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Alternative Christmas

Date: Dec 24 2010

Themes: Family, Holidays, Travel

Grammar: Simple Present Tense

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Intro

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Typical Christmas traditions include hanging stockings in front of the fireplace, leaving a plate of cookies out for Santa, and tearing open your presents as soon as you wake up on Christmas morning. But some families like to celebrate Christmas in their own, unique way.

Having an alternative Christmas might just mean giving funny gifts instead of the usual clothes and gadgets. Or, instead of buying their loved ones a bunch of presents they don’t really want, some families use the money they would have spent on gifts to take a trip together. Others head out to a favorite restaurant instead of spending all day in the kitchen to make a home-cooked Christmas dinner.

Devan is going to have an alternative Christmas this year. Hear her tell Dale about her plans.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Devan

Dale

Devan: So, I’m really excited because I’m going to New York City for Christmas this year. But it’s definitely going to be a very unconventional Christmas for me because I usually go home for Christmas, and so I’m kinda nervous. I’m like a little worried about it, but…

Dale: So have you ever been away from home before this for the holidays? Is this your first time to be away and not be at home together as a family?

Devan: It is. You know, usually it’s a big hassle for me to get time off work so I can go home, but I always make it work because I really love my family. But yeah, this year, I’m just going to be hanging out with my sister in a city that’s not my home, so I’m wondering if I’m going to have this void this year.

Dale: When I was 19 I was in the Philippines and I celebrated Christmas by myself with no family. And it was extremely tough, even though I did see them when I was a kid all the time. It’s always during that Christmastime when you felt like you just had to be close to each other, and it was just really hard.

Devan: Right.

Dale: You’ll be fine. You’re grown up now.

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Discussion

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Instead of having Christmas at home this year, Devan is going to New York with her sister. She is excited about being in New York at Christmastime, when the city will be beautifully decorated for the holiday. But she is also a little worried that she might be homesick and miss the traditional family celebration.

Dale likes to have a traditional Christmas with his family. He once had to spend Christmas alone, and he didn’t like it. He thinks it’s important to be with family at Christmastime.

What is your favorite holiday? Do you like to have traditional holiday celebrations, or do you like to do things differently?

Comments

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Hiczka

Poland

I’ve been away since 2008. This year I will celebrate Christmas with my family. I’ve been on my own for a long time. I don’t need to spend any holidays with my familly cause and I don’t miss them. I think I got used to spend my time in my own way. Of course my relationship with parents is ok! I call them twice a week and sometimes I talk with my mom more than an hour ;] Definitely I’m looking forward to celebrate Christmas with my family this year, but next one I’m goin to do something different!

cheers!

Marcelolic

Brazil

I’ve done a bit of everything yet and I enjoyed each one…But today I preffer to be with my family in christmas holydays ’cause christmas is really the face of family :) But in new year’s holiday everyone hang out with friends and partying! hehe :P

Thulazia

Germany

Oh this is a kind of funny, because this year I celebrated christmas without my parents and my sibling. I missed them a lot. My relatives were with me but it is not the same as usual. I hope next year I will join again my traditional way because i like it more than celebrating in a new enviroment. :)

tobossh

China

as to me i'd like to have a traditional holiday celebrations. but we have no christmas day in china, we have traditional chinese new year's day on 2.2 in 2011.

Zambuka

United States

I guess new year tradition will always be the same for me . And it’s not because i’m suffering from the lack of imagination to create something unconventional, but because being together with family’s such a treat, that i just can’t miss it . As for spending new year in the other city, i just can go there after the celebration

masiran

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

happy new yearrrrrrrrr

lucia18

Spain

hola

monaleza manosh

Egypt

hi my friends at baby english n i think it is so important to celebrate with our famillies this can make familly relationships more strong but to feel this importance of familly relationships u must try to keep away from familly sometimes n in fact i mysaelf need to try

afufu

China

I am Chinese. The most important festival for us is Spring Festival, which is about 40 days away. No matter where I am, I always go back to my hometown and spend the Spring Festival with my family.

During that festival, everyone try to go back to their homes and celebrate it with their families. But China is a big country with large population, so it's not easy for transport system to get everybody home. So, it is always every crowded at airports, railway stations and coach stations. And lots of people cannot get a ticket. That's a big problem for the government to take care of.

alexcai

China

Sure,as a chinese,my favorite holiday is Spring Festival.I like to have traditional holiday celebration with my family.

On Christmas Day,we threw a party with just a few friends at my home to celebrate. It's very good to see lots of local people celebrate foreign festivals.

malleny

China

A happy day.

bienemaja

Andorra

the celebration itself is traditional but I change the food …

Whiteangell

Turkey

hi everone..

I'm here.. I wish, The new year brings to everybody good healty,succes,happness and peach…

Josh K

Guatemala

I prefer something simple.

MUHAMMAD92

Saudi Arabia

i say to my friend at baby englsh .merry christ mas

luosijie203

Taiwan

In my opinion, It would be tough if you're not with your family a Christmastime, you'll miss your family at that time, that's why people have to go home to stay with their family and celebrate Christmas even though they're busy. I love to stay with my family at that kind of holidays, enjoy a good time together, that's very important to you and your family!