6 ideas for creating Brazilian Christmas decor

Traditional Christmas and New Year's decorations with pine branches and snow are great for Northern Hemisphere countries, but they are not so suitable for the December climate in Brazil. The summer heat inspires Brazilians to create tropical Christmas decorations. If you create festive decor with elements specific to Brazil, your home will look much more authentic. Here are our 6 ideas for creating a Brazilian Christmas!

Christmas Tree

In Brazil, the traditional Christmas tree is replaced by the raffia palm, olive tree, fig tree, water pachira and even citrus trees such as orange or lemon. Planted in a large pot, they will look great in the living room. And if you have a large yard, you can decorate a tree in the garden and have an outdoor New Year's Eve dinner party.

Bright colours

The official colours of Christmas are red, green and gold. These are the colours most often used in decorations in Western countries. However, this is not a reason to limit yourself to just these three colours.
You can also use bright colours to create a tropical decor. Leaf green can be combined well with blue, red and yellow – typical colours of favourite Brazilian prints. It's also great to use just green in several different shades.

Leaves and flowers

One of the features of plants in tropical climates are the broad green leaves. These can be used as you see fit. For example, you can string a garland of bamboo leaves and decorate it with colourful dried fruits such as oranges. 

Another great idea is to use fern and palm leaves, placing them in small vases. Such decorations will help to cool the room down a bit, which is very important in the Brazilian summer.
Add flowers to your decorations as well. You can make garlands out of them, as well as beautiful table arrangements.

Shells and nautical elements

The beach is a favourite place to celebrate New Year's Eve in Brazil. Therefore, nautical elements should not be left out in any way. If you live on the coast, it will be easier to find interesting options for decor.

Fruit

If hot and heavy food is abundant on the New Year's Eve table in the Northern Hemisphere, then for a tropical celebration, refreshing fruits are ideal to help you cope with the intense December heat. Thanks to their bright colours, they can also serve as decorations too.

Pineapple is a major tropical Christmas trend. There are many creative ways to use this fruit in decorations. Its peel can be used as a stand for floral or other fruit arrangements. And you can also use a large pineapple as a mini Christmas tree, decorating it with garlands and flowers and making it the centrepiece of a festive table.

There are many ways to use Brazilian elements to create a truly tropical New Year in your home. By following our tips, you'll be able to create original decor that your family will love and will make for lots of beautiful photos.

Photo: IStock