Christmas Greetings

Season's Greetings

1 When is Christmas celebrated?

2 What is the history behind the holiday?

3 What are the most common Christmas traditions that you know about?

What do you know about Christmas?

The origins of Christmas stem from both the pagan and Roman cultures. On December 25th, the Romans celebrated the birth of Mithra, their sun god.

As Christianity spread across Europe, the Christian clergy were not able to curb the pagan customs and celebrations. Since no one knew Jesus’s date of birth, they adapted the pagan ritual into a celebration of His birthday.

The origins

Multiple Choice

Which country does the tradition to decorate a Christmas tree come from?

• Germany

• Italy

• Egypt

• Mexico

The modern Christmas tree originated in western Germany. They hung dried fruits and nuts on it, and also wafers which later were replaced by cookies of various shapes. Candles symbolic of Christ as the light of the world, were often added.

Christmas tree

Multiple Choice

Where does Xmas come from?

• Greece

• the UK

• the USA

• Italy

In Greek, the language of the New Testament, the word Christos (Christ) begins with the letter "X," or chi, Χριστός

In the early fourth century, Constantine the Great, Roman Emperor from 306-337, popularized this shorthand for Christ. According to legend, on the eve of his great battle against Maxentius, Constantine had a vision that led him to create a military banner emblazoned with the first two letters of Christ on it: chi and rho.

The origins of X-mas

Multiple Choice

What colour was the original Santa Claus outfit?

• green

• Red

• White

• Black

The original costume was green. It’s often said that Coca-Cola first depicted Father Christmas in a red suit, but this isn’t actually true. Credit for this should actually go to the American cartoonist Thomas Nast.

Nast drew cartoons for Harper’s Weekly, a political magazine, and his Santa Claus appears on the cover of the publication’s January 3rd, 1863 edition. But it is true that Coca-Cola popularised the depiction of Santa in his red suit and made it famous.

​Santa Claus

Match

Match the following Christmas traditions with the countries

• Japan

• Greenland

• Guatemala

• Ukraine

• Portugal

eating KFC

eating raw whale skin

cleaning up the house

decorating the Christmas tree with a spider

setting a place at the festive table for the deceased relatives

• eating KFC

• eating raw whale skin

• cleaning up the house

• decorating the Christmas tree with a spider

• setting a place at the festive table for the deceased relatives

In Great Britain it is common to hide a silver coin in Christmas pudding. Who­ev­er finds it on Christ­mas Day has an extra dose of luck.

Christmas traditions

Watch the clip about the origins of the Christmas pudding. Answer the questions.

1 What dish did Christmas pudding originate from?

2 What were the main ingredients of the original dish?

3 How was plum pudding different from plum pottage?

4 Why wasn't plum pudding considered a meal for the poor?

5 Why was plum pudding an ideal gift?

6 How is Christmas pudding different from its predecessors?

There are some traditions which are mostly associated with the US.

Caroling being one of them and an ugly Christmas sweater is, of course, the other one :)

Christmas traditions in the USA

The tradition of giving Christmas gifts goes back to the Wise Men bringing gifts for the Baby Jesus.

1 Which one do you like more: to give or to get presents?

2 Is it difficult to choose a good present? What makes a good present?

3 Do you remember the best and the worst gift you've ever got?

Christmas gifts

You are going to watch a clip about Christmas presents.
Watch the clip and say if the statements are true or false.

Poll

Sheldon bought a lot of presents and had them delivered by a courier.

• True

• False

Poll

Leonard helped Sheldon with the presents.

• True

• False

Poll

Sheldon bought Penny a lot of different gifts.

• True

• False

Poll

Penny brought presents for Sheldon and Leonard.

• True

• False

Poll

Penny gave Sheldon a very good present.

• True

• False

Poll

Sheldon was very excited about his present.

• True

• False

Poll

Leonard gave Penny the present she really wanted.

• True

• False

Poll

Sheldon hugged Penny instead of giving a gift.

• True

• False

You are going to watch a clip about receiving Christmas presents. Watch the clip and note advice on how to react to a gift you don't really like.

1 Have you ever received a present you hated? How did you react?
2 Was there any useful advice on what to do or say when opening a present?

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year