Children’s Day in Brazil
O Dia das Crianças, or ‘Children’s Day’ is celebrated across Brazil on October 12th of each year. The day coincides with the national holiday celebrating Nossa Senhora de Conceição Aparecida, or Our Lady of the Conception who Appeared, the patron saint of Brazil.
Though there exists an International Children’s Day (typically observed on June 1st), Brazil’s Dia das Crianças has a different origin and date. Interestingly, the Dia das Crianças was designated by a politician in the 1920’s in Brazil, but was only widely celebrated after a marketing campaign, the ‘Semana do Bebê Robusto’ popularized the notion in 1960.
The culture of Brazil certainly treasures their children on every day, and the Dia das Crianças is no exception. Middle-class families frequently go out of their way to purchase whatever presents their child desires. All this just a few months before Natal (Christmas), when the process is in large part repeated… what a life!
Here are some words regarding children and also words rooted in the verb ‘criar.’
a criança the child
o filho the son
a filha the daughter
criar to create, to raise children
criador creator
a criação the creation
a criatura the creature
O Dia das Crianças is celebrated in other Lusophonic countries such as Mozambique and Portugal; both of these countries celebrated Children’s Day on the International date, June 1st.
