We don’t have Valentine’s Day in Brasil. We have something similar called Dia dos Namorados (Boyfriend/Girlfriend Day, June 12th). It actually applies to anyone who is a couple but it’s not as extensible as v-day. For example, you wouldn’t wish a Feliz Dia dos Namorados to your friends or co-workers.

The funny thing is that, in looking it up on the web, I found out that we used to celebrate v-day in Brasil instead. Read on:

Dia dos Namorados was created in São Paulo, on June 12th 1949 by the owner of a store who wanted to import the idea of Valentine’s Day. Since June is winter time in Brazil, it was also a slow period for retail. So he proposed June 12th (which fell the day before Saint Anthony’s Day, the patron saint of marriage).

Anyway, the whole reason why I started this blog was to talk about my favorite Brazilian holiday. And I won’t get into the whole morals and ethics behind this holiday. The reason why I like it is that it sums up the Brazilian mentality even better than Carnaval. I’m talking about the Dia do Amante which falls on September 22nd (That’s Lover’s Day for those who don’t know Portuguese. Actually, it’s really “illicit”, as in cheating or having an affair, Lover’s Day). It is obviously a recently made-up holiday and I’m not sure who takes credit for this invention. I remember going back to Brazil on vacation several years ago and seeing a billboard advertising gifts for “Dia dos Amantes”. My mom then explained to me that it was some sort of new holiday as though she had just told me, “Oh yeah, it’s a new brand of toothpaste”!

And that is why I think Dia dos Amantes is the most Brazilian of holidays.

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