1. Christmas Vocabulary

2. Christmas, Xmas, Noel, Yuletide
Christmas: originally, Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ
Xmas: abbreviation for Christmas – “X” is a Greek letter, first letter in the word “Christ”
Noel: from Old French, meaning “birth”
Yule, Yuletide: pre-Christian European festival at the end of the year
Christmas: has both religious and secular (世俗,非宗教的) meanings in the West

3. Advent, Nativity
Advent: “coming” or “arrival”, the month before Christmas in the Christian religious calendar
The Nativity (诞生): “birth”, birth of Jesus Christ
Nativity Play (诞生戏剧): a play which tells the story of Jesus’ birth, performed at Christmas
Religious significance: Jesus’ birth represents God coming to human beings to bring peace, reconciliation (和好) and harmony (和谐)

4. Nativity Play
Nativity Set

5. Brainstorm: Spring Festival (春节)
What words, meanings or activities do you associate with Spring Festival? (discuss with a partner)

6. Christmas Dinner
Traditional family gathering, usually features roast turkey, roast beef or ham
Opening of presents may take place after or before dinner, or on Christmas Eve (the night before)

7. Christmas Cards
Greeting cards that people send to relatives and friends to wish them a good year.
Common greetings are “Merry Christmas” (for Christians) or “Season’s Greetings” (for non-Christians)

8. Christmas Carolers
Carols: religious or popular songs sung at Christmas.
Carolers: groups of people going from house to house, singing carols outside.

9. Christmas Lights Used to decorate trees or houses
Possibly symbolize hope (light) in darkness
Christians believe Jesus is the “Light of the World”

11. Christmas Trees
Real or artificial, evergreen tree (coniferous), popular symbol of Christmas.
decorated with ornaments and lights, usually with an angel or star on the top 11

12. Ornaments
made from glass, wood, or plastic; sometimes homemade
have hooks on top, are hung from the branches of Christmas trees.
Wreaths 花圈
Made from evergreen branches, hung on doors or above fireplaces. 12

13. Poinsettias 圣诞红 Plant used for decoration at Christmas;
Poinsettias can be red, pink, or white, but red is the most popular color. 13

14. Candy Canes 拐杖糖
red and white striped candy sticks, are shaped like a cane or a shepherd’s (牧羊人) staff. 14

15. Gingerbread Houses 姜饼屋
Gingerbread is a kind of biscuit or cookie flavoured with ginger 15

16. Father Christmas, Saint (St.) Nicholas, Santa Claus 圣诞老人
Santa Claus delivers presents to good children, and lumps of coal to bad children.
He climbs down the chimneys (烟囱) while they are asleep.
Based on a real person, St. Nicholas, who helped the poor and gave gifts to children

17. ChristmasStocking
filled with small gifts for children, hung by the fireplace (壁炉) 17

18. Reindeer 驯鹿, Sleigh 雪橇
A deer with large antlers (鹿角), pulls Santa‘s sleigh (雪橇). 18

20. Christmas Shopping and Consumerism
Stores and shopping malls are very busy at Christmas.
Many stores begin promoting Christmas shopping the day after Halloween (October 31).
Consumerism: a lifestyle that emphasizes buying goods and services as the way to happiness 20

23. Buy Nothing Day: Reaction against consumerism

24. Christmas and Commercialism
The use of Christmas symbols to promote consumption, excessive emphasis on profit-making 24