Easy and difficult Spanish words

Welcome in Spanish.

Spanish Words Which Are Easy to identify and remember 

Spanish - English

las aguilas - the eagles

angeles - angels as in the American city Los Angeles)

botanico - botanic 

castillo - castle

entran - they enter (like make an entrance)

Puerto - port

gigantes - giants (like the adjectival word gigantic)

de - of

la  - the singular

lago - lake

las - the plural

los - the plural masculine, as in los angeles

mi - me

momento - moment

monasterio - monastery

montana (accent on the second n makes the pronunciation ny) - mountain

cruz - cross

parque - park

san - saint

la semana - the week  like the French word semaine

sol - sun

zona - zone / area

Difficult Words in Spanish

casarse - to get married

fiesta is a private party, not a public festival

Useful Websites on Spanish

duolingo.com

 translate

Christmas Day and Boxing Day

Christmas Day 

What are the elements of a British Christmas?

XMAS OUTDOORS

Street lights

Across the street. Up the lamp posts. In the trees.

Exterior decorations such as wreaths on doors.

 Santas and reindeer on the front lawns and rooftops.

Restaurants decorated inside and out.

A giant Norway spruce in Trafalgar Square.

Ice rinks set up in pubic places, in front of major museums, large squares, and shopping malls such as Brent Cross.

Green holly with red berries.

INDOORS

Fir trees, called Xmas trees. Decorated with lights, bubble shaped baubles, wrapped parcels under the tree. An angel on the top of the trees.

Mistletoe with white berries.

Tables with Xmas crackers.  

XMAS CLOTHES

Party hats.

Coloured table cloths.

Clothes with festive themes, 

Santas, reindeer, stars.

Festive jewellery such as ear rings with hanging trees.

Xmas carols played in lifts (elevators), department stores and restaurants, and on radio stations.

Midnight mass in Roman Catholic churches and cathedrals.

Carol singers.

Santa's Grotto in Department stores, and increasingly in stately homes and museums.

Santa visits to places such as hospitals and events.

Choirs singing up staircases (such as the Tanglin Club in Singapore)

XMAS FOOD

Mince pies.

Christmas pudding.

Christmas cakes.

Yule logs.

Stollen from Germany.

Panettone from Italy. 

Pandoro from Italy.

Nativity scenes in Roman Catholic churches.

Pantomimes in theatres and ice rinks.

Festive films (movies) in cinemas and on TV.

Hymns on seasonal and religious themes.

Christmas songs.

Snow scenes

 Snow on rooftops. Skiing. Skating. Icicles. Skating on lakes and rivers.

Snowmen.

Robin Redbreasts.

Christmas cards with Victorian scenes and glitter.

Christmas Day

Why is it the 25th? Some say to supercede the pre-Christian celebration of the sun rising again after the solstice, the shortest day.

Boxing Day

The popular story is that servants would work providing Christmas Day lunch. Then on boxing day they would return with boxes for leftovers, and/or a financial bonus or reward.

Boxing Day is celebrated in the UK and some Commonwealth countries but not worldwide.  However, soe places close businesses for St Stephen's Day, the second day of Christmas.

Wiki says

In parts of Europe, such as east Spain, (Catalonia, Valencia and the Balearic Islands^[2][3]), the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Hungary, the Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Slovakia,^[4] Slovenia, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Romania, Sweden, Belgium, Norway, Latvia and the Republic of Ireland, 26 December is Saint Stephen's Day, which is considered the second day of Christmas.^[5

If you are wondering about traffic, many state schools in London will start Monday 5th January 1026.

Some businesses will be closed Jan 1st, new Year's Day, and open on January 2nd.

Useful website on Christmas Day

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Date_of_the_birth_of_Jesus#:~:text=Based%20on%20this%20winter%20solstice

Christmas Day worldwide - open presents December 245h, 25th, or in January?

Santa Claus is calling? When?

In the UK we used to say Father Christmas.

 In England, Christmas presents are opened on Christmas Day, December 25th. According to the Gregorian calendar. A neat number, although the day of the week varies. In 2025 Christmas Day is on a Thursday. 

German Christmas Traditions

The Germans open their presents on Christmas Eve. The British royal family stick to this tradition, which came from Queen Victoria's husband Albert.

But does Christmas eve start at sunset the day before?

Sunset Evening

Starting the next day at sunset is the way that it would have been for Jews at the time of Jesus, and how Orthodox Jews today still start and end the Sabbath.

But when does the next day start? According to modern thinking, at midnight. 

Midnight Mass - Europe and Roman Catholic

Another European tradition in Catholic countries and Cathedrals is Midnight mass. We went to Midnight mass one year in Prague. Midnight of course is the start of the next day.

When we went to live in Singapore, Christmas ended at midnight on December 25th. No Boxing Day.

Angela Lansbury happily holding the Singapore flag. Photo by Trevor Sharot. Taken in August, on Singapore National Day, circa 2022.

Christmas in Singapore and Asia

I had a Christmas message from Singapore from my friend Jaya, who is Indian with a Chinese wife. He called me at 9 am UK time which was 5 p.m. in Singapore. He told me that he is going to work on Boxing day which is a normal working day for him. His wife is a teacher in a European school so for her Christmas is a long holiday, extending over New Year, January 1st.

The Chinese who are the majority in Singapore will be having their big New Year celebration at the time of the Chinese New year, which other Asian countries call the lunar New Year, which varies according to the lunar calendar.

When I was a teenager my parents could avoid giving Christmas presents and the inconvenience of no public transport on Christmas Day by going for a beach holiday to Spain to enjoy warmer weather.

Those who want to celebrate twice could stay in the UK for a British Christmas, then hop across to Europe to a country where Christmas is celebrated on January 6th, known in England as 12th night, celebrated in the Christmas carol, the twelve days of Christmas. 

We are still sending or giving Xmas cards in the uk. Although whatsApp messages and gifs aee taking over.

Jif forwarded to me by an Indian friend in London.

What about the USA?

USA

American flag. Picture from Wikipedia.

The Americans say Happy Holidays, which covers Christmas and New Year, those who celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday as well as those who don't.

In restaurants and malls in the UK and other countries you hear English language carols, as well as the bilingual song, in Spanish and English, Feliz Navidad. Easy to recognize, like the words felicity, happiness, and nativity, birth, as well as to remember as the song keeps repeating the refrain.

So, to everybody, everywhere, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year. and Happy Holidays.

Useful Website On Christmas and The Birth Of Jesus

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Date_of_the_birth_of_Jesus#:~:text=Based%20on%20this%20winter%20solstice,held%20on%20the%20same%20date.

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Champagne At Home, On the Balcony, Or In Your Hotel Bedroom For Xmas and New Year

 

   

Planning New Year? When I was a teenager I waited for an invitation to a New Year's Eve party. I rang several friends, who said they also had not been invited anywhere. I said to my mothers, 'If they aren't invited anywhere, why don't they hold a party?'#My mother replied,

If you aren't invited anywhere, and your friends are free, why don't you hold one?

So I did. Two or three of my guests reciprocated by inviting me to their parties in the next few months.

Nowadays many restaurants and club restaurants hold two sittings for New Year's Eve. An early dinner. Later just the drinks event. 

If you are celebrating at midnight at home, or hosting an event in a restaurant, you can organize personalized coasters to go with Champagne, prosecco, wine or gin.

Sparkling water can be served to children and drivers.

For festive meals at home or for restaurants

Gold and transparent coasters and table mats for celebrations

https://www.temu.com/uk/-60-120pcs-round--placemats-polyester-woven-disposable-table-mats-heat-resistant-for-wedding-birthday-holiday-dinner-party-bbq-home-kitchen-table-decor-festive-utensil-accessory-g-601099853973903.html

Hearts, stars and Xmas themes

https://linddna.kontainer.com/folder/937268/file/1036234#token=fKjopXtfjG&type=direct

UK Wine Shops

https://www.majestic.co.uk/pages/wine-pairing-the-best-sweet-wines-for-christmas

More on Amazon.

Prosecco, wine, gin coasters on Ebay, sets of 24 from about ten pounds.

I also tried making coasters from the tops of jam jars. And you can cut wrapping paper in circles with a slit across the middle to cover the top of the base of a Champagne flute.

Happy Christmas. Happy New Year!

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Wetherspoons Pub, Heath Robinson and the story of Isabella Beeton

Wetherspoons pubs are known for showing local history.

The Moon & Sixpence pub in Hatch End has pictures and stories about two famous characters who were in print.

Mrs Beeton

Mrs Isabella Beeton was married to a publisher who encouraged her to write and she produced her famous book of household management which is still in print today.

A heritage plaque to her is further along the Broadway.

Her books confirmed the system of writing recipes with the ingredients listed first, then the method of preparation and cooking.

She died young, but her influence and fame lived on.

Heath Robinson

Another popular character was Heath Robinson. A museum all about him is down the road in Pinner. But you can enjoy some of his cartoons and life story here in the Moon & Sixpence.

 

 

 Useful Websites - on Wetherspoons

on Isabella Beeton

on Heath Robinson

Indian restaurant Social Dhaba

 People come to Hatch End from all over London, from Northwood, Watford, Ruislip. Hatch End has so many restaurants. If you are looking for Indian restaurants, there are four. Vegetarian. Or meat. My husband is a meat eater, and Social Dhaba was his first choice recently. If you are coming from further away or meeting friends, the restaurant is easy to find on the corner of Hatch End Broadway and Grimsdyke Road.  Bright lights and colours outside. The same jollity inside.       

We had to book on the Tuesday before Xmas. Early sitting.  6 to 8 pm.

Tuesday evening, two nights before Christmas Eve. 

Fabric napkins.

Metal plates and water carafe.

Champagne

Starting with Champagne. Good Champagne, says my expert. Reasonably priced, too. Cheaper than their cocktails. I should have asked to see the bottle and noted the label.

Anything to add. Yes. The prices that restaurants charge for just a glass of Champagne, or a whole bottle, they should add some decoration. two small pieces of fruit on a skewer across the top, or the word champagne on the base of the glass, or a tiny ribbon around the neck of the glass. or a tray with a painted flower holding two glasses, or a fancy coaster, or an ice cube containing an edible flower, or edible glitter in the drink or on the base. Or a teeny coaster saying greetings.

Starters

Three starters: 

Onion bhaji, great, soft centre.

Chicken chunks coated in green.

Fish, salmon coated in sauce.

3 condiments. Good white yogurt was the first. Watch out for the spicy third.

Naan

Peshwari naan containing coconut.

Peshwari nan. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Our main dish was lamb stew. We ordered white rice.

Delighful Dessert

The dessert was delighful.

Gulub Jamun

 Perfect gulub jamun with vanilla ice cream.

Chocolate Filled Samosas

 Very crisp triangular envelope containing a thick almost gritty filling. Not over sweet nor over chocolatey. Once I got past the surprise, I stopped the thought of, wow, that is a hard outside, so I might break a tooth, and instead thought, crunchy, munchy, a bit like eating nuts.

I ate my half share of the hard samosa with the soft gulab jamun and ice cream and it was a perfect combination. Plus the visually appealing and healthy looking slice of strawberry.

Toilets

The bill came up in a metal box containing a chocolate in smooth gold foil for each diner.

Verdict - vunderbar!

That is German for wonderful.

We asked for the leftovers as a takeaway. They gave us aluminium boxes to fill. I prefer to fill the boxes myself. I can be sure I have got everything. Lids firmly secured. No waiting.

Next day we had a meal from our leftovers. Still just as good.

I said, 'I could eat this every day.'

We could cut the cost and order delivery, or collect it ourselves.

Useful Websites

https://socialdhaba.uk/

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Moving Home - Protecting Furniture, Building & Movers

 

Singapore Moving Home & Furniture - Building Protection 

 In Singapore when you moved in or out of a block of flats - and most of Singapore consists of high rise blocks, precautions were taken to prevent damage to the building. Several times a year you got into the lift and it looked like a padded cell.

Public Floors' Protection

Incoming and outgoing tenants had to inform the management, book the dates and times, and pay for the installation of protection. Runners were laid on the floor from the parking area to the building, over to the lift, inside the lift, down the corridor to the unit doorway. 

Lift Protection

Inside the lift, all four walls and the ceiling were protected  with padding, attached to hooks inside the lift which you would not normally notice. (An alternative in areas without hooks is a heavy duty removable tape.) Windows with see-through covering allowed you to use the lift buttons and emergency buttons.

Doorways were also protected.

In my opinion removal companies should have three things

1 A trained supervisor in charge of the moving staff.

2 Insurance against damage.

3 Equipment to protect doorways, walls, and floors . Tools for removing and re-fixing doors to allow access for large items. 

4 Advance survey of photos or videos of the building, parking access, and sizes of large items to be brought in or taken out.

5 Notification of building porter or manager to get parking space cordoned off for large vehicles.

Holland and The Netherlands - Upper Floor Access

In Holland large items like pianos are hoisted to upper floors outside the building and through a large window at the top.

Search the web and you will find videos of companies in the USA showing you what to do and what you can buy from them. From the UK you can find websites of items to buy.

My Experiences

Moving an American style large double door fridge freezer in and out can be a problem.

 One set of movers went off in a huff.

1 They could not park near enough as visitors had occupied all the spaces near the entrance.

2 They were daunted by the nine steps into the building. Which we had notified the sellers of the fridge, but the moving contractor's staff maintained that they had not been informed.

3 They said there was a danger of damage to the kitchen door and door jamb. 

Surely that is their job, to be prepared to allow time to install protection of the doorway, to carry it with them, to have tools to remove the fridge door to make it smaller and lighter. To have tools to remove the kitchen door to make more space.

What might the landlord or householder need or do?

1 Buy and put down waterproof floor runners.

2 Install or ask the porter or caretaker of the building to put up temporary No parking portable bollards.

3 Have protection for the walls and doorways. Buy it. If all else fails, keep a supply of 

a) bubble wrap, 

b) wine bottle covers, 

c) thick bath towels - old ones

d) cardboard boxes such as Amazon delivery boxes and furniture moving boxes

 Websites on Door Jamb Protection For Moving
UK Products To Protect Homes When Moving

https://www.trioplus.co.uk/protect-doors-frames/ram-board-door-jamb/

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