A Brazilian Gift Says "Style"

Here's a quick look at the country and the people, then on to our Brazilian gift suggestions!

Brazil, a federal republic with 26 States, is the 5th largest country in the world, in both area and population. Brazil is the easternmost nation in the Americas and borders every South American country except Ecuador and Chile. The world's greatest bio-diversity is found in Brazilian ecosystems.

Modern Brazilian culture, flavored by its Amerindian heritage, evolved from the Portuguese colonial period of the 1500s. Portuguese is the official language, Roman Catholicism the predominant religion. African traditions strongly influence Brazilian music, dance and religion, for Brazil received nearly 40% of all African slaves sent to the New World.

Immigrants came by the thousands in the 19th and early 20th Centuries - Europeans (Italians, Spaniards, Germans and Poles) along with Japanese and significant numbers of Lebanese and Syrian Arabs. This diversity is reflected in the language and the regional cuisines of Brazil.

Brazil may be best-known for Carnaval (Portuguese spelling), the annual pre-Lenten festival celebrated for four days before Ash Wednesday. Festivities include music and dancing, street parties and merrymaking, masquerade parties, masked balls, and costumed "samba school" parades.

Neighborhood Blocos spend the whole year preparing floats and costumes for Carnaval competitions. Pre-selected themes may honor a person, organization or event, or satirize a political issue. Carnaval themes, music and other traditions vary by region; those of Rio de Janeiro are probably the best known internationally.

Things to Wear:

If you're looking for a Brazilian gift for a woman, Novica offers hundreds of handcrafted necklaces, earrings and other jewelry. Listed under apparel is this unusual (and pretty) crochet-work belt made of fine copper wire and translucent beads.

Less expensive are these clever crocheted "chain mail" belts made with recycled pop tops. This artisan also makes pop top handbags - here's a shoulder bag for example - environmentally friendly gifts, to be sure!

Collectibles:

The African Candomblé religion inspires this "Ocean Mother Goddess" statuette - one of the orixás (gods) representing elements of nature. The figure is cast in resin from a hand carved wooden sculpture - a fascinating Brazilian gift for the collector of ethnic art.

A colorful Carnaval mask such as "the Doctor," or the more realistic "Spotted Jaguar" is a uniquely Brazilian gift. Both are crafted of leather, hand painted and ready to wear. Great gifts for a collector (or someone celebrating Carnaval!).

The perfect Brazilian gift for a man could be this elegant Chess Set. The pieces are hand carved from green and light brown soapstone, and the contrasting colors are repeated in the handcrafted chess board. A chess set is also a good family gift idea.

A Gemstone Tree made with genuine gemstones is an unusual and graceful gift for a gardener or someone who loves bonsai plants. This one, called "Agate Wealth," has trunk and branches fashioned from brass wire. Oh, and agate is the 14th anniversary gift in the "modern" tradition.

Home Accents:

Art Glass includes both handblown and fused glass items. This imaginative "Rivers" centerpiece and this stunning centerpiece with a stand are fused glass: pigment is applied by hand between two layers of glass that are then fused at high temperature. Blown glass gifts include statuettes, decanters, soap dishes, and paperweights.

Murano glass is made with a technique brought to Brazil by Italian immigrants in the early 20th Century from Murano Island near Venice. This handblown vase is water tight, unlike many decorative vases - a lovely and functional Brazilian gift for mom.

A handcrafted sisal rug is an attractive gift for anyone's home. Novica obtains this Brazilian gift through APAEB, a fair trade association in Velente, Bahia, dedicated to improving social and economic conditions for the area's small farmers and artisans.

How about a hand tooled, hand stitched leather ottoman - a luxurious Brazilian gift for the man in your life, or maybe a Fathers Day gift for Dad. Perfect for putting his feet up at day's end, the ottoman can double as extra seating when he has lots of company.

A tile mosaic-framed mirror will bring bright and cheerful Brazilian colors to your recipient's home. A cheerful bridal shower gift, a mirror would also be a great housewarming gift!

	Rugged mountains and steamy jungle rivers add to the beauty and romance of Brazil.

Paintings:

Hundreds of paintings in a dozen categories are sure to include a Brazilian gift that your recipient(s) will love. Listed in the Brazilian Culture category, "Brazilian Mix" portrays Brazil's ethnic diversity in a group of young people at the beach.

Brazilian paintings often feature the favela (a dense neighborhood of low income hillside homes on the outskirts of a city). "Peace in the Favela," listed in the Land and Seascapes category, is a good example. This color photograph of a favela provides an interesting comparison.

In the Surrealist category is a striking Brazilian gift called "Shark." Its distinctive style captures the eye and the imagination. This painting would be an exciting gift for a guy who loves marine adventure!

There's lots more!

Wait till you see all the Brazilian Gift choices at NOVICA, which operates in association with National Geographic. Let me add that I have made purchases from National Geographic (over the years AND recently) and have received consistently high quality merchandise and prompt, courteous customer service. You can shop at NOVICA with confidence!