Brazilian Easter Madness

I am starting to get the impression that Easter is fast approaching. Do you know how I know? Well there have been some strange things going on around Rio.

First of all, in the run-up to Easter it seems that Brazilian children are being encouraged to dress up in seriously scary costumes – this must be something like Halloween in other countries. Brace yourself for something seriously spine-chilling:

Páscoa

Like characters from a horror film. Truly terrifying…

 

Moving swiftly on, Easter brings other strange phenomena to Brazil.

Fiscal Insanity!

There is an extreme fluctuation in the value of money. Could this be some as yet undocumented form of short-term hyper-inflation? I don’t know how else to explain this:

Lindor-easter-egg

During Easter, one of these perfectly normal Lindor Easter eggs will cost more than R$150 ($75 US). Fiscal insanity!

 

 

Asset Protection Strategy

When chocolate eggs take on this extreme value, supermarkets have to take extra measures to protect their precious assets prior to sale. Adults can usually be trusted to control themselves, but we all know that chocolate has a very strong effect on children and it is no different here in Brazil. For this reason, Brazilian supermarkets suspend their most valuable eggs from raised frameworks, out of the reach of desperate children.

 

 

While this measure makes a lot of sense to Brazilian Easter egg retailers, there is growing opposition to this practice from Brazil’s Associação Nacional de Baixinhos (National Association of Vertically Challenged People). In a statement they said “We believe this practice is discriminatory. People of average height can easily reach their desired chocolate  egg, but our members are forced to jump or even ask for help from someone taller. It’s humiliating.”

Despite these pleas, the practice continues.

 

19 replies
  1. anna
    anna says:

    I have always seen these eggs everywhere before easter in brazil… its always high because theres no other place to put it. its the same at supermarkets in Italy. they put all their chocolate eggs up there no matter how much they cost. (at least in most places I see it)

    Reply
    • tomlemes
      tomlemes says:

      Hi Anna – you’re right, it does make sense to put them up like that. I’ve only seen it here in Brazil, but it looks rather nice I think. I was just feeling a bit silly on Friday! :)

      Reply
  2. Marcos
    Marcos says:

    This comment from the national association of vertically challenged people is really funny, I’ve never heard of it. I wouldn’t pay R$152,00 for an easter egg. Nestle, produces delicious bars of chocolate and they’re cheap.

    Reply
    • tomlemes
      tomlemes says:

      Hey Marcos – R$152 for an egg is crazy isn’t it? I don’t know who would pay that! I can tell you now that Mrs Eat Rio won’t be getting one of those! ;)

      Reply
      • Marcos
        Marcos says:

        Yes, you’re right it’s crazy. A box of chocolate made by Nestle or Garoto is cheaper than this easter egg and it’s chocolate anyway.

        Reply
  3. The Gritty Poet
    The Gritty Poet says:

    152 reais for a Lindor Easter egg, wow! Yeah, you won’t catch me shelling out that kind of cash for any kind of Easter treat.

    “For this reason, Brazilian supermarkets suspend their most valuable eggs from raised frameworks, out of the reach of desperate children”

    Good to know, I thought they were just giving the eggs a “hanging OVAtion”

    LOL (I crack myself up).

    Reply
  4. Alex
    Alex says:

    HA! these things are everywhere. And the 150 reais doesnt shock me anymore. Hell, I almost consider that a deal after living here three months! :D

    Even though I think the easter eggs hanging look nice, they kind of annoy me because I need to stoop over as I walk or I’ll have thousands of eggs banging my head. I’m going to write a complain from the ”Brazilian association for non-vertically challenged people.”

    :)

    Reply
    • tomlemes
      tomlemes says:

      Ha ha! It was only a matter of time before the B.A.N-V.C.P. got involved and called positive discrimination! So you guys want to eggs to be hung-up higher, the baixinhos want them lower. I propose a kind of wedge-shaped, sloping frame work which will hang eggs from a range of different heights suitable for all people. Problem solved! ;)

      Reply
  5. Rachel
    Rachel says:

    I love all the facebook posts about boycotting the eggs and just buying the chocolate bars at a fraction of the cost. Of course I have Brazilian kids and I think they would hunt down the Easter Bunny if they got plain old chocolate bars instead of an egg with a toy ;)

    Reply
    • tomlemes
      tomlemes says:

      Hey Rachel! Sorry, I somehow missed this comment – must be getting old and forgetful… :-/ Can you believe that Mrs Eat Rio and I didn’t buy each other eggs this year?! However, we did go away for a nice weekend in the rain Petrópolis. Does that make up for lack of chocolate?

      Reply
  6. Hellen
    Hellen says:

    Hi Tom! I accidentally found your blog and I absolutely loved it! I’m from Vitoria – ES but I currently live in the US and I really liked how you describe the Brazilian craziness that I sometimes miss and sometimes criticize too. Well, keep up the good work! Thanks for making this blog. Take care.

    Reply
    • tomlemes
      tomlemes says:

      Hello Hellen! I’m really glad you’ve been enjoying the blog! Volta sempre! as they say :)

      I haven’t been to ES yet but I’d love to go – do you have any recommendations?

      Reply
  7. alex
    alex says:

    Good Post tom ;) I myself have been quite impressed by the popular madness of the brazilian for Easter… I mean in Europe it is celebrated, but casually… Just to see the “fila” in lojas americanas or other places made me run away

    happy I don’t have kids :d

    Reply

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