Christmas Day in Portugal

Date and legal status

Portugal’s Labour Code names December 25 as one of its obligatory public holidays. It also says that activities which are not permitted to operate on Sundays must close or suspend work on an obligatory holiday.[1]

This rule does not mean every workplace must close: the Code provides for employees to work in businesses that are not required to suspend operations. Those employees are entitled to compensatory rest equal to half the hours worked or an additional 50 percent of the corresponding pay, with the employer choosing between the two.[1][2]

Religious meaning and observance

Christmas is a Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus. In Portugal, the national tourism authority describes Midnight Mass, known as the Rooster’s Mass, and nativity scenes displayed in churches and homes as part of the season’s observances.[3]

The main family gathering often begins on Christmas Eve. Families commonly share a meal that includes cod, and gifts may be exchanged after midnight or the following morning, depending on family custom.[3]

Food and regional customs

Seasonal foods include bolo-rei, a cake with candied or dried fruit, along with sweets and fritters such as broas castelares, filhoses, sonhos and rabanadas. Roast turkey and other meat dishes are also eaten in the days around Christmas.[3]

Roupa velha is made from leftovers of the Christmas Eve meal, including cod and vegetables. Portugal’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development records it as a seasonal dish associated with the area between the Douro and Tâmega rivers.[4]

A regional custom described by the tourism authority is the burning of a large Christmas log in churchyards in places including Bragança, Guarda and Castelo Branco, as well as in some villages. The fire serves as a gathering place for neighbours and friends on Christmas Eve.[3]

Work and opening hours

The Labour Code provides a clear rule for businesses that cannot operate on Sundays: they must close or suspend work on Christmas Day. Businesses allowed to operate on Sundays may remain open, and employees who work there have the holiday protections set out in law.[1][2]

The law does not establish one opening schedule for every shop, restaurant, bank or transport service. Check directly with a particular business or transport operator before making plans, since the legal holiday rule depends on whether that activity is permitted to operate on Sundays.[1]