Christmas and New Year time. Resolutions and achievements

Christmas and New Year time

Answer the questions.

1) What does New Year’s Day mean for you? Do you enjoy Christmas time?

2) Have you already finished your Christmas shopping?

3) Do you have a Christmas tree? Who decorated it?

4) How long do you usually keep your Christmas tree after Christmas?

5) Have you ever celebrated Christmas / New Year in a foreign country?

Looking back

Was 2020 a good year for you? Was this year better or worse than last year? 

Tell your teacher more about the events of the year 2020. Use the mind map below to help you.

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New Year’s resolutions

Do people make New Year’s resolutions in your country? Have you ever made any of them? 

Talk about the resolutions you’d like to make. Use the templates below.

1) Exercise: do more / join a gym / take up a sport / your own answer

2) Health: lose some weight / eat less chocolate / stop smoking / your own answer

3) Hobbies: start a new hobby / join a club / learn a new skill (how to cook, paint, play an instrument, etc.) / your own answer

4) Friends: make new friends / write to friends more / spend more (less) time with friends / your own answer

5) Studies: study more / do more homework / read more / your own answer

6) Stress: worry less / relax more at the weekends / go to bed earlier / your own answer

7) Work: find a job / find a better job / work more (less) / your own answer

8) Travel: plan a trip to … / spend vacation in … / visit … / your own answer

9) Any other resolutions:____________________________________________

Let’s speak more!

1) How do people in your culture celebrate the New Year? Is it usually a family celebration or more of a party with friends?

2) Does your family have any traditions to celebrate New Year’s Eve? 

3) What is usually on television on New Year’s Eve? On New Year’s Day? Do you enjoy watching TV around this time of year?

4) In your culture, do people give cards or gifts at the New Year? If so, to whom do you send cards or give gifts?

5) Do you associate any special foods with the end of the year? What are they?

6) What are your plans for New Year’s Eve? Who will you spend the time with?

7) Can you make any predictions about 2020? What significant events will happen? What products or companies will be successful? What trends or fashions will be popular?

8) What two things would you like to see or do this year?

9) Are you good at choosing presents? Do you look forward to receiving presents? Which gives you the most pleasure — giving presents or receiving them?

10) If you could ask Santa for a gift, what would you ask for?

11) What are the things you are looking forward to this year?

My progress

The end of the year is the time to look back and plan ahead! Discuss your progress in English learning with your teacher and make plans for next year. Use the headings below to help you.

1) My greatest achievement.

2) Areas where I feel confident.

3) Areas where I need to improve.

4) Topics I enjoyed most.

5) Topics I particularly want to study.

Christmas Traditions in the UK

The nights are longer, the days are shorter, and the weather is turning cold. This can only mean one thing! Christmas is around the corner. Christmas celebrations start at the beginning of December and continue until mid-January. It is the most wonderful time of the year and time to be with family and friends. But what traditions do we have here in England?

C hristmas tree

For the weeks before Christmas, we decorate our houses with a beautiful Christmas tree decorated with baubles and tinsel. The Christmas tree tradition started when Queen Victoria’s husband, Albert, brought a German tradition to England. When people saw a painting of the tree behind Albert and Victoria, in 1846, everybody wanted one. The tree was originally lit but this caused many fires in people’s homes, so they got replaced by electric lights.

M ince pies

We also eat mince pies. Originally filled with real meat, such as lamb, they used to be a sign of wealth to show that people had money. It became a Christmas tradition in the middle ages. It was said if you eat a mince pie every day from Christmas day until the twelfth night (5^th of January) then it would bring happiness for the next year. Now the mince pie is a buttery pastry filled with dried fruits and spices. It is a desert enjoyed hot or cold with cream and can be enjoyed at any time over the Christmas period.

I t all starts on Christmas Eve, the 24^th of December, when little boys and girls (and adults too) get excited for the arrival of Father Christmas (Santa Claus) at 12am, but only if they have been good. The Children go to bed with stockings hanging over the fire place, and sacks by the tree to be filled with lots of toys and goodies. They wait patiently and try to catch a glimpse of Father Christmas and his 8 reindeer, pulling his sleigh.

O n Christmas morning, the next day, the celebrations begin, and the overjoyed children and adults rip open the wrapping of their presents to see what Father Christmas has brought them. After opening the presents comes the big Christmas lunch, usually eaten around 2pm. The lunch is similar to a normal Sunday roast but much, much bigger. We eat roast turkey with cranberry sauce, roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, vegetables (including delicious Brussel sprouts) and gravy, to name but a few things.

W e pull Christmas crackers, filled with a toy, a crown and a terrible joke. This tradition started in the 1850’s when confectioner, Tom Smith started to add a motto to his bon-bons, which were soon replaced with toys.

We then eat Christmas pudding covered in cream or brandy butter. After the lunch, the Queen makes her annual Christmas speech to talk about all the things that happened during the year. After this we all watch a Christmas film and fall asleep on the sofa.

B oxing Day

Boxing day is celebrated on the 26^th of December and is similar to Christmas day just unfortunately fewer presents. We receive only one present. Many people believe this is because the children receive so many toys they do not know which one to play with. We again have turkey (which will be the main food for the next few days).

So, Merry Christmas and we hope you have as much fun as we do (but don’t eat too much turkey)!

Watch the video and fill the gaps: https://youtu.be/v2W3QR9WXdA. Compare British and American Christmas traditions.