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Christmas
简体
Christmas
圣诞节

How to Use the Present Perfect Tense

Date: Dec 23 2011

Themes: Holidays

Grammar: Present Perfect Tense

Intro

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There are a lot of reasons to love Christmas. The beautiful lights, the happy children, the caroling and the presents are just a few. Many people look forward to Christmas and love to get in the Christmas spirit. But not everybody is filled with holiday cheer at this time of year. Some people even hate Christmas and would rather skip all the festivities if they could. Find out why Jeff is one of those people.

喜爱圣诞节有很多理由。漂亮的彩灯、兴高采烈的孩子、圣诞颂歌和礼物,这些只是其中的一小部分。很多人都期盼圣诞节并喜欢感受圣诞节的气氛。但不是每个人都在每年的这个时候充满节日的兴奋。有些人甚至讨厌圣诞节,如果可能,他们想逃离所有节日。找出为什么杰夫就是其中一员。

Dialog

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

Devan

Devan

Jeff

Jeff

Devan:  I’m so excited that Christmas is coming up. It’s my favorite holiday. I love everything about it. I love caroling, I love the lights, I love all the cheer, and…

Jeff:  Yeah, you sound pretty festive alright.

Devan:  Yeah, I couldn’t be more excited. What about you?

Jeff:  I couldn’t feel any more opposite. I can’t stand it. Every job I’ve had for the last seven years has revolved around the busy Christmas season, or as people like to say hundreds and hundreds of times over the months surrounding Christmas, “the holidays.” The holidays, the holidays.

Devan:  And that’s not fun? Isn’t there a lot more hustle and bustle at work, and Christmas cheer, and everybody’s laughing and happy?

Jeff:  No. Just a lot of stressed out, impatient people for three months.

Devan:  Huh. I’ve never thought about it that way. I guess I’ve never worked in retail. I’ve always been the person probably bothering people like you.

Jeff:  Well, I don’t work in retail right now, but I did, and that was pretty bad.

Devan:  Thanks, Jeff. That was really depressing. You kind of ruined my Christmas spirit.

Jeff:  Yeah, no problem, Devan.

 

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Discussion

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Devan loves Christmas and gets very excited about it each year. She especially loves the cheerful, festive feeling of the holiday. She loves to get in the Christmas spirit.

Jeff couldn’t disagree more. For him, the holidays are all about stress. He worked in retail for many years, and Christmastime was always very busy because of all the extra shoppers. Jeff says that people are often hurried and impatient during the holidays, making it an even more stressful time.

Do you love the holidays, or do you think it is a stressful time of year?

 

Comments

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Sandra95

Sandra95

Sweden

if you ask me the main purpose of celebrating x’mas in winter  in cold is that the people all around the world are busy and maybe they’re so tired of working or bored from every thing around them So X’mas is a chance for people to get together ,feel warm, hang out with friend , hold party, eat, drink , TOtaly be happy, and enjoy their time.


If you really want  to enjoy holidays you have to give up strees and be happy from heart.. 

02:19 PM Jan 10 2014 |

Nafas75

Nafas75

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

oh it’s great day

12:22 PM Sep 05 2012 |

manik athawale

India

A Christmas tree is a decorated tree, usually an evergreen conifer such as pine or fir, traditionally associated with the celebration of Christmas. An artificial Christmas tree is an object made to resemble such a tree, usually made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
The tree was traditionally decorated with edibles such as apples, nuts or dates. In the 18th century, it began to be illuminated by candles, which with electrification could also be replaced by Christmas lights. Today, there is a wide variety of traditional ornaments, such as garland, tinsel, and candy canes. An angel or star may be placed at the top of the tree, to represent the host of angels or the Star of Bethlehem from the Nativity.
The custom of the Christmas tree developed in early modern Germany with predecessors that can be traced to the 16th and possibly the 15th century. It acquired popularity beyond Germany during the second half of the 19th century.[1] The Christmas tree has also been known as the “Yule-tree”, especially in discussions of its folkloristic origins.[2][3]

03:13 PM Feb 12 2012 |

manik athawale

India

Christmas (Old English: Crīstesmæsse, literally “Christ’s mass”) is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ,[5][6] celebrated generally on December 252[3][4] as a religious and cultural holiday by billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, it closes the Advent season and initiates the twelve days of Christmastide.[7] Christmas is a civil holiday in many of the world’s nations,[8][9][10] is celebrated by an increasing number of non-Christians,[1][11][12] and is an integral part of the Christmas and holiday season.
The precise year of Jesus’ birth, which some historians place between 7 and 2 BC, is unknown.[13][14] By the early-to-mid 4th century, Western Christianity had placed Christmas on December 25, a date later adopted in the East.[15][16] The date of Christmas may have initially been chosen to correspond with the day exactly nine months after the Annunciation, the date Christians believe Jesus to have been conceived,[17] as well as the date of the Roman winter solstice, which Christians consider to be the “Sun of righteousness” prophesied in Malachi 4:2.[17][18][19][20][21]
The original date of the celebration in Eastern Christianity was January 6, in connection with Epiphany, and that is still the date of the celebration for the Armenian Apostolic Church and in Armenia, where it is a public holiday. As of 2012, there is a difference of 13 days between the modern Gregorian calendar and the older Julian calendar. Those who continue to use the Julian calendar or its equivalents thus celebrate December 25 and January 6 on what for the majority of the world is January 7 and January 19. For this reason, Ethiopia, Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, the Republic of Macedonia, and the Republic of Moldova celebrate Christmas on what in the Gregorian calendar is January 7; all the Greek Orthodox Churches celebrate Christmas on December 25.
The popular celebratory customs associated in various countries with Christmas have a mix of pre-Christian, Christian and secular themes and origins.[22] Popular modern customs of the holiday include gift giving, Christmas music and caroling, an exchange of Christmas cards, church celebrations, a special meal, and the display of various Christmas decorations, including Christmas trees, Christmas lights, nativity scenes, garlands, wreaths, mistletoe, and holly. In addition, several closely related and often interchangeable figures, known as Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas and Christkind, are associated with bringing gifts to children during the Christmas season and have their own body of traditions and lore.[23] Because gift-giving and many other aspects of the Christmas festival involve heightened economic activity among both Christians and non-Christians, the holiday has become a significant event and a key sales period for retailers and businesses. The economic impact of Christmas is a factor that has grown steadily over the past few centuries in many regions of the world.

02:58 PM Feb 12 2012 |

manik athawale

India

Christmas gifts need to come from the bottom of our heart
your heart needs to be an ocean filled with love
like the ocean is filled with water all year, your heart needs to be filled with love all year
its Christmas time all year, time to make Christmas gifts all year each day!

02:16 PM Feb 12 2012 |

Maria del Alba

Spain

I think Christmas is both: happy and stressful. But, what it is worse for me…: we have forgotten the REAL MEANING of Christmas festivity: the birth of Jesus. And I am not a very catholic person at all cauze i admire all religions but I realize almost everything at Christmas is consumerism and shopping… and we must care about our family all time in a year and not only meeting at festivities.


So, I don’t know why even religious people forget that and transform this into a such material issue….

07:09 PM Dec 31 2011 |

a526814164

a526814164

China

I haven’t read the bible.

05:26 PM Dec 29 2011 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

Oleg1980 , you might as well go to Wikipedia, the exact date is controversial ,Dec.25 ,Jan 6 to others. Some  bible  scholars  agree that actually was on Jan 6.  

04:03 PM Dec 29 2011 |

Oleg1980

Russian Federation

By the way, does anybody know why Chrismas is celebrate on these dates, as far as I know there is not mention about exact data of Christ’s birth?

09:39 AM Dec 29 2011 |

Oleg1980

Russian Federation

I think Christmas has become very commercial and has nothing common with Christianity.

09:38 AM Dec 29 2011 |

a526814164

a526814164

China

Hallelujah  Thank God

03:21 PM Dec 27 2011 |

1 person likes this

i love life

Palestinian Territory, Occupied

Merry Christmas to all people who are Celebrating thses days .


We have these days a lots of preparation in Bethlehem City .


The Jesus Peace be upon him Was born here before 3000 years ago .


Specifically in The Church of nativity .


I would like Recommend all people from over The world visit my country here Actually 


We have many places are amazing .


I am a muslim but Really There are a good coexistance between of muslims and Christens here .


It.s indicating to We all are brothers Regardless of the Religious reason .


I respect any religion express on love and the humanity .


I want to say Our prophet mohmmed peace be upon him He was Urged on


We should treat others  with a respect and love until  If They arent muslim .


We bring one thing one destiny All of us need a nice holidays 


We want to spend a lots of time with our families .


When we have an opportunity to fun or picnic It.s will be a memorable memories 


Happy new year Merry christams to all 


 

01:53 PM Dec 27 2011 |

1 person likes this

tilwayne

tilwayne

Morocco

Yes I am a Muslim. Yes I don’t believe in all the religious context behind this feast. Yet, for the same reasons, I support how people get excited and stoked for this event, as their ultimate purpose is to cheer up and regain joy and happiness. My tolerance invites to nothing but wish Merry Christmas to all concerned by it : ) 

10:54 PM Dec 26 2011 |

1 person likes this

a526814164

a526814164

China

Thank you

04:00 PM Dec 26 2011 |

JuliaDnepr

Ukraine

I like New Year’s atmosphere. this holiday has a lot of traditions and it’s not connected with politics. For me It’s both pleasant and challenge moment choosing presents for relatives to please them. But in general it’s great time for having fun.

12:33 PM Dec 26 2011 |

1 person likes this

trailo_hathanh

Viet Nam

Jeff have been worked in retail and He said Chrismaste time is stressful. Yes, He might right that at that time, people become more hurried and impatient. But I don’t thing that is the reason for dislike Chrismaste.


Chrismate has more exciting than stressfull above. I hope Jeff will enjoy when he take the chance to be served by people in Chrismaste time.

09:44 AM Dec 26 2011 |

majed9

majed9

Yemen

the cristmas it’s verey good bue when u have the lvoeEmbarassed

07:20 PM Dec 25 2011 |

zazi zineb

Algeria

christmas is the most excited day realy it’s sooooooooooammazing  where joy ,happiness and big smile covered  over the glob and i realy like it ,the family gethering  around delicious traditional food  it’s realy a day i’ve never forget about it , i’m realy waiting and looking forward i’m eager to start celebratig and see my friends mmmmmmmmmso happy new year English baby and every body there Smile

07:14 PM Dec 25 2011 |

saeedsirtex

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

hi every body..merry christmas…i wish all of u the best happen to you in this new year…


also i m not christian but i am really love celebration and also seing people happy…and love christmas too….i really wish being in uroup tonight and i can celebrate this holiday with all of you….


 


in iran we have new year in first day of spering…we called it ” norooz” it start 3 months from now…norooz means new day..


take care


saeed

06:54 PM Dec 25 2011 |

a526814164

a526814164

China

I have been busy working

06:25 PM Dec 25 2011 |

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