Despite the heat it does in December, is the European heritage that sets the tone for Christmas in Brazil. The gifts are delivered by a Santa Claus hat and gloves. And on the table, chestnuts, walnuts and apricots, the tone of the supper.

"About 40% of our Christmas dinner is imported," says Jorge da Conceição Lopes, who 58 years ago leads the Casa Santa Luzia, Sao Paulo. "Nuts, dried fruits, olive oil, it all comes out," he points out.

Because of this, the surge of the dollar - which since August has risen more than 40% against the Brazilian real - threat sour Christmas dinner. Traditional products such as nuts are up to 35% more expensive than the same period last year. Fruit, dried, cod and olive oil are weighing up more in your pocket.

But if what comes out of rose, the national product brings the good news: most of the national fruit is the same price as last year. Many are even cheaper, as the nectarine (-14%), grape ruby (12%), and pineapple (-18%).

"The main tip is that consumers opt for domestic products. Walnuts, for example, are not for our climate, the supper is a product of winter, "says Flavio Godas, an economist at Ceagesp. "You can change the cherry, which is imported and has risen about 15% by lychee, which is 26% cheaper this year."

For those who do not want to leave aside the tradition of dried fruit, you can also swap imported from Chile, Turkey and Italy for the tropics. "Many people already have made that choice," says the merchant Leonardo Chiappetta.

"The participation of Brazilian dried fruit in my desk went from fourth to a half. This year, sales volume grew 25%. And you can serve as a dessert or as input, "he says.