It's All About Christmas: Phrases and Traditions in English

Christmas is just around the corner! It's a time of joy, of getting together with the people we love and of sharing kindness with others. Many countries celebrate it in their own special way, especially with traditional food and songs, and it's a break from work and school, a chance to rest. In this lesson you'll learn Christmas phrases and some fun facts about how Christmas is celebrated around the world.

Let's start with Christmas plans. Read these conversations about getting ready for the holidays.

Conversation 1

Jake: Hi Kate, are you ready for Christmas?

Kate: Hi Jake. No, actually, I still have so many preparations to make.

Jake: What do you mean? Do you need some help?

Kate: I still haven't bought a Christmas tree.

Jake: Don't worry, we can go and choose one tomorrow. I know a place where we can get one.

Kate: That's great, but I don't have a car to take the tree home.

Jake: We can take mine. I'm free tomorrow.

Kate: Thank you so much for your help.

Jake: No problem, that's what friends are for.

Conversation 2

Mike: Are you ready to decorate our Christmas tree?

Susan: Yes, I think we have everything we need. I bought baubles, lights, garlands, ribbons, stars and ornaments in different shapes and sizes.

Mike: I guess that's everything for the tree. What about other decorations?

Susan: In this box there are bells, mistletoe and a wreath.

Mike: Okay. I've got stockings we can hang over the fireplace, and some candles.

Susan: Wonderful, let's decorate!

Conversation 3

Luke: Christmas is my favourite time of the year!

Gina: Mine too. I love decorating the tree, wrapping presents, writing Christmas cards and eating Christmas pudding!

Luke: That's true, but I'd add spending time with family to that list.

Gina: You're right. I haven't seen mine for a long time.

Luke: Where do they live?

Gina: In London. This year I'm flying over to see them. I've bought a sledge for my nephews, and I hope we can go out and enjoy the winter weather. What about you?

Luke: That sounds amazing. I'm flying with my family to Lapland, in Finland.

Gina: No way! Are you going to see real reindeer?

Luke: That's right, and who knows, maybe even Santa himself!

Gina: Incredible. I hope you'll send me a postcard!

Luke: No problem. Merry Christmas, Gina!

Gina: Merry Christmas!

Exercise 1

Match the verbs on the left to the words on the right.

• •1. decorate
• •2. fill
• •3. write
• •4. ride
• •5. light
• •6. kiss under
• •7. pull
• •8. ring
• •9. eat
• •10. wrap

• •a. a sleigh
• •b. presents
• •c. a stocking
• •d. bells
• •e. a Christmas tree
• •f. a candle
• •g. Christmas pudding
• •h. the mistletoe
• •i. a Christmas card
• •j. Christmas crackers

Christmas around the world

Christmas is celebrated differently from country to country. Read about how people celebrate in England and the United States.

Christmas in England

Christmas Day is a public holiday. It is a day off, and schools and most businesses are closed. Before Christmas Day, people decorate their homes and gardens. In many towns and cities, streets are decorated with lights and large pine trees. Holly, ivy and mistletoe are sometimes used to decorate homes and other buildings. On Christmas Day, many people spend time with their families, giving and receiving gifts.

Children believe that Father Christmas leaves presents in stockings or pillowcases. Stockings are usually hung over the fireplace. Christmas pudding is traditionally served for dessert, and mince pies and lots of chocolates are often eaten too. The dinner table is decorated with a Christmas cracker for each person, and sometimes flowers and candles. At 3 pm on Christmas Day, the Royal Christmas Message is broadcast on TV, radio and online across the UK.

Christmas in the US

The United States has many different Christmas customs and celebrations because of its multicultural nature. Making gingerbread houses is very popular. Many Americans, especially Christians, go to church to celebrate, and churches hold special carol services and events where the Christmas story is told. Americans like to decorate the outside of their houses with lights, and cookies and a glass of milk are often left out as a snack for Santa on Christmas Eve.

Towns and cities often decorate their streets with lights. Perhaps the most famous Christmas lights in the USA are at the Rockefeller Center in New York, where there is also a huge Christmas tree with a public ice rink nearby.

Exercise 2

Fill in the gaps with vocabulary from the texts above.

public holiday / church / ice-skating rink / Christmas pudding / gifts / multicultural / lights / Christmas carols / pine tree / glass of milk / holly / mince pie / Christmas cracker / gingerbread house / broadcast / cookies

• •A popular dessert in England is called a ………………
• •Children in the US leave ……………… and ……………… for Santa.
• •Christmas is a ……………… That means you don't have to go to school or work.
• •Americans celebrate Christmas differently because of their ……………… nature.
• •A ……………… is a sweet pie of English origin filled with mincemeat.
• •I went to New York last year and saw the famous ………………
• •At 3 pm on Christmas Day, the Royal Christmas Message is ……………… on TV, radio and online in the UK.
• •On Christmas Eve you can find ……………… under the Christmas tree.
• •The streets are full of ……………… decorated with ………………
• •I took part in a ……………… contest at my school. My house won!
• •Every year we go to ……………… and sing carols.
• •……………… is an evergreen, like ivy and mistletoe.
• •My mum makes the best ………………, and it's my favourite dessert!
• •Let's sing ……………… together!

Exercise 3: a Christmas song

Christmas songs come back every year, and many are known all over the world, partly because English is so widely spoken. Most of us only sing along to the catchy chorus, though. To really understand a song, you need to listen to every line. Test yourself: find Frank Sinatra's "Let It Snow" on your favourite streaming service, listen to the whole song and write down as much of the lyrics as you can. Then listen again, fill in what you missed, and finally compare your version with the official lyrics on your streaming service.

Finally, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! For inspiration, here are a few Christmas greetings in English:

• •Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
• •Wishing you a Merry Christmas!
• •May the Christmas season fill your home with joy, your heart with love and your life with laughter.
• •Wishing you the gifts of the season: peace, joy and hope.
• •Wishing you a wonderful holiday season.