By: Carla Bustos Jiménez http://www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglis LearnEnglish Kids Christmas around the world How do you say ‘Merry Christmas’ round the world? Match the countries to their languages: •CHINA Shen tan kuai loh •SPAIN Feliz Navidad •FRANCE Joyeux Noel •GERMANY Frohliche Weihnachten •JAPAN Merii Kurisumasu •ITALY Buon Natale •PORTUGAL Boas Festas •CZECH REPUBL IC Vesele Vanoce
CHRISTMAS QUIZ Try this Christmas quiz. You can find some help on these websites:www.christmas.com/worldview and www.northpole.net/world.htm In which country…….. 1. is Santa Claus supposed to live? Finland 2. do people have an advent wreath with tour candles? Germany 3. does a good witch bring presents to good children the day alter Christmas? Italy 4. does Father Frost visit children in a sleigh pulled by 3 reindeer? Ukraine 5. do they put paper swans on the Christmas tree as a symbol of peace? Japan 6. do they decorate mango and banana trees? India
7. do they celebrate with a picnic on the beach? Australia 8. do children leave hay and sugar for Santa’s horse? Netherlands 9. do children rollerskate to church? Venezuela 10.do they eat a meal of codfish and boiled potatoes at midnight? Portugal
http://www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish LearnEnglish Kids Winter Festivals ©Sue Clarke/ The British Council, Spring Gardens 2002 The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational and cultural relations. Registered in England as a charity. What do you know about Winter Festivals around the world? Try this quiz! This is a useful website to help you: www.geocities.com/carolmdieter/xmas.htm
True or False? 1.Christmas has always been celebrated on December 25th. False. The date of the feast of Christmas originally moved to coincide with Winter Solstice or return of the Sun. 2. In Holland children put out their shoes to receive Christmas presents. True 3. The Winter Solstice is celebrated on the longest day of the year. False. It is the shortest day of the year. 4. A ‘Yule Log’ was burnt on a huge bonfire to celebrate the Winter Solstice. True 5. In Tibet there is a 4 day festival to celebrate the dying year, where people dance around a magic pole. False. The festival in Tibet lasts for five days.
6. In Italy the kind witch delivers presents to good children and coal to bad children on the 1st January. False. Children hang up their stockings on January 5th. 7. In Pakistan the Winter Solstice is celebrated with a festival of singing, dancing, bonfires and feasting. True. 8. In Ethiopia a special game called ‘Ganna’ is played with sticks at Christmas. True. 9. In England a game called ‘Snap Dragon’ (eating raisins on fire!) is still popular. False. This was a popular game in the 1800’s! 10. In Oaxaca, Mexico on December 23rd there is a Festival of Radishes, where people carve pictures into radishes. True.