While Halloween is not a Brazilian holiday, it has gained more popularity in Brazil in recent years. Also known as Dia das Bruxas (Day of the Witches), some people hold parties where guests go wearing fantasias (costumes) or máscaras(masks). It’s not a very common holiday to celebrate, but some people dress up or decorate. Here’s a little video about Halloween crafts and how to decorate for Halloween.
However, because of the influence of Halloween, a new holiday emerged. In order to celebrate Brazilian culture, October 31st was named Dia do Saci, to honor one of Brazil’s folklore legends. Here’s a little children’s video about Saci.
Though it’s not a Halloween tradition, Brazil has its own genre of horror movies. One of the best known directors is José Mojica Marins, known as Zé do Caixão. He was recently profiled in The New York Times. Here’s an interesting video about the director in Portuguese.
