Madeira – Boas Festas!

December in Madeira is a BIG PARTY!

For six weeks, December 1 – January 6, Madeira is filled with lights. Miles and miles of white lights are draped along the roads. As you drive or look up, the mountains are filled with light and decorations. Each village has its own flavor, but the glitter award goes to Funchal.

The Christmas Lights “SWITCH ON” is December 1st.

Things Happen!

December 9th marks the opening night of the Christmas Market stalls.

It’s a big deal every day, morning to night, culminating on Dec 23^rd the traditional Market Night, when farmer’s products fill the streets in and around Funchal’s Lavradores Mercado.

This festive night begins in the late afternoon and extends to dawn with a traditional Christmas Carol sing-a-long, plus bands and folk groups. I think people come for the poncha and bolo de caco, Maderian flatbread served with garlic butter. Addictive.

Madeiran Traditions

Folk Dances.

Daily Childbirth Masses (Missas do Parto)

Starting December 16^th, every island parish holds a Missa do Parto before Christmas. The 6 AM mass is followed by celebrations and singing of carols in the churchyard.

Regional Nativity Sceneries – Unlike No Other

Rarely simple, lapinhal or presépios are built with sturdy brown paper scrunched and painted for the mountains, valleys and ravines. Elaborate village scenes with houses, paths, church, levadas, and fields, are populated with figurines, sculptures, or dolls dressed to represent historic Madeiran life. Included is the stable with M/J/J visited by shepherds and three kings.

The Monte sleds cruising beside one of the 3 kings.

Funchal’s Life-size Nativity

Curral das Freiras Mega Display

The multi-roomed mega presépio in the remote village of Curral das Freiras (Nuns Valley) is one of the island’s most popular, with over 26,000 paying visitors in 2023. 

New Year’s Eve Fireworks

Madeira’s show is grand! Bombastic fireworks blast from 59 stations staged across Funchal’s hills, piers, and sea. With 9 cruise ships blowing their horns, the display was SO MUCH that I thought the barge had blown up! All good . . . all planned.

A No-Coat Christmas! 

December in Madeira, rain, if at all, was brief, with average temperatures between 20 and 25 C (68 – 75 F) The winter sun was wonderful. “Switch Off”, was January 7th.

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