“Come Dream With Us” in Christmas Capital

Photo above : HSBC Children's Choir made a small presentation on Wednesday 21st November 2012 to the press, giving a preview of the show "Come Dream With Us" in December 2012 In 1991, HSBC started the "HSBC Children's Choir" as a present for the city of Curitiba. Curitiba City is home to HSBC's Brazilian headquarters. Today, this annual celebration "HSBC Children's Choir" has become one of the city's best known attractions. At night, three times a week, starting the third week of November and ending at Christmas, 100 over children would sing Christmas songs from the windows of the historic Palacio Avenida - the building of the HSBC bank. This spectacular caroling of the children at HSBC's Palácio Avenida is televised all over Brazil each year. This year (2012) the shows will happen on November 30th, December 1st, 2nd, 7th, 8th, 9th, 14th, 15th and 16th.  Curitiba is known as Capital do Natal (Christmas Capital) of Brazil because the metropolis celebrates Christmas season with parades, festivals and fairs of music and light from the end of November through the start of the New Year.  The highlight of  Christmas Festival is the Children’s Choir of HSBC’s Christmas Show (image above). Curitiba-based HSBC Bank established the non-profit unit of Instituto HSBC Solidariedade in 2006 to manage its increased social investments in education, and  environment all over Brazil.  The bank's Education Program sponsors the Children choir of 100 over children from the city's 11 Casa Alianza - Street Children Shelters.  The objective of the program is to enable children’s development through the support of counseling, education and health services. Every year hundred of thousands of visitors from across Brazil and around the world come to see the choir sing and dance from the windows of Palace Avenue (image above) – the HSBC headquarters on Rua XV Novembro – each Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening from end of November to Christmas day in December.

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In 1996 I brought my wife and son to Curitiba for a holiday  because :

They have never been to Brazil though We have been living in Paraguay since 1993. While I come to Brazil for business every couple of weeks, my wife and son has never been to Brazil yet (Except to the border town Foz). Paraguay and Brazil are just across a bridge. We will return to Malaysia soon one day and they certainly like to be able being to Brazil once before we left. This coming long Christmas Holidays is a good time to go. And I choose Curitiba because I am familiar with this city. And my Lonely Planet guide book might have also talked about Christmas atmosphere here that helped my travel planning.


We did had a happy Christmas Holidays for our selves in Curitiba that 1996. That turned up to be our last Christmas in South America. Early December 1997 we left Paraguay for good.

That Christmas Holiday in Curitiba became a joyous Christmas in our memories.

But one thing I remember for myself, I had underestimated this city back then in 1996. I did not realize at that time that Curitiba is equally a happy Christmas Holiday for other families.

The same joy and happiness not only my family can discover, but also can be experienced by both Brazilian and tourist.

And I realize this only in 2012, after 16 years, when I searched "Curitiba" in Internet I found................


“Come Dream With Us”
- Curitiba is becoming the Christmas Capital!


A progressive society does not stand still. With progress for the last 16 years after we visited, Christmas in Curitiba increased in cultural value and entertainment varieties.

Today there are so many events happening for the holidays that a website has been set up to provide all the details: http://www.natalcuritiba.com.br.

This year’s 2012 festivities will be the biggest ever. The numerous holiday activities are providing tourists with an entertaining destination for Christmas as well as fun activities enjoyed by families in Curitiba.

......Curitiba’s most famous Christmas concert, the Avenida Palácio Children’s Choir, returns with their presentation “Come Dream With Us”.

......The brightest exhibition in Curitiba will be the “Gallery of Light” created by the Italian company Studio Festi.

......50,000 colored bulbs will return to illuminate the Rua XV de Novembro promenade from December 4 to 20, 2012

..... In front of the Gallery of Light will be a presentation entitled “About Angels and Light”

..... The Liberty Palace (Paço da Liberdade), will host special presentations throughout December. .. violin and piano music played from the balcony at noon and a Christmas show with Santa Claus, artists, musicians, acrobats, dancers, and fairies.

..... the Radisson Hotel Christmas Tree “Enchanted Tree” will display with choral presentations.

... The Curitiba Tourism Bus Line will also make special trips to the main holiday attractions during the month of December.

.... windows and storefronts throughout the city will be adorned, thanks to the Commercial Association of Paraná.

How I wish to bring the family to Curitiba again for another memorable Christmas Holiday.
I am as if hearing a calling from that distance South America ..................“Vem Sonhar Com a Gente - Come Dream With Us".



Link : Christmas in Brazil 2012 November 7, 2012
Link : Christmas In Curitiba December 5, 2012