It's been three decades since Carlos and Isabella Almeida left the Azores, but they have found a way of staying in touch with their roots at Christmas – by bringing an entire Azorean village into their house.

The village takes up a good part of the Almeida's dining room, and is usually the centrepiece of the Almeida Christmas. Erecting a village scene at Christmas is a popular tradition among the Portuguese.

"I got the figures from the Azores," Mrs. Almeida said. "It took me about a week to put it all up. I would be up until 2 a.m. putting it together.

"I can't do it during the day because I babysit, and I'm busy with the children."

The village includes a grotto made from real rocks from the garden. Running water gurgles into a little fountain nearby.

"My husband brings the rocks in for me," said Mrs. Almeida. "But there are never enough. I always have to go outside again for more."

The village reflects many common Portuguese traditions. For example, in the middle of the village, a Portuguese band performs.

Traditionally, small bands of musicians would go from house to house at Christmas time.

The village contains many scenes from days gone by in the Azores. At one end of the village corn dries on racks. There is also a windmill where the corn would be ground into flour.

The next stop would be a little building where people bake the corn flour into bread.

Throughout the village Mrs. Almeida placed sheep, chickens, rabbits and cows. A little cat sits on a shed roof. "In the Azores everyone raises chickens and rabbits to eat," said Mrs. Almeida. "Pigs are raised to make chourico, Portuguese sausage."

She said that in the old days people would have chicken to eat at Christmas, but nowadays people tend to eat the more expensive cod and stuffed turkey.

"I make cod at Christmas," she said. "The recipe includes a sauce of tomatoes, onions, nuts and sour cream."

Naturally, there are many religious icons in the village. Angels watch the village from on high and in one little village shed, Joseph, the father of Jesus, works hard in his carpentry shop. And the centre of the whole display would have to be a Nativity scene.

"I would have to say the baby Jesus is my favourite piece," said Mrs. Almeida.

She and her husband were married in the Azores and now live in Hamilton Parish. Mr. Almeida works as a gardener.

"He went out to Bermuda intending to stay for a few years," she said. "He didn't want me to come out. Then I came over with our first son.

"I thought I would be staying for five years. Here we still are. All my children are here now with their families. I only have a mother and sister in the Azores. We've only been back for Christmas once."

Mrs. Almeida has seven siblings, but six of them now live outside of the Azores.

She started piecing together items for her village when she first moved to Bermuda.

"Every time I go to the Azores I bring pieces back for it. Many of the pieces are handmade."

Nowadays it's not uncommon for strangers to knock on the door to see the village.

"We lived in St. George's for 19 years," said Mrs. Almeida. "We used to open our house for the annual National Trust walkabout. Many people used to come in then to see the display."

At Christmas, the Almeida's five children and five grandchildren usually gather at the Almeida house for dinner. "We usually attend mass at 9 p.m.," said Mrs. Almeida. "I sing in the choir at church. Then we come home and eat. Everyone stays until 5 a.m. Then they go home, and come back for lunch."

She said that although her own children are all now out of the house, she was pleased to see that they had all started their own villages.

"Theirs are still small, but they will probably also grow," she said.

After Christmas it takes her several days to dismantle the village.

Each piece is carefully wrapped and stored, waiting for the next Christmas.