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HOLIDAYS

 Holidays are special days celebrated by people all over the world to commemorate important events, traditions, and cultural customs. Whether it’s a public holiday, a religious celebration, or a seasonal festivity, holidays bring families and communities together. In this topic, we will explore how to talk about different holidays, describe how they are celebrated, and learn useful vocabulary and expressions for holiday conversations. Understanding how to talk about holidays allows us to share our own traditions and learn about others’ customs.


Grammar:

When talking about holidays, we often use the present simple tense to describe regular events or traditions and the future simple to talk about upcoming celebrations.

Examples:

  • Present Simple: "We celebrate Christmas every year with a big family dinner."
  • Future Simple: "We will travel to the mountains for our holiday next month."

We also use adverbs of frequency like "always," "usually," and "often" to describe how often something happens during a holiday:

  • "We always exchange gifts on New Year’s Eve."
  • "People usually take the day off on national holidays."

For holiday planning, we can use modal verbs like "should" and "must" to give advice:

  • "You should book your flights early for the holiday season."
  • "We must prepare the house before the guests arrive."

Vocabulary:

  • Tradition: a custom or belief that is passed down through generations.
  • Celebration: an event or activity that honors a holiday or special occasion.
  • Public holiday: a day when most people do not work, and businesses are often closed.
  • Festival: a series of events or activities, often related to culture or religion.
  • Feast: a large meal prepared for a special occasion.
  • Custom: a traditional practice or way of behaving during holidays.
  • Parade: a public procession of people, often with music, floats, and costumes.
  • Fireworks: colorful explosions in the sky, often used to celebrate holidays.
  • Holiday season: the period from late November to early January when many holidays are celebrated.
  • Decorations: objects used to make a place look festive during a holiday (e.g., lights, ornaments).

Useful Expressions:

  • "How do you celebrate [holiday] in your country?"
  • "We usually spend the holidays with family."
  • "I love the tradition of decorating the house for Christmas."
  • "What are your plans for the holiday season?"
  • "We always have a big feast on Thanksgiving."
  • "Do you exchange gifts during this holiday?"
  • "This holiday is a time for reflection and gratitude."
  • "Many people travel during the holiday break."
  • "We decorate our house with lights and ornaments for the holiday."
  • "I’m looking forward to the holiday festivities this year."

Sentences:

  1. "On New Year’s Eve, we usually watch fireworks and make resolutions for the coming year."
  2. "During the holiday season, people often exchange gifts and spend time with loved ones."
  3. "Many countries have public holidays to celebrate important historical events."
  4. "My favorite holiday is Halloween because we get to dress up in costumes and go trick-or-treating."
  5. "Every year, we gather around the table for a big holiday feast with family and friends."

Questions and Answers:

  1. Q: "How do you celebrate Christmas in your family?"

    • A: "We decorate the tree, exchange gifts, and have a big dinner together."
  2. Q: "What is your favorite holiday?"

    • A: "My favorite holiday is Diwali because of the beautiful lights and the festive atmosphere."
  3. Q: "Do you travel during the holidays?"

    • A: "Yes, we usually travel to visit our relatives during the holiday season."
  4. Q: "What kind of food do you eat on Thanksgiving?"

    • A: "We usually have roast turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie."
  5. Q: "Do you have any special traditions for New Year’s Eve?"

    • A: "Yes, we always watch the fireworks and make a toast at midnight to celebrate the new year."

Conversation:

Lucas: Hey, do you have any plans for the holidays?
Emma: Yeah, my family and I are planning to go to the countryside for a few days. What about you?
Lucas: We’re staying home this year, but we’ll have a big family dinner on Christmas Eve.
Emma: That sounds nice! Do you exchange gifts on Christmas?
Lucas: Yes, we usually open our gifts on Christmas morning. What about you?
Emma: We exchange gifts at night, after dinner. We also spend some time decorating the tree and singing Christmas carols.
Lucas: I love decorating the tree! It’s one of my favorite holiday traditions.
Emma: Same here. The holidays are always so much fun with all the family together.


Reading:

The Importance of Holidays

Holidays are more than just days off from work or school—they are times for celebration, reflection, and spending time with loved ones. Around the world, people celebrate holidays for different reasons: some are religious, while others are cultural or national. Holidays often have unique traditions and customs that are passed down through generations, helping to preserve cultural heritage.

For example, in the United States, Thanksgiving is a time for families to gather, give thanks, and share a meal that typically includes turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. In Mexico, the Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) is celebrated with vibrant altars, offerings, and parades, honoring deceased loved ones. In India, Diwali is the Festival of Lights, where people light oil lamps, set off fireworks, and decorate their homes to celebrate the victory of light over darkness.

During the holiday season, many people travel to visit family or go on vacation. It’s also a time when communities come together for special events like parades, fireworks, and public celebrations. Whether it’s a small family gathering or a large public festival, holidays provide a sense of joy, unity, and tradition that people look forward to every year.

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