ESL Christmas: The Nativity Story

Children participate in a nativity play at school as part of  a Christmas program

Many people around the world world celebrate Christmas with family dinners and gift giving.  But many are not all familiar with the reason Christians celebrate this special day.  

The following video tells the story of Christmas that comes from the Bible.  It does not matter if you believe the story or not, but IS is important to know the story itself if you want to understand Christian beliefs and culture.


Instructions: 

• Try to listen to the story several times WITHOUT reading the subtitles. 
• Then, try to answer the questions. ( Do NOT check your answers)   
  
• Next, go back and listen to the story while you read the subtitles.  
• Answer the questions again.  Check the answers. 
• Read along WITH the speaker - at the same time, NOT after him. When you speak at the same time as the speaker, this is called shadow speaking. 

Before you listen, 

What is frankincense?

What is myrrh? 

 

MATCH:             shepherd:                 ruler                    to worship              angel  

                     (answers below)   

                                       

           

Traditional Christmas Carols: 

I'm including some traditional Christmas carols  that focus on the real meaning of Christmas.  People have sung these carols for hundreds of years, so it is useful for you to know some of them

Silent Night
"Silent Night" (German: Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht) is a popular Christmas carol, composed in 1818 in Austria. It was declared an intangible cultural heritage by the UNESCO in March 2011.  The best known Christmas carol in the world has been translated into more than 140 languages, and sung by every singer who has released a Christmas album.   

Silent Night  The song was sung simultaneously in French, English and German by troops during the Christmas truce^[7] of 1914, as it was one carol that soldiers on both sides of the front line knew. ( Source: Wikipedia) 

Silent Nifght and the Secon d O'clock News 
In 1966 Well known singers Simon and Gargunkel    O'Clock News/Silent Night" is the twelfth and final track on Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, a 1966 album by Simon and Garfunkel. The track consists of anoverdubbing of two contrasting recordings: a simple arrangement of the Christmas carol "Silent Night", and a simulated "7 O'Clock News" bulletin of the actual events of 3 August 1966.

The "Silent Night" track consists of Simon and Garfunkel singing the first verse twice over, accompanied by Garfunkel on piano. The voice of the newscaster is that ofCharlie O'Donnell, then a radio disc jockey. As the track progresses, the song becomes fainter and the news report louder. Matthew Greenwald calls the effect "positively chilling".^[1] Bruce Eder describes the track as "a grim and ironic (and prophetic) comment on the state of the United States in 1966".^{[2] ( Wikepidia)} 

                                           Read about the Nativity Story 

 The Nativity Story: A Reading ( medium) 
The Christmas Story Comprehension: Source BBC
A Christmas Story Quiz 
A more difficult Christmas quiz  
  

Fun with Christmas Vocabulary

Christmas Vocabulary Quiz 
Christmas Vocabulary Quiz ( in context) SOURCE English Page  
Funny Christmas Sayings and Expressions  

Breath of Heaven

This song focuses on how frightened Mary was and her hopes that she could live up to the responsibilities she was going to have as the mother of God. The video features scenes adapted from the 2007 film "The Nativity Story" by New Lines Productions Inc. 

O Holy Night 

This song was originally written in French and is often sung at Christian services on Christmas eve. More than 100 artists have recorded this song, but my favourite has always been the Celine Dion version. I have included the French version with lyrics. 


Do You Hear What I Hear?

This song  focuses on what the shepherds in the field heard and saw on the first
Christmas when Jesus was born.







What Child Is This 

"What Child Is This?" is a popular Christmas carol  written in 1865.  At the age of 29, English writer William Chatterton Dix was struck with a sudden near-fatal illness and confined to bed rest for several months. He fell into a deep depression during his illness, but out of his near-death experience, he  wrote the song What Child Is This set to the traditional English tune of Gleensleeves.  

Sarah McLaugllin  version is a little different, set to different music using the same words and could almost be a lullaby sung to a baby. .  

The next two songs focus on the joy Christmas is supposed to bring and reminds us that we need to remember to keep some of that joy in our heart even when things in our life are bad. 
 

Try to sing along with this next song as loudly as you can. Make sure you really open your mouth wide. It will help with your pronunciation, your phrasing and your speaking fluency. 

ESL Christmas Song Activities

Christmas is a time when we show people that we love them, but it can also be a time of heartbreak and loneliness. Many Christmas songs have been written about both the happiness and sadness that the holiday season can bring.

Here are a few songs to keep you in the mood, whether you are happy or sad. Listen, play the game. Then sing along. There's lots of Christmas vocabulary here.  Try some.


But first, let's try some some vocabulary review 

All I Want for Christmas is You:
Justin Bieber, Mariah Carey

Before you watch:

1.   When you stand under this, you have to kiss someone   
2.   Underneath means ________________ 
2.   This is made out of snow and often has eyes, a nose and stick arms 
3.   We roast these type of nuts on the fire.  
4.   What do people put under the Christmas tree and open on Christmas 
       morning? 
   

Winter Wonderland by Rod Stewart and Michael Buble

Before you watch: 

1`.  A meadow is a place ___________________
2.  What kind of person is a "parson"?  (clue) he can legally 
      marry you with someone
3.   What does Santa ride in the sky with reindeer pulling?

Mistetoe by Justin Bieber

Before you listen to the song: 

1.  Justin Bieber uses the word  "Imma" several times during the song. This is slang for  
      "I'm going to be" 

2.  Cheer is another word for joy. 

3.  What is this below?

4.  If you spend time "chilling" with someone, you ___  

5.  shawti is slang for ______________________________'

6. When you "stare" at someone, you ______

ESL Christmas Listening Activities

I have posted a variety of Christmas listening activities for you.  Listen as often as you need to before you answer questions. 

If one of the stories includes the script, try to listen to the story without reading it the first time. Then, read and listen at the same time. 

 Enjoy! .

Source: learningenglishwithmichelle

Christmas in the 17th and 18th Centuries  

;

ESL Video Quiz Christmas in the Colonies (Source ESL Video)  

 Christmas is coming! - a conversation (intermediate) with :
I. Pre-Listening Exercises
 
 II. Listening Exercises
 
III. Post-Listening Exercises
 
Topic : Christmas gifts
Speakers : a man and 2 children
(Source: esl-lab.com)

The Christmas Gift - a narration (difficult) with :
I. Pre-Listening Exercises
 
II. Listening Exercises
 
III. Post-Listening Exercises
(Source: esl-lab.com)

The 11 Million Dollar Christmas Tree    Video Quiz from ESL Video.com

Christmas Day   ELLLO) :  

Fred Talks about the daily routine for his family on Christmas Day in Canada   (SOURCE: ELLLO)

 Christmas Tree Traditions  ( ELLL0)
Anja compaes Christmas tree traditions with Fred  
 (Source ELLLO)

Advent 

'Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat!'

Christmas is the biggest festival in Britain and is celebrated on 25th December. The four weeks before Christmas are called Advent, and are traditionally celebrated in churches by lighting a candle each Sunday during Advent. Nowadays, many people in Britain are not very religious, but they still celebrate Christmas. ( Source BBC)

Multifaith Christmas 

At Christma time, it's always worth remembering that there are many countries where Christianity isn't the main religion. The official religion of the UK is Christianity, but here in London - one of the world's most multicultural cities - there are many non-Christians who also celebrate Christmas. In this program, Yvonne Archer finds out why this is the case and what they like to do at Christmas time.(Source BBC)
 

Men and Christmas 

When Christmas is just around the corner, most people have very little Christmas shopping left to do. But it's a well known fact that on Christmas Eve, most of the shoppers on the streets are men. So is that last minute rush just a fun part of the Christmas shopping experience for men, and do they actually like Christmas shopping? Yvonne Archer goes in search of a few answers. (Source: BBC)

Christmas Shopping  (Source: BBC)

If you walk into many London shops at the moment, you might find it difficult to believe that Christmas is still many weeks away. In this programme, with the help of a market researcher, we find out why Christmas seems to be getting earlier and earlier. 

The Christmas Office Party   

Imagine this program is an invitation to a special kind of Christmas party - not the kind you have at home for friends - but what we call 'the office Christmas party', or less formally, 'the office Christmas do'.(Source: BBC)

                                                         People and Places at Christmas 

We've been out of the office to talk to people about their feelings at Christmas time. We've also been asking people to describe their ideal Christmas. (Source: BBC)

 Words and their Stories Santa Claus 

The story of the man in the red suit who brings gifts to children at Christmas. Transcript of radio broadcast: 19 December 2009

"Santa Claus is someone who will remain in the hearts of children forever...
Santa Claus also has some other names: Saint Nicholas, St. Nick, Kris Kringle, Pelznickel."
(Source: learningenglish.voanews.com)

The Gift of the Magi by O'Henry  

A spoken version of the famous story of a very poor young husband and wife  who each give up the most valuable thing they own in order to give the other a Christmas gift.
(Source: VOA  Quiz from ESL Listening.com)

ESL Bits A Christmas Carol 

Charles Dickens' 1843 classic "A Christmas Carol" is quite possibly the most often told holiday story in the English-speaking world.

The very wealthy Ebenezzer Scrooge is miserable, while his poor employee Bob Cratchit is a contented man with a virtuous disposition and family.

Scrooge, a hardened, greedy man who undergoes a great emotional change one Christmas Eve through the assistance of three ghosts. Each ghost represents some form of loss. The Ghost of Christmas Past represents the lost innocence and kindness Scrooge endures in a difficult childhood and young manhood. The Ghost of Christmas Present represents the love and fellowship Scrooge is losing in his current life.

Scrooge experiences a change of heart while he reviews Christmas memories and once again discovers what it is like to feel and live in the spirit of love, kindness, and giving..
(Listen and read the classic tale of Scrooge)    (Source ESL Bits.com)

Trailer for the Movie A Christmas Carol 

Listening Quiz for the trailer to A Christmas Carol : Source ESL Video.com

The Must Have Christmas Present   

Now that all the Thanksgiving leftovers have been eaten and the Halloween costumes have been put away, everyone is getting ready for Christmas! It’s supposed to be a Christian holiday to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, but somehow it’s become a huge commercial holiday and the most important time of year for retailers.  (SOURCE: Podcast from Melanie ESL)

The Christmas Cuckoo  
A long time ago, there was village in the North Country. All its inhabitants were poor, because their fields were barren, and they didn't have much to sell; but the poorest of them all were two brothers called Scrub and Spare. They were shoemakers. Their shack was very small. The door was low and always open, because there was no window.Continue here  
(Source:John Robinson's ESL Listening.com   

Chatty Santa (chattysanta.com)   

"Type what you’d like Santa to say to a particular person, and Chatty Santa will say it. Then send it to the designated person..." (SOURCE: Larry Ferlazzo)

Christmas greeting from Santa  

Send your friends and relatives Christmas greetings from Santa by clicking here 
(Source:  Teflteacher's blog)





  MORE TO COME 

Come back tomorrow for more Christmas songs, vocabulary, videos, readings, games and other activities. 

Share the love ! 
 

If you enjoyed this post, invite your friends and family to join in the fun, or post this to Facebook or any other social site you belong to   


What are some of YOUR favourite Christmas songs that you would like to see here? Why do you like them?  

Leave a comment and I will try to post them. 

ESL Christmas Vocabulary and Games

It's important to know and understand Christmas vocabulary if you want to about some of the symbols and traditions of Christmas. 

Understanding some of the most common vocabulary will also help you enjoy the Christmas carols you listen to and sing along to during the holidays.

Here are a few vocabulary flashcards, quizzes, games and activities to help you learn and remember some of the important Chrismas words you should know. 

This first item is actually a reading, but it is an interesting one that I hope you will enjoy.

• Mistletoe, the kiss of Christmas
  "It's a vintage year for the legendary mistletoe berries...
  In Britain’s mistletoe-growing regions, a branch would be brought inside at Christmas to protect the house. Any woman walking underneath
  could not refuse to be kissed, or she would remain an old maid. After a kiss, she would pick a berry from the branch."
  (telegraph.co.uk)

Easy Quizzes 

• Christmas vocabulary (learningchocolate.com)

• Easy Christmas Vocabulary activities from ESOL
• Christmas vocabulary Review and Games  

 

Junior's Christmas ( A Fun Activity for Low Levels)

Intermediate Christmas Reading Activities 

• Christmas Shopping Intermediate Reading
• Christmas Shopping Fill in the Blanks (Cloze) 
• Christmas by the Numbers from ESOL - Intermediate reading/scanning activity
• German Christmas Markets Reading 
• German Christmas Market Vocabulary Quiz 
• Giving to Charity at Christmas Intermediate Reading

More Difficult Vocabulary and Quizzes

 (by learningenglishwithmichlle)

Quizlet Christmas Vocabulary Flashcards and games  

 

Quizzes:

• Quizlet Christmas Vocabulary Quiz #1 
• Quizlet Vocabulary Test #2
• Christmas Crossword #1 
• Christmas Crossword # 2
• Christmas Crossword #3
• Christmas Crossword #4

• The Christmas Quiz from Spotlight Magazine
• Christmas Board game ( from Bogglesworld.com)

  MORE TO COME 

Come back tomorrow for more Christmas songs, vocabulary, videos, readings, games and other activities. 

Share the love ! 
 

If you enjoyed this post, invite your friends and family to join in the fun, or post this to Facebook or any other social site you belong to   


What are some of YOUR favourite Christmas songs that you would like to see here? Why do you like them?  

Leave a comment and I will try to post them.  

Rudoph on the Christmas Subway

If you have ever been on a subway, you know it is one of the least cheerful places in the world - especially in large cities like Toronto, London, Paris or New York. 

At this time of the year, passengers on Toronto's subway are usually tired, and grouchy.  Instead of smiling at one another, they tend to avoid eye contact, preferring to look at the floor. The subway in winter is not a happy cheerful place, and the passengers are not happy cheerful people.   

However, the video below from the Epic Dudes is an excellent reminder that  people can share a moment of joy  even on cold winter days - especially if someone helps them along.  

In the "Christmas Subway", a tiny flashmob took off their coats to reveal Christmas sweaters.  Musician Erik Jorgensen  then brought out his guitar and began singing Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. 

It only took a few seconds for other passengers on the Toronto subway to join in, smiling as they sang the words they have known since they were children. 

It might have been a cold day, but the hearts on that subway were very warm for a minute or two.

Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer TV Special  

 Advertisement for the original NBC Special 

Since, I'm talking about Rudolph,  here is the original Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer television Christmas special which was first shown on TV in 1964. 

The animated story, based on the original Rudolf song, immediately became a traditional favourite  everyone in the family could enjoy.

It has been telecast every year since 1964, making it the longest running Christmas TV special in history, and one of only four 1960s Christmas specials still being telecast. The others are A Charlie Brown Christmas, How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Frosty the Snowman. 


Watch it as often as you like. Then, try the quizzes underneath to see how well you understood.  

How well did you understand? Try the quizzes 

• Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer Quiz #1
• Rudolph Quiz# 2 
• Rudolph Quiz # 3 
• Rudolph Quiz # 4 

Now, try the song

 

  MORE TO COME 
 
Come back tomorrow for more Christmas songs, vocabulary, videos, readings, games and other activities. 

Share the love ! 
 

If you enjoyed this post, invite your friends and family to join in the fun, or post this to Facebook or any other social site you belong to   


What are some of YOUR favourite Christmas songs that you would like to see here? Why do you like them?  

Leave a comment and I will try to post them.  

ESL Christmas: Home for the Holidays

One of the most important parts of any holiday, whether it be Christmas, Hanukkah, Lunar New Year,  or Kwanzaa  is coming home to be with your family and friends. 

Many Christmas songs focus on how lonely people are when they can't be with their loved ones. 

Sometimes this is is because they live in different places. Other times, one person is  traveling or working away from home. 


Thinking about Home
No matter what the reason, Christmas or any other holiday can be a time of loneliness and homesickness when we find ourselves thinking of home....wherever that may be.  

Canada is a country full of immigrants, many of whom have left family and friends back in countries such as China, Korea, Poland, Columbia, Peru....It is common for them to feel lonely and homesick at this time of year. 

Here are a few songs that focus on some of the deep emotions that being away from our loved ones bring out in us.  

Home 
This is a new version of Home sung by Blake Shelton and Michael Buble that focuses specifically on how much would like to be home for Christmas. The original song by Michael  Buble shows the same emotion, but stresses how hard it is to be away from people you love at any time.  This is an easy song to sing along to because it is clear and slow and full of emotion. Try to sing along with it as many times as you can, and put as much emotion into your voice as possible when you sing it. It will definitely help your pronunciation.





Song for a Winter's Night 
This song written by Canadian singer songwriter Gordon Lightfoot is not really a Christmas song, but it has become popular at Christmas because makes people think of all the people at Christmas. It is one of my personal favourites all year long.

I'll Be Home For Christmas 
Even a beginner can sing this song which communicates the feelings of anyone who wants to be home for the holidays. If you can't be home in reality, you can go home in your dreams. What a lovely idea. This is a slow song that doesn't have many difficult words. Enjoy! 

MORE TO COME 
 
Come back tomorrow for more Christmas songs, vocabulary, videos, readings, games and other activities. 

Share the love ! 
 

If you enjoyed this post, invite your friends and family to join in the fun, or post this to Facebook or any other social site you belong to   


What are some of YOUR favourite Christmas songs that you would like to see here? Why do you like them?  

Leave a comment and I will try to post them.  

Learn English with Christmas Songs Part1

 

Many of you have finished your English classes for this term. But that doesn't mean you should stop practicing your English.

The Christmas season is now in full swing, so this is an excellent time to have fun practicing your English with Christmas activities. 

Get into the spirit of Christmas by singing

One of my favourite activities during the Christmas season is singing Christmas songs and carols.  In fact, one of my earliest memories is sitting outside my parents' bedroom door at 6 o'clock on Christmas morning singing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." 

There are hundreds of wonderful songs you can listen and sing along to. Some are traditional carols that focus on the religious aspect of Christmas. Others are popular songs that focus on what Christmas means for many different people: family, friends, home, snow, magic.... 

During the next few weeks, I will be posting a variety of Christmas activities to help you practice your English. Today, I will begin with a few famous Christmas songs that you may or may not already know.   

Listen to the songs. Fill in the blanks. Then sing along as many times as you can.  It will help you improve your listening, speaking, pronunciation and even your vocabulary. 

Santa Claus is Coming to Town 

This song was originally written for children in order to warn them to be good boys and girls if they wanted to get presents from Santa Claus. The song has now been turned into a pop song that also appeals to young people and adults. Many different artists have sung it, but the most popular version is by singer Mariah Carey.  I have added the children's sing-along version as well.  Try singing along with both versions.

Let It Snow

If you don't live in a winter climate, this seems like an unusual song to sing at Christmas, but if you live in the northern part of North America, Christmas usually means lots of snow, and brings many happy memories for most people.  This version of "Let it Snow" by Dean Martin has always been a huge favourite for millions of people in North America.   I hope you enjoy it.

.

 Jingle Bell Rock

Jingle Bell Rock is a dance party song written in the 1950s when rock and roll was still very new. It immediately became popular because it was such a happy song and was so much fun to sing and dance to. It still remains very popular and almost everybody in North America knows the word by heart and can sing along to the words without looking at a piece of paper. Try singing along. You'll love it.







MORE TO COME 
 
Come back tomorrow for more Christmas songs, vocabulary, videos, readings, games and other activities. 

Share the love ! 

If you enoyed this post, invite your friends and family to join in the fun, or post this to Facebook or any other social site you belong to   


What are some of YOUR favourite Christmas songs that you would like to see here? Why do you like them?  

Leave a comment and I will try to post them.