Brazil celebrates New Year's Eve with Festa de Iemanjá traditions honoring Iemanjá, a revered sea deity.
On December 31, especially in coastal cities such as Rio de Janeiro, devotees and celebrants may offer flowers, candles, and small boats or baskets to the sea. Iemanjá is associated with the ocean, motherhood, and protection. The observance has roots in Afro-Brazilian religions, including Candomblé and Umbanda, and has also become part of wider popular celebrations.
The practice varies by place and religious community. Some offerings are designed to float away, while environmental campaigns encourage biodegradable materials and discourage objects that pollute the water. Festa de Iemanjá is separate from Rio's large white-clothing celebration on Copacabana Beach, although both occur on New Year's Eve and may be experienced by visitors as part of the same holiday night.