Funchal's Gala Dress

It is almost the end of the month October. We just had to change all the clocks to the new wintertime (one hour back). However … I doubt now seriously. Is it one hour back? or … one month ahead? Why? Because if you go to Funchal now …. it was as if its Christmas already. The whole building, galleries, shopping windows, forecourt, wall etc. are all decorated with Christmas adornments.

Walking through the gallery I am already getting the season feeling. I remember my first Christmas on Madeira last year. Above all the ‘dress’ of Funchal. It is actually an ‘evening dress’ embroidered with thousands of coloured lights, which the city of Funchal starts wearing at begin of the month December. It is a spectacular panorama. During these nights you can put away your map of Funchal, because the city itself offers you a road map through the chain of lights that each street, each lamp post, each church and each bridge sparkles like jewels on a black velvet cloth.

In the Netherlands (and other countries) most of the people enjoy their Christmas days at home, in front of the fireplace, cosy and warm, with their hot drinks (hot chocolate), and Christmas music softly playing in the background. Here on the island of Madeira the inside experience takes place outside. Wandering through the magical streets of Funchal that has turned into one big nativity scenery. Hearing the various songs and music announcing the arrival of ‘Natal’. Enjoying the several cultural and artistic events that are organised for both natives and tourists. Not only Funchal becomes a natural amphitheatre during these days, but also the other towns around the island have taken over the same approach to enchant people with lights, colours and warmth.

And there will be no time to recover from the Christmas day’s as the magic will continue. Various parties will be taking place in hotels, restaurants, bars and the streets. Just wander through the lighted streets you are sure to be swept up in the festivities somewhere. And then there is the New Year’s Eve.

A lot has been said about the Revellion – New Year’s Eve on Madeira (and still they will continue to talk about it). I will summarize it in one word: spectacular!

In the Netherlands people spend millions of euros each year buying fireworks. A common household spends about 150 euros on firework, with the final goal to see it all explode in their own backyard.

On the révellion of Madeira you take wine and food instead …. invite your family and friends, finding a nice spot with a view over the city of Funchal … and then wait on the stroke of midnight, when the o so peaceful stars in the sky will disappear for about 10-15 minutes. During those minutes it seems that all the light and colors from the ‘evening dress’, have decided to rocket up into the sky, duplicate themselves by a thousand times more and bursts into a myriad of colours above the harbour. In the meantime you hear the peal of bells from the churches, the sirens of cruise ships and cargo vessels, culminating in the spectacular firework display. People cheering, hugging each other, toasting on the arrival of the New Year and wishing all the good things in life to one and another.

After this there are still a few days more to feast.

All the December celebrations are finally brought to a close on Epiphany (6th of January). The lights are then extinguished and Funchal takes down her lights–embroidery evening dress for another year.