Family, always family..
The family remains essential for social interaction, with children traditionally living close to their parents, to be able to assist them in times of need. Families can still have many members who love to get together on special occasions, as the notion of the head of the family or the idea of the family Sunday meal is still relevant. These celebrations refer to all family events (church weddings, baptisms...), but also to popular festivals in honour of the patron saints which occupy an important place in the calendar: the opportunity to go out, dance, sing, share moments of conviviality.
As in the Latin countries of southern Europe, the inhabitants love to get together in the afternoon and discuss everything and anything. It is not uncommon to see grandmothers sitting on the doorstep chatting and exchanging the latest gossip. It must be said that here the feeling of isolation is rare and the elderly continue to be cared for at home or by their relatives, in general.Morals and Marriage for all in Portugal
The evolution of customs still remains very fluctuating depending on the region and the size of the municipalities. The customs of the Portuguese may therefore be at the antipodes according to their respective origins and level of education. Nevertheless, it should be noted that, in general, thanks to new consumption patterns and globalisation, society is changing considerably. This concerns in particular the composition of families and the freedom of women, and it also involves another revolution: gay marriage. Like many European Union countries, Portugal now allows marriage between two men or two women. Surprisingly, it even ranks among the first countries in the world to have allowed this practice. And this favourable opinion was all the more surprising when one considers how attached the Portuguese are to their principles of Christian faith.
Traditional marriage
Even if globalization leads to the standardization of behaviors, we remain very attached to the traditions of marriage. For example, it is still customary for the groom to ask the father for his bride's hand in marriage. Once the precious blessing has been granted, the bride and groom can move on to the preparation stage. The banquet and all expenses related to the ceremony and the feast are traditionally taken care of by the bride's parents. The groom's family, for their part, gives the bride and groom a very valuable gift that is usually... a house. The time will come to choose a godfather and godmother who will take on the delicate role of marriage counsellor and guide them throughout their lives. It is always customary, after the festivities, to leave the scene in a car with noisy objects in the back, symbols of joy and elation.
A few very local peculiarities: the parents and grandparents of the bride and groom attend the bachelor parties. The bride's veil is used to protect her from bad spells. It is customary to deposit money in the bride's shoe and pass it around among the guests. And, more surprisingly, if one of the bride and groom has a brother or sister who is always a heart to take, he or she will dance barefoot during the party to find... the right shoe!
Tradition dictates that only 4 wedding anniversaries are celebrated in Portugal: 10 years, 25 years, 50 years and 60 years. An occasion that gives rise to a real celebration, to which relatives and friends are invited. Yes, yes, all this still exists.Football, a national passion
Soccer is a tradition in Portugal, almost a second religion. Whether in the city or in the villages, when a match takes place, people gather in cafes or at a neighbor's house to be together and enjoy the magic of the sport. If you bring up the subject and mention Cristiano Ronaldo, the multi award-winning national hero, you will detect an unparalleled pride in the eyes of your Portuguese interlocutor. The different reactions that follow the victories illustrate that soccer is indeed part of the national identity and has a deep meaning, a vector of affirmation in a modern Europe.
Never without my telenovela
Portugal represents a large world market for the telenovela, a television genre that is unanimously acclaimed by the Portuguese public. In fact, as it does not undergo any local dubbing transformation, due to the cultural and linguistic association with Brazil, it has become a must in the national audiovisual territory. The reasons for this success are partly explained by the fact that they have social functions such as entertainment, pedagogy and regulation of the values of the society. A pedagogy which is noticed through the will to approach themes such as contraception, adolescence or a new image of the woman, which makes of it an undeniable vehicle of influence as regards social standards. In the 1990s, the Portuguese audiovisual landscape was transformed with the arrival of channels specializing in telenovelas, which competed fiercely for audience. This reception had a number of influences on society, linguistic (expressions such as " tudo bem? " or " ta legal " are easily heard) but also social. This is the case, for example, of the expression of affection: men from the same family who used to shake hands as a sign of affection no longer hesitate to kiss each other today.
A different time dimension
Just as every country has its own culture, it has its own version of punctuality. It is also what constitutes the uniqueness and charm of a nation. The local population has a rather peculiar character: here you are never in a hurry. This nonchalance is noticeable on a daily basis in the Algarve: the absence of large metropolises and the resulting stress means that the pace of life could be described as "pressure-free", normal under the sun!
