CHRISTMAS WORDSEARCH

B S Z S S X P E E V E N D Y V

S S E W H R E O F L D O S Y E

E L O I E O T K B N H I T E Y

L N E S R E P U A E E T O N W

S E E I L R A P T C O A C M R

Y N Z T G B E J I T M R K I G

T A S W H H S B C N H O I H H

G I I F G R R P N G G C N C O

M R E I N D E E R A G E G R L

G N I D D U P K N T R D O E L

E E R T O J V G C D T C A T Y

Y N A C K R E Q E A K L N I Q

M F T A H L M K T U R K E Y W

U H S O Y F N P C C S C M Z E

W K O N Q Y S A L Q L Z O Q Q

ANGEL

BAUBLE

CAKE

CHIMNEY

CRACKER

CRANBERRIES

DECORATION

EVE

HOLLY

MISTLETOE

PRESENT

PUDDING

REINDEER

SHOPPING

SLEIGH

SNOW

STAR

STOCKING

TREE

TURKEY

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

SOME CHRISTMAS VOCABULARY

Here are some Christmas words:


angel

bauble

bells

candles

candy canes

Christmas cake

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Christmas crackers

Christmas presents

Christmas pudding

Image: Wikipedia

Christmas shopping

Christmas tree

Father Christmas / Santa Claus

holly

kissing under the mistletoe

mistletoe

reindeer

singing Christmas carols

sleigh

snowy chimney

star

THE PRESENT PERFECT FOR GIVING NEWS

THE PRESENT PERFECT FOR GIVING NEWS

We often use the present perfect to give the first news of something:

Mary has arrived in Italy.

The Queen has appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

We sometimes continue in the past simple to give more details:

Mary has arrived in Italy.  She emailed me this morning.

The Queen has appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.  She waved to the crowd.

We do not normally use the present perfect with a specific time reference but it is possible if the period of time is not finished:

It rained heavily in several areas of Britain this morning. [It is not morning now and the person is speaking in the afternoon or evening.]

It has rained heavily in several areas of Britain this morning. [It is still morning and it is possible that it will rain again during the morning.]

Choose the correct verb forms in the following sentences:

1.  The Prime Minister and the President had / have had a meeting. They have decided / decided to hold an election.

2.  The Prime Minister and the President had / have had a meeting yesterday.

3.  John Taylor, the MP* for Milltown, died / has died.

4.  John Taylor, the MP for Milltown, died / has died on Saturday.

5.  [You are listening to the news at 7 pm.] It has snowed / snowed in Scotland this evening and several roads are blocked.

6.  It has snowed / snowed in Scotland last night and several roads were blocked.

7.  Wales won / has won the rugby match and the score was / has been 23 - 0.

8.  England lost / has lost the rugby match last week. 

9.  The Queen has opened / opened the new hospital.  A child presented / has presented her with a bouquet.

10. The Queen has opened / opened the new hospital on Tuesday afternoon. A child presented / has presented her with a bouquet.

*MP = Member of Parliament

Highlight the space below to see the answers:

1. have had; decided  2. had  3. has died  4. died  5. has snowed  6. snowed  7. has won; was  8. lost
9. has opened; presented  10. opened; presented.

READING - THE LEGENDS OF THE POINSETTIA

Image: Wikimedia Commons

The poinsettia plant is as much a symbol of Christmas in Italy as the presepe [crib] that is found in almost every home. With their bright red colour and leaves in the form of star points, the plants are loved, carefully tended and are often kept from one year to the next. In Italy they are known as Stelle di Natale [Christmas stars] a name which the Italians adopted from Spanish missionaries in Mexico, where the plant originated. A group of Spanish Franciscan monks working in Mexico used the plants in a Christmas procession for the first time in the seventeenth century and after that the Mexicans started using them in Nativity scenes. It was Joel Robert Poinsett, US Ambassador to Mexico from 1825 – 1829, who gave the plant its English name and took it to the United States. At Christmas 1899 poinsettia plants were placed in St Peter’s Basilica, drawing admiration from all who saw them.

Now Coldiretti, the Italian farming union, has issued some advice for the care of the 20 million “Christmas stars” that Italians are expected to buy this Christmas: The plants should be kept in light, well-heated rooms and in winter can withstand direct sunlight. It is important to water them only when the soil surrounding them is completely dry. Coldiretti also urges consumers to buy plants grown in Italy, thus ensuring quality and helping the agricultural sector. The capital of the poinsettia in Italy is without doubt the Versilia [Tuscan Riviera] and in particular the town of Viareggio, where it is estimated that 5 million plants will be produced for sale this year. Small plants should cost around 2.50 euros, larger ones up to 30 euros and the largest around 70 – 80 euros.

There are two legends about the poinsettia that you may like to know about. Neither is Italian but – hey- it’s Christmas! The first and most famous concerns a little Mexican girl called Pepita or, in some versions, Lola, or maybe a boy called Pablo. Pepita, on her way to see the annual Nativity scene in her village, suddenly realised she had no offering to take with her that would show her love for the Baby Jesus and she started to cry. At that point, an angel spoke to her and advised her to gather some greens from the roadside, for Jesus would know that they were given with love. Pepita did so but the other children laughed at her gift. Then, all of a sudden, the greens turned into a beautiful, red poinsettia plant.

The other legend is more universal: When God created Nature, he asked all the flowers to give to the humans who chose and tended them the very best of themselves – beauty, love, harmony and wisdom. But there was one plant that nobody wanted, although it tried hard to be chosen, for it had tiny flowers and its leaves were too big. The plant became very sad and in December God saw this. He said, “I know you want to give men beauty, love, harmony and wisdom and, as men need these things, I am going to help you. I will give you my blood and put it on your leaves, which will turn deep red and make you the most beautiful flower on earth in this most important season for man.” And so the plant with the tiny flowers and big leaves became the lovely stella di Natale and ever since, it has brought men beauty, love, harmony and wisdom.

Take care of your “Christmas stars” this year.

EXERCISE - VOCABULARY

Find words in the text that have a similar meaning to the ones below:

1.  cared for 

2.  came from

3.  attracting

4.  tolerate

5.  an unverified, traditional story

6.  yearly

7.  very small

8.  good judgement  

Highlight the space below to see the answers:

1. tended  2. originated  3. drawing  4. withstand  5. legend  6. annual  7. tiny  8. wisdom

The above article by Pat first appeared in Italy Magazine UK in 2009.