Brazilian exchange student hoping for white Christmas in Southeast Missouri

"Christmas is about the same here as in Brazil," said Marcos Alves, a foreign exchange student from Fortaleza, Brazil.

"Decorations and Christmas trees are very similar. They have Santa Claus -- he looks like the same fat guy as here. People in Brazil also light their houses and put up fake trees. We make a big deal of Christmas in Brazil, too."

But the Chaffee High School senior has already experienced some culture shock surrounding the holidays. There's the weather, for one. In Brazil, the temperature hovers around 80 degrees all year. This year, he's hoping to experience a white Christmas for the first time.

Food

On Christmas Eve, Alves eats at a restaurant with his extended family. They usually arrive about 10 p.m. and don't finish until well after midnight. The main course is fish, but chicken, turkey and vegetables are also served. The feast is known as Ceia de Natal. In some families, the Ceia de Natal is served after Midnight Mass.

Alves sleeps late on Christmas Day. After opening presents, he heads to his grandmother's house, where they have another feast. Fruit is used for decoration, as are fresh flowers.

Classic Brazilian Christmas food includes turkey, rice and fruit.

Weather

December is summer in Brazil, and temperatures rise to the upper 80s. When Alves came to America, he had to buy winter clothes, including a jacket. He wears shorts, flip-flops and T-shirts most of the year at home.

Santa physically looks the same as the Santa North Americans know -- chubby with a bushy white beard. But instead of a heavy red suit, Papai Noel often is depicted in cool silk clothing and short sleeves.

Children don't hang stockings in Brazil because most people don't have fireplaces, but they decorate the outside of their houses.

Secret Santa gift-giving is a strong tradition among friends and family.

Entertainment

During Christmas break, Alves heads to his family's beach house to catch some rays or go swimming during his two-week break. His home city, Fortaleza, is home to more than 3 million people, and Alves is used to being able to walk to the movies or a club.

In larger cities, fireworks are set off for Christmas, and celebrations continue until Jan. 6, known as Three Kings Day, when the wise men arrived in biblical times. Singing and dancing round out the festivities.