Words and Phrases to Boost your English: Christmas
Christmas vocabulary, feelings and traditions in natural British English – perfect for speaking practice.
I'm writing this as snow falls outside my window. I'm not really into snow. It's OK for a day or two, but after it becomes irritating, and then starts to piss me off when the snow turns to slush and I have to watch every step I take in fear of muddying my trousers and shoes. I suppose that makes me sound like Scrooge. Well, it is nearly Christmas... but I don't find it all bad, I do like to see kids (and adults) having fun while they sledge down the hill on their sleigh and have snowball fights. I'm looking forward to going home for Christmas and putting on my Christmas jumper and doing nothing for a few weeks apart from relaxing and overindulging. Food is everywhere at Christmas, it is perfectly normal and perfectly OK to put on a few lbs at this time of year. It's also the time of year where we lose track of what day, date, and time it is.
I am a fan of Christmas, but not so much of the packed shops. I prefer to buy everything online and buy wrapping paper or a gift bag for my presents. I think children's presents should always be wrapped, it gives them that curious feeling before, that excited feeling during, and then hopefully.... a feeling of joy and not disappointment.
Wherever and whenever your Christmas is this year, I hope it's a good one and you've been a good boy or girl this year and Father Christmas brings you something nice. Here are some Christmas words to keep your English going over Christmas.
Discussion Questions
- Have you got a Christmas jumper?
- Is your company going to have a Christmas do (Christmas party)?
- Have you ever been let down by a present at Christmas?
- Do you prefer wrapping presents or using gift bags?
- Which tradition from the UK do you find weird?
- What do you have for Christmas dinner?
Things we do in the UK at Christmas
When the table is laid, it is also laid with a thing called a Christmas cracker. Inside you will find a toy, a silly joke, and a coloured paper crown which is put on the head of everyone at the table before they eat.
In the UK it is very common to exchange Christmas cards before Christmas. Inside is a simple greeting message. You are expected to exchange Christmas cards with almost everyone you know, including your neighbours even if you don't know them that well.
Children and adults usually buy advent calendars at the start of December to count the days to Christmas. Each window on this advent calendar has a chocolate behind it which is eaten each day closer to Christmas (if you can control yourself).
There are many different names for the big red man, but in the UK we call him Father Christmas.
A decoration which can be found in the UK is mistletoe. If you find yourself underneath the mistletoe with someone else, then you should kiss.
Turkey is usually the meat of choice for Christmas dinner, but that doesn't stop people from choosing something else like beef, pork, lamb, or having more than one type of meat.