The first Sunday in December is traditionally the day when our family decorates our Christmas tree (the outside decorations are handled ‘weather permitting’… I love the ritual but I’m no glutton for wintry challenges, thank you), and this year was no exception.

Turns out we were in good company.

Farther south – to the point where even La Nina appears artic – thousands of people turned out in Rio de Janeiro for the lighting of the world’s largest floating Christmas tree in the Brazilian city’s Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon. Here’s a slide show and you can check out the video here.

A concert, featuring master of ceremonies Jose Mayer and singer Simone, officially inaugurated the Christmas celebrations Saturday in the city, which will conclude the holiday season with a big party on New Year’s Eve.

Of course, Rio is the host city for the 2016 Olympic Games and will offer a huge concert and fireworks on December 31st, with residents and visitors ringing in 2010 on Copacabana, Ipanema, Botafogo and Leblon beaches.

The 85-meter (278-foot) floating tree, adorned with 2.9 million lights and 1,600 Christmas ornaments, required 52 kilometers (32 miles) of cables to light.

A 40-member youth choir and the 56-member Barra Mansa symphonic band provided the background music for Saturday’s lighting ceremony. The floating Christmas tree has its own sound system, playing Christmas music recorded in Italy until Three Kings’ Day on Jan. 6.

By the way – in case you’re wondering – the 520-ton tree has already made it into the Guinness World Records as the largest tree of its kind in the world. Examiner.com

My Brazilian Music Pick of the Day

Simply put, pianist Lori Mecham’s ‘Brazilian Christmas’ is one of our favorite Brazilian-themed holiday CDs – a beautifully crafted instrumental set which combines the natural elegance of the Bossa beat with the quiet charm of these end-of-year evergreens.

This album plays like new fallen snow and Mechem (who is a stalwart of the Nashville music scene and a big Brazilian music fan) leads this talent-laden group through a well ordered play list of well-known favorites plus a few originals. The recording quality is top notch and the light, jazzy arrangements are filled with enough surprises to keep you smiling throughout the holidays.

Musically, Brazil shares its Christmas traditions with many of our modern American and old-world European melodies. How interesting that producer Jeff Steinberg would understand that by blending the warmth of Brazil with the crispness of a Christmas morning it would result in the perfect atmosphere for our holiday season!

Released too late in the 2005 season for us to include in our Connectbrazil.com e-store, this CD was nevertheless a standout favorite during our annual ‘A Brazilian Christmas’ webcasts and its debut here marks the beginning of a long love affair with fans of Brazilian music around the world.