Many revelers traditionally wear white at Rio de Janeiro’s Réveillon celebration.
White clothing is especially associated with the enormous New Year’s Eve gathering on Copacabana Beach. The color is commonly linked with peace, renewal and good fortune, and the tradition has also been influenced by Afro-Brazilian religious customs in which white has ceremonial significance.
At midnight, crowds often watch fireworks over the Atlantic Ocean and make offerings or wishes connected with the sea. Some participants jump seven waves, with each jump representing a wish, although practices differ among individuals and communities. Wearing white is widespread but not a compulsory rule for everyone attending.
Réveillon is the French-derived Portuguese term commonly used in Brazil for New Year’s Eve festivities. Rio’s beach celebration is famous for its size, but similar white-clothing traditions appear at New Year events in other Brazilian coastal cities as well.