35238 christmas traditions

ESL Level 1/2

Christmas Traditions
Most of our Christmas Traditions come from Europe, where Christmas comes
in the middle of winter. In a European winter, it is dark and very cold, so
people want to see
bright lights and bright colours to make them feel
happy.

During the cold dark winter in Europe, people gather wreaths of evergreen
tree branches to decorate their homes. Most trees and bushes in Europe lose
their leaves in winter, except for Evergreen trees, and plants like holly and
mistletoe. All these plants stay green in winter.

This is why green and red are the traditional colours of Christmas.

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ESL Level 1/2

Christmas Traditions
Holly is a bright green plant with bright red berries. It stays green in winter. At
Christmas, people decorate their houses, gifts, and food with holly.

You can find pictures of holly on Christmas cards, on gift wrapping paper, and

in advertising.

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ESL Level 1/2

Christmas Traditions
Because holly does not grow well in Australia, people use poinsettia instead.

As you can see, poinsettia plants have bright green leaves and bright red
flowers, the traditional Christmas colours.
We also decorate evergreen pine trees with ornaments in green, red, and
other bright colours.

Even in Australia, where it is very hot at Christmas, and where most of the
trees do not lose their leaves, we still carry on this tradition.

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ESL Level 1/2

Christmas Traditions
 Kissing under the Mistletoe:

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Mistletoe is another evergreen plant. It is different from
holly. At Christmas, people stand under the mistletoe and
kiss each other.

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ESL Level 1/2

Christmas Traditions
What other Christmas traditions do you know about? Write
them here:
1. _________________________________________
2. _________________________________________
3. _________________________________________
4. _________________________________________
5. _________________________________________
6. _________________________________________

7. _________________________________________

Here are some clues:

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ESL Level 1/2

Christmas Traditions
EXERCISES
A.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

B.

C.

1.
2.

3.
4.
5.
6.

Fill in the gaps in these sentences:
In Europe winter is ___________ and ____________.
People decorate their homes with ________________ trees.
Evergreen trees don’t lose their _______________ in winter.
Holly is a plant with green _______________ and red berries.
Poinsettia is a plant with green leaves and red
_______________.
The traditional colours of Christmas are ______ and
__________.
TRUE OR FALSE:
Holly is an evergreen plant.
Christmas is a European tradition.
In Europe, winter is hot and humid.
Holly doesn’t grow very well in Australia.
The traditional colours of Christmas are blue and yellow.
At Christmas, people kiss each other under a holly plant.
There are some mistakes in this paragraph. Correct them:

Chrismas is a European traditon. In Europe, summer is cold and dark,
so peeple want toe see brite colours and lites. They decorate there
buses with gum trees and roses. Sum pipple go two church on
Christas Eve and sing Crismas carells. They hav a bigg lunch on th
26th of November but thay call it “Christmas dinner”. The eat roast
turky an hamm. Thay give itch other present and Christmas cars.
Than they has a bigg sleap!

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