although her nominal festival day is the 2nd of february, and serves as an analogue for the catholic saints feasts for our lady of navigators and our lady of conception, her devotees in rio de janeiro mark the new year by casting offerings to her into the sea, either by hand or by boat.

traditional offerings can include flowers, rice, perfume and small gifts given to the sea goddess in thanks for her blessings over the previous year. 

one will notice, traveling the city sidewalks throughout the evening, that nearly everyone seems to be dressed in white - this is no coincidence, as in brazil, and rio de janeiro in particular, white is considered a good luck color when worn on new year's eve.