Holidays and Special Occasions

Learn about the Entrudo Chocalheiro tradition that takes place during Carnival in the village of Podence.

It’s time for the annual Practice Portuguese Holiday Party! Grab a cozy drink (jeropiga, anyone?) and join us for some festive fun. This year, Rui and Joel asked: What Christmas Gift do you NOT want to receive? Obrigado to all who participated, and to all of our members who have supported Practice Portuguese for another […]

Join the Practice Portuguese team at their headquarters for a festive “White Elephant” gift exchange. Will they steal “presentes” from each other like savages, or play fair like good little Portuguese citizens?

What’s better than stuffing your face with bolo-rei? Sharing it with friends, of course! Join the Practice Portuguese team as we explore the delicious holiday sweets that make Christmas time in Portugal so special.

Get in the holiday spirit with the Practice Portuguese team as they gather around the Christmas tree to decorate, share their favourite memories, and even belt out some Christmas tunes!

Damiana and Rui chat about what they like to do during different seasons of the year in Portugal. (Recorded in September 2024)

The team celebrates Dia de São Martinho with roasted chestnuts and jeropiga.

Do the Portuguese celebrate Halloween?

Estamos de volta! Returning to the roots of where this all started back in 2013, Rui and Joel are reviving our flagship Podcast! Although we’re releasing video episodes, we’ll also keep our audio-only listeners in mind, so you can subscribe to our podcast feed in your favourite app and listen while on-the-go. In this episode, […]

Join Rui and Joel in their “distraction-free” environment… as they say “tchau” to 2023, in this annual Practice Portuguese Holiday Party! Brave Portuguese learners showcased their homemade holiday recipes for a chance to win a year-long Premium Subscription. A heartfelt “obrigado” to all of you who sent in videos to make this episode possible. Thanks […]

Win a 1 year Premium membership to Practice Portuguese (worth €153!) Send a video to @practice_portuguese on Instagram (as a DM), explaining in Portuguese a festive dish or drink you’ve prepared. You’ll be featured in our 2023 Holiday Party episode, and if your video is our favourite, you’ll win a full year of access to […]

Happy Portugal Day!

Spring is here, so it’s time to learn about the Portuguese tradition of “Os Maios”!

Here’s a little glimpse of what our Easter Sunday looked like at home earlier today. The struggle was definitely real, spending the day arguing with our 3-year-old about how much chocolate she should be allowed to eat! Almost as impressive as her negotiating skills, you’ll get to hear how our daughter’s language is coming along, […]

Christmas has come and gone, but the Holiday Party 2022 is just getting started! Rui and Joel celebrate the holiday season with video submissions from our Instagram contest, with some hot wine mixed in for good measure. A special guest will draw the winner (or two?) to find out who wins a free Practice Portuguese […]

What are your New Year’s resolutions?

Magusto is a celebration that happens on o Dia de São Martinho in Portugal. Follow along for an amusing retelling of the legend of St. Martin, and to find out what type of food and drinks you can enjoy on this day.

Learn about the São João festival in Porto! This famous festival has many unique traditions and symbols, from plastic hammers to the cascatas that are built and displayed along the streets. Cascatas means waterfalls or cascades, but here it refers to models of miniature villages, showing scenes from life long ago.

Walk through Lisbon with Rui and Joel as they explore the annual festivities of Santo António!

Mónica attends an old friend’s wedding reception and has a quick chat with the father of the bride.

Learn how to celebrate New Years Eve, Portuguese style!

Despite Clara breaking half of our decorations, Rui and Joel manage to celebrate the holidays with the help of our members, who share with us their favourite holiday decorations. As you’d expect from us, there are lots of surprises throughout, (and you’ll learn lots of Portuguese without even realizing it!) Obrigado to everyone who generously […]

It’s almost time for the Consoada and Joana and Pedro are already anxious about spending Christmas-time with their quirky family members.

Learn more about All Saints’ Day in Portugal.