Christmas with Portuguese Families 2024

Christmas is a time for sharing and reconnecting with those we love the most! Unfortunately, sometimes for international students, it can be difficult to return home for the holidays, so how can they enjoy this time in a different, yet special way?

The answer is “Christmas with Portuguese Families” (CWPF) - an ESN Portugal project that takes place each year, on December 24th and 25th, which allows international students, living in Portugal, to experience an authentic Portuguese Christmas! By bringing local Portuguese families and international students together, this project enables the sharing of cultures, experiences, and traditions while experiencing a warm family atmosphere!

Photo: Bárbara Magalhães

In this 2024 edition, 50 Portuguese families from 10 different Portuguese districts signed up to host students at their Christmas lunch or dinner, and 78 international students from 37 different countries participated in CWPF!

Overall, the Portuguese families highlighted “sharing Christmas traditions and Portuguese hospitality with international students” and “learning about different cultures and traditions of the student’s countries of origin” as the top highlights of this initiative. While, the international students mentioned how much they loved “experiencing authentic Portuguese Christmas traditions” and “sharing my own cultural traditions and engaging in a cultural exchange”.

CWPF also brings learning opportunities to everyone involved! For Portuguese families the top learning of this experience was “creating a safe space for cultural exchange and mutual understanding” and for the international students was that they “gained a deeper understanding of Portuguese culture and traditions”.

Photo: Tamar Umekashvili

“It was an amazing experience spending Christmas with a Portuguese family. The warmth and hospitality they showed made the holiday unforgettable. The family made us feel at home, and their kindness really touched us. It was truly a Christmas to remember, full of joy, laughter and great memories.” - said an international student.

“The chance to share Portuguese culture and welcome someone into my family was incredible and better than I could ever have imagined. I made a fantastic new friend and learned more about a culture I didn't know. Furthermore, it felt good to be able to host someone who would have spent Christmas alone and share the magic of Christmas with her.” - a Portuguese family testimonial.

This edition of CWPF proved once again the solidarity and hospitality of Portuguese families. They opened their homes to new people, different cultures and traditions, showed empathy, inclusion and respect for international students and that they will always have a home in Portugal!

Photo: İrem Akpınar