Brazil's New Year's Eve celebration, often associated with white clothing and fireworks, is called Réveillon.
Réveillon is the French-derived Portuguese term widely used in Brazil for New Year's Eve festivities. One of the most famous celebrations takes place in Rio de Janeiro, especially on Copacabana Beach, where enormous crowds gather for concerts and a midnight fireworks display over the Atlantic Ocean.
Many participants wear white, a color associated with peace and renewal. Some people also make offerings or prayers connected with Afro-Brazilian religious traditions, and regional customs vary significantly across the country. The celebration is therefore both a national holiday observance and a collection of local cultural practices.
Réveillon is not the same event as Carnaval, Brazil's better-known pre-Lenten festival. Carnaval generally occurs weeks before Lent and has its own parades, samba-school competitions, and calendar. Réveillon belongs specifically to the transition from December 31 to January 1.