Let’s talk about Christmas in English.
1.) How does your family celebrate Christmas?
2.) What are your favourite Christmas traditions?
3.) What special food do you eat at Christmas time?
4.) What gifts would you most like to receive for Christmas?
5.) If you could give one person any gift, what would the gift be, and who would you give it to?
6.) How do different cultures celebrate Christmas?
7.) Some cultures think of Christmas as a peaceful, quiet day, while others think of it as a boisterous, noisy event. What one would you prefer?
8.) If someone offered to give money to any charity or foundation in your name as a gift, what organization would you want them to support?
WARM UP
I challenge you!
1.) Select any two words from the vocabulary list for another player to use in one sentence.
2.) Select the beginning of the sentence that the other player must complete.
a.) Santa didn’t…
b.) The family hasn’t…
c.) The children won’t…
d.) The toys were…
e.) I was hoping that…
f.) The community is going to…
g.) The reindeer doesn’t…
h.) The parents hadn’t…
Find hidden objects and spot the differences – All Levels (A1+)
Christmas Poetry Maker – (A1-C2) Various activities suitable for beginner through advanced.
VOCABULARY
Beginner Mini-dictionary
evergreen
ornaments
fire place
gifts/presents
ribbon
bow
rug
star
snowman
teddy bear
dove
card
mitten
Santa hat
scarf
heart
peace symbol
lollipop
snowflake
crescent moon
arbol perrene
ornamento
chimenea
regalos
cinta
lazo
alfombra
estrella
muñeco de nieve
osito de peluche
paloma
tarjeta
manopla/mitón
gorro de Santa
bufanda
corazón
símbolo de paz
paleta
copo de nieve
luna creciente
LISTENING
The History of Christmas – Listening Activity – High Intermediate/Advanced (B2+)
READING
‘Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore (C1-C2)
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds;
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Gave a lustre of midday to objects below,
When what to my wondering eyes did appear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer,
With a little old driver so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
“Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blixen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”
As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the housetop the coursers they flew
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too–
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.
His eyes–how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight–
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
From The Poem