The countdown to Christmas has begun.
Advent calendar in Wikipedia.
Advent calendar.You can hear on the radio and/or watch on TV the concert from Austria which features ballet in historic buildings and grounds.
Xmas Day concert broadcast from Vienna, Austria. The encore is the Radetsky March by Johann Strauss Senior and the Strauss Blue Danube.
The day after Xmas is known as Boxing Day in the UK and still celebrated in other countries such as Australia and New Zealand and Hong Kong and Canada.That's the day to buy in the sales in person or on line.
To avoid Christmas altogether, go to a Muslim country such as Malaysia or Indonesia. you are more likely to be able to get inexpensive food rather than the Christmas dinner all month.
What if you want to celebrate later at New Year as well or instead?
Scotland celebrates New Year more than Christmas.
You could book up for Hogmanay celebrations or watch on TV.
Christmas and New Year start earlier in Australia. Tune in to see the sites in Australia lit up.
Czech Republic
I spend Christmas in Europe one year and missed the British Christmas pudding and cake and decorations and parties. In parts of Europe they have fish rather than meat for their festive meals. In the former Communist countries you might find less of an effort at Christmas. We were surprised by a fish meal for Christmas in the Czech Republic. However, we went to midnight mass in Prague.
Germany
A German favourite is stollen. You can buy this now in supermarkets in London, England. My favourite versions are not just long cakes with lots of dried fruit and maybe nuts, but with a roll of marzipan in the centre. The Dutch do the same.
The Germans hold Christmas markets throughout December in the evenings. Buy food, decorations, clothes, gifts.
France
France features a yule log for a celebration cake at Christmas time for Christmas parties.
Singapore
The yule log is also a favourite in Singapore. Singapore, like India and Malaysia, goes for brightly coloured cakes, such as the green pandan cake.
Santa Hats
In Asia, Japan and singapore and other countries, the Japanese budget store Daiso sells pairs of Santa hats for two singapore dollars. The American chain found all over Singapore, seven eleven, sells a Santa hat with decorations along the white band for three dollars for one hat.
New Year
Come New Year many countries will have public firework displays. Australia around the Sydney Harbour Bridge. London along the Thames river.
If you want to create on online Xmas card or create a hand-drawn pop up card, here are some handy greetings:
Oops - we have forgotten to send xmas cards to the people back home before we left. We shall have to send e-cards.
International Christmas greetings[edit]
The traditional English greeting of "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year" as it appears in other languages:[29]
- Albanian: Gëzuar Krishtlindjet dhe Vitin e Ri
- Basque: Gabon Zoriontsuak eta urte berri on
- Breton: Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat
- Bulgarian: Весела Коледа и Честита Нова Година
- Catalan: Bon Nadal i Feliç Any Nou
- Chinese Simplified (China, except Hong Kong): 圣诞快乐，新年进步
- Chinese Traditional (Hong Kong & Taiwan): 聖誔快樂，新年進步
- Cornish: Nadelik Lowen, Bledhen Nowyth Da.
- Croatian - Hrvatski: Čestit Božić i sretna Nova godina
- Czech: Veselé vánoce a šťastný nový rok.[30] But mostly used is secular 'P.F.' standing for French 'Pour féliciter' (literally 'For happiness in the year...').
- Danish: Glædelig jul og godt nytår! or simply God jul
- Dutch: Prettige kerstdagen en een gelukkig nieuwjaar
- Estonian: Häid jõule ja head uut aastat
- Esperanto: Gajan kristnaskon kaj feliĉan novan jaron
- Filipino: Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon
- Finnish: Hyvää joulua ja onnellista uutta vuotta
- French: Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année
- Galician: Bo Nadal e Feliz Aninovo
- Georgian: გილოცავთ შობა-ახალ წელს
- German: Fröhliche Weihnachten und ein glückliches/gutes Neues Jahr
- Greek: Καλά Χριστούγεννα και ευτυχισμένος ο Καινούριος Χρόνος
- Hungarian: Kellemes karácsonyi ünnepeket és boldog új évet or simply B. ú. é. k.
- Icelandic: Gleðileg jól og farsælt nýtt ár
- Indonesian: Selamat Hari Natal dan Tahun Baru
- Irish: Nollaig Shona Duit
- Italian: Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo
- Kashubian: Wiesołëch Gòdów i szczestlewégò Nowégò Rokù
- Korean : 메리 크리스마스
- Japanese: メリー・クリスマス
- Latvian: Priecīgus Ziemassvētkus un laimīgu Jauno gadu
- Lithuanian: Linksmų šventų Kalėdų ir laimingų Naujųjų metų
- Macedonian: Среќна Нова Година и честит Божиќ
- Malay: Selamat Hari Krismas dan Tahun Baru
- Maltese: Il-Milied Hieni u s-Sena t-Tajba
- Mongolian: Зул сар болон Шинэ жилийн баярын мэнд хүргье
- Norwegian: God jul og godt nyttår
- Persian: کریسمس و سال نو مبارک
- Polish: Wesołych Świąt i Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku
- Portuguese: Feliz Natal e um Feliz Ano Novo
- Romanian: Crăciun Fericit și La mulți ani
- Russian: С Новым годом и Рождеством Христовым!
- Sinhala: Suba naththalak wewa, suba aluth aurudhak wewa
- Slovak: Veselé Vianoce a Štastný Nový rok
- Slovenian: Vesel Božič in Srečno Novo Leto
- Spanish: Feliz Navidad y próspero Año Nuevo
- Swedish: God Jul och Gott Nytt År
- Vietnamese: Chúc mừng Giáng Sinh và chúc mừng Năm mới (acute accent over ơ in "mơi")
- Ukrainian: Веселих свят! (Happy Holidays!) / З Новим роком і Різдвом Христовим!
- Urdu:آپکو بڑا دن اور نیا سال مبارک ہو
- Welsh: Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda
Wikihow had a guide to making pop up cards. A way to keep the children happy for hours or amuse yourself if you are indoors.
Too much trouble? Buy a template for an ecard or a card to have printed and posted.
https://www.smilebox.com/lp/smilebox-plus-cards-christmas/
Other Useful Websites
https://traveltriangle.com/blog/new-year-in-australia/
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Christmas-Card-Templates-
About The Author
Angela Lansbury is a travel writer and photographer, blogger, author of 20 books including an ebook on Improve Your English, from Amazon, and teacher of English and Business English and other languages to individuals, colleges and companies. For more information on learning languages see the previous posts. For information on sites to see in Spain and Portugal see the other posts. Please bookmark your favourite posts and share the links with your family, friends and colleagues.
No comments:
Post a Comment