In the light of decolonial contemporaneity and a global South perspective, what about Santa in the tropical hemisphere? What is Brazilian Santa like?  Have we ever thought of a full Brazilian representation of this Christmas character? Or else, have we ever wondered why Santa Claus’s niche sticks with our minds every year?

The well-known old-bearded man wearing warm clothing and boots, riding a sled pulled by reindeers, is historically associated with the North.  

On top of that, Brazilians have long listened to traditional Christmas songs from the North, which have a common discourse about the white color, making reference to snow, such as “White Christmas”, “Let it snow”, “Sleigh ride”, and so forth.

With this whiteness in mind, tropical countries have historically decorated houses, shopping malls, and stores under the North tradition and marketing niches at Christmas time.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: It’s about time to redefine and reframe Christmas cultural aspects glocally. Building up the notion of the “I” and the “other.” Recognizing that foreign cultures encompass ideological issues and still many colonial values, which we need to discuss, reflect on, and dialogue about.

In Brazil, what’s Brazilian Santa like from a decolonial view? We would have a long-bearded older man at the beach, sitting on the sand, drinking some coconut water, under a palm tree, wouldn’t we?

We all know Santa is just a folk character that has been made up for marketing purposes. Yet, we must be aware that it is essential to recognize and respect our cultural representations and values upon which it is based.

All in all, cultural representations must stick to local traditions and beliefs. According to Corbett et al. (2010, p. 05), there should be a democratic coexistence between cultures, seeking integration between them without cancelling their diversity, that is, “fostering the creative and vital potential resulting from the relationship between different agents and their respective contexts”.

References:

ALMEIDA, R. S. What’s Brazilian Santa like? Revista Cultural Contemporartes. Coluna Language & Culture. 15 Dec 2023.

CORBETT, J. et al. Intercultural Language Activities. Cambridge Handbooks for Teachers. Cambridge: CUP, 2010.

Images:

It is available at https://www.istockphoto.com/br/fotos/santa-claus

It is available at https://br.pinterest.com/pin/248190629438462932/

It is available at https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/coca-cola-christmas-30s/1108708