The holiday “season” begins early in Portugal, helped by bank holidays on the 1st December (the Restoration of Independence), and 8th December (The Feast of the Immaculate Conception). By the time these dates arrive, most Portuguese towns are already decked out with trees and sparkly lights.

Although the mild weather in much of Portugal means that it may not quite deliver on “bleak and crisp and even,” the country is still a wonderful place to spend Christmas. Even the Algarve provides evenings cold enough to huddle around the Christmas lights enjoying the “castanhas” (hot roasted chestnuts), available in many towns.

Although the lights, trees and Christmas songs make the yuletide season seem very similar to the season in the UK, there are several differences in how the Portuguese celebrate Christmas, and many of them relate to food.

Mince pies don’t really exist in Portugal, and the English Christmas cake is replaced with a “Bolo Rei” (King’s cake) - a sometimes rather dry, round, creation made with spices and candied fruit.

Although whole turkeys appear on the shelves around Christmas time, and sometimes form part of the Christmas “consoda” feast, the main event, food wise, is a dish featuring boiled “bacalhau” - the dried, salted cod available all over the country.

The Portuguese tend to eat their bacalhau around midnight on Christmas Eve, often after midnight mass. Christmas Eve is really the principle day of the Christmas celebration in Portugal, as it is in many other European countries, but not in Britain. Portuguese children get to open their gifts several hours earlier than their UK counterparts, as they are usually handed over at this midnight celebration, rather than on Christmas day.

Although the global tradition of a decorated tree in every home is prevalent in Portugal, traditionally the Portuguese would instead have an oak Christmas log known as a “cepo de Natal.” This would be burned throughout the day during the consoda feast.

Christmas in Portugal is all about family. The consoda feast is seen as a family reunion, and although the commercialisation of Christmas hasn’t, by any means, passed Portugal by, the country’s strong values relating to family and friendship are what Christmas is about, above all. This is reflected in the large, traditional gatherings that take place during the season. This is Christmas exactly as it should be. Bom Natal!

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