NEW YEAR'S EVE CELEBRATIONS

New Year’s Eve is the last night of the year,on the 31st of December. We consider that the year is over when the clock chimes 12 times at midnight. Then, people hug, kiss and wish a happy new year to each other. In Spain, traditionally, we eat 12 grapes at midnight, one for each chime. If you eat all the grapes on time, you’ll be lucky all year round. We also toast with champagne and many people go to the Puerta del Sol in Madrid to eat the 12 grapes in front of the famous clock of the old Post Office House.

In the USA many people, especially New Yorkers, go to Times Square in New York to celebrate the arrival of the New Year. There is a great party in which a big crystal ball drops from the top of a famous building. In London, people usually go to Trafalgar Square or to Picadilly Circus, but most of them go to the Big Ben to listen to the chimes. At midnight, people take their hands and sing “Auld Lang Syne”. That is also sung in Edinburgh (Scotland) where people go to the castle, listen to live music and see the firewoks display, in a party called “Hogmanay”. So, as you can see, there are many different ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Which one do you prefer?

By Carmen Abreu Fernández 2º ESO A

Christmas cake

Once more, Sofía Bizi recommends us a delicious recipe, this time it's a tasty Christmas cake that you can prepare for this special holiday.

Ingredients- 3 eggs- 105 g of flour- 105 g of sugar- 75 g of caramel coated almonds- a bar of chocolate

Beat the eggs with the sugar and then add the flour little by little. Pour the mixture into the baking tin and place the caramel coated almonds on top. Bake it in the oven at 200º for 8 to 10 minutes. Melt the chocolate in the microwaves and, once the cake is cold, paint the surface of the cake with it.

This recipe has been taken and translated from
http://mamachelo.blogspot.com/2008/11/tarta-de-navidad.html

By Sofía Bizi Molina ESO 2

Christmas in the USA

In the USA, Christmas season traditionally begins after Thanksgiving Day. On the first Saturday of December there is a spectacular parade in New York city in which Santa Claus arrives to town, marking that event the start of Christmas season.
Christmas was originally a strictly religious celebration but in the United States it has become commercial and a secular celebration. Department stores, shopping malls and small shops are decorated elaborately and they make customers spend a lot money on Christmas presents. However, for many people Christmas has got a strong religious meaning. It is the time of the year when families gather together. Special feelings, such as, generosity and goodwill appear and they are known as the "Christmas Spirit".
In the United States, Santa Claus is usually presented as a cheerful, fat man with a bushy white beard who wears a red coat. He travels in a magical sleigh pulled by eight reindeers and flies all over the world, the night before Christmas, delivering toys and candies to children.
Many families in the United States put up a small pine tree in their homes and decorate it with lights and bright ornaments. On Christmas morning when children wake up, they find their gifts in colourful wrappers under the Christmas tree. The stockings hanging in the fireplace also appear full of candies and small toys.
During this season, many people exchange Christmas cards. The cards are mailed to friends, neighbours, friends and relatives all through December. If you want to send a Christmas card and you are not sure of the recipient’s religion you should choose a card with no religious theme to be politically correct.
Christmas Eve and Christmas are reserved for religious observance and family celebrations. The members of the family gather at home for the annual celebration. When someone is invited to a family party, it is appropriate to bring a small gift for the family. If there are children, sweets and a small gift are appreciated.
The week after Christmas, people go shopping and take advantage of clearance sales in department stores. On New Year’s Eve there are lots of parties in restaurants, bars and clubs all over the United States. Some cities have great outdoor parties that end with fireworks at midnight. The most famous festival takes place at Times Square in New York City.
The first day of the year marks the end of Christmas and people stay home recovering from food and party excesses and watch football on television.

By Elena Reyes ESO 2

Christmas crafts made by bilingual students of ESO 2.

Christmas in my class

View more presentations from Pedro Talavera.

By Laura Díaz 2º ESO B

CHRISTMAS DAY

In the UK, Christmas Day is normally spent at home with the family and is regarded as a family celebration. The preparations begin in advance by sending Christmas cards and by putting up a Christmas tree in a special place in the house. Today, the Christmas tree is a well established
tradition, but it was first popularized by Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, who introduced this custom from his native Germanyin 1840. Traditionally, gifts are placed under the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve.

On Christmas Eve, children hang their stockings (an old sock or pillow cases) around the chimney or at their bed side for Santa Claus to fill them with gifts. The first image of Santa Claus in his traditional red and white suit appeared in an engraving in 1653. However, the story of Santa Claus arriving in his reindeer-drawn sleigh and descending down the chimney to fill children's stockings with presents appeared much later.

In Spain, the streets are decorated with lights, and apart from the Christmas Tree, people put up Nativity Scenes in their houses, and as well as Santa Claus, the three wise men also bring presents to the children on January 6th.

By Isabel de Sola Rodríguez 2º ESO A