their fiestas. There are always loads of food stalls selling cassava cake (a Festa Junina staple), peanut brittle, carrot cake, corn cake etc and the tasty quentão which is a hot alcoholic drink made with ginger among other things. Try our deliciously sticky Brazilian Carrot cake recipe.

Travel to Brazil

Book flights and hotels anywhere in Brazil with ebookers.com or complete package holidays with Kuoni.

Pack off your troubles! Also known as “trouble dolls” these little dolls originating from Guatemala in South America, have very special powers. According to legend, you must tell one worry to each doll when you go to bed at night, and then place the dolls under your pillow. In the morning the dolls have taken all your worries away!

Te Amo by mzdoherty, on Flickr