❄️ January: New Beginnings & Hogmanay Celebrations 🎇🎶

 ❄️ January: New Beginnings & Hogmanay Celebrations 🎇🎶

Happy New Year, festive friends! 🎉
January marks a fresh start — a time for reflection, resolutions, and... more celebrations!

Let’s explore how English-speaking countries ring in the New Year, with a special focus on Scotland’s Hogmanay.

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🎆 New Year’s Eve Traditions (UK, USA, Australia...)

Across English-speaking countries, the night of December 31st is full of joy, music, and fireworks. At midnight, people often:

• Count down the last seconds of the year

• Sing “Auld Lang Syne”, a Scottish poem set to music 🎶

• Kiss someone they love 💋

• Watch fireworks or a big event like New York’s Times Square ball drop 🎇

• Toast with champagne or sparkling cider 🥂

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🏴 Spotlight: Hogmanay (Scotland)

In Scotland, New Year’s Eve is called Hogmanay — and it’s a big deal! In some places, the celebrations are even bigger than Christmas.

Hogmanay traditions include:

• Torchlight parades through the streets 🔥

• Singing Auld Lang Syne at midnight

• “First-footing”: the first person to enter a home after midnight brings luck (traditionally a tall, dark-haired man with a gift of coal or whisky)

• Eating black bun – a spiced fruit cake wrapped in pastry 🍰

In Edinburgh, there’s a famous street party with concerts, fireworks, and dancing!

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📝 New Year’s Vocabulary:

• Resolution – a personal goal for the new year

• Countdown – the final seconds before midnight

• Fireworks – colourful explosions to celebrate

• First-footing – a Scottish tradition for good luck

• Toast – to raise your glass and make a wish or statement

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💭 Common New Year’s Resolutions in English:

• “I want to eat healthier.” 🥗

• “I’m going to learn something new.” 📚

• “This year, I’ll save more money.” 💰

• “I’ll be more active and exercise regularly.” 🏃

What’s your resolution?

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🧣 Winter Recipe: Hot Apple Cider (Non-alcoholic)

Warm up with this comforting drink:

Ingredients:

• 1L apple juice

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• 4 cloves

• Orange peel

• Honey (optional)

Instructions:
Heat everything in a pot for 10–15 minutes. Strain and serve hot. Perfect for a cold winter day!

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✂️ Craft Idea: Make a Resolution Jar

What you need:

• A glass jar

• Paper strips

• A pen

• Decorations (stickers, ribbon...)

Write one goal or hope per strip and add it to the jar. Open one each month for motivation!

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🎉 January is about letting go of the past and embracing the future — with tradition, celebration, and a little Scottish magic.

🎭 Next month: love, pancakes, and a groundhog?
February is full of surprises… stay with us!

Cheers to a festive year,
The Festivities Team

🎄 December: Christmas Traditions Around the English-Speaking World ❄️🎁

 🎄 December: Christmas Traditions Around the English-Speaking World ❄️🎁

Welcome to the most festive month of the year!
December brings twinkling lights, warm wishes, and one of the most beloved holidays across English-speaking countries: Christmas.

But did you know that Christmas isn’t celebrated the same way everywhere? Let’s unwrap some magical traditions from around the world! 🌍

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🇬🇧 United Kingdom

• Christmas crackers are placed on each dinner plate — they go POP! and contain a paper crown, a joke, and a small gift

• Children leave a mince pie and a glass of sherry (or milk!) for Father Christmas 🎅

• The Queen (or King!) gives a traditional Christmas Day speech 📺

• Pantomimes (theatre shows full of jokes, music, and audience participation) are a must-see! 🎭

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🇺🇸 United States

• Christmas lights go BIG! Many neighborhoods compete in house decorating contests 🏡✨

• Children write letters to Santa Claus and hang stockings by the fireplace

• Some people celebrate with ugly sweater parties, gift exchanges like Secret Santa, and caroling

• Movies like Home Alone and The Grinch are played on every channel 🎬

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🇦🇺 Australia

• Christmas happens in summer! Families head to the beach or have a barbecue 🎄☀️

• Instead of reindeer, you might hear of “six white boomers” — Santa’s kangaroos! 🦘

• People often celebrate outdoors, and carols are sung by candlelight in parks and gardens

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🇮🇪 Ireland

• Families place a candle in the window on Christmas Eve to welcome visitors

• St. Stephen’s Day (Dec 26) is a public holiday with its own traditions

• In some areas, people take part in the Wren Boys procession, wearing old clothes and playing music

• Irish Christmas desserts include Christmas pudding and barmbrack (a fruit loaf)

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🧁 Simple Recipe: Christmas Cookies

Make your own classic sugar cookies:

Ingredients:

• 250g flour

• 125g butter

• 100g sugar

• 1 egg

• Vanilla extract

• A pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Mix butter and sugar, then add egg and vanilla

2. Add flour and salt — form a dough

3. Roll out and cut into festive shapes (stars, trees, snowmen!)

4. Bake at 180°C for 10–12 minutes

5. Decorate with icing or sprinkles!

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✂️ Craft Idea: Make a Christmas Cracker!

You’ll need:

• An empty toilet roll

• Wrapping paper

• Ribbon or string

• A small gift or message

• A paper crown or joke

Wrap the paper around the roll, tie both ends with ribbon, and POP! — a mini UK tradition at your table!

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🎅 Vocabulary of the Month:

• Stocking – a large sock hung for presents

• Carols – traditional Christmas songs

• Pudding – in the UK, a steamed dessert (not creamy!)

• Cracker – a table decoration that makes a bang

• Wrapping paper – the paper used to wrap gifts

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🌟 December is all about joy, kindness, and connecting with loved ones — whether in snow, sun, or somewhere in between.

🎆 Coming next: January’s icy traditions, resolutions, and a Scottish celebration you may not know… stay tuned!

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!
The Festivities Team 🎁🎄

🔥 November: Fireworks, Feasts, and Falling Leaves 🇬🇧🇺🇸

Welcome back, festive friends!

November brings colder days, warm food, and two very special celebrations from the English-speaking world: Bonfire Night in the UK and Thanksgiving in the USA.

Let’s dive into both!

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🇬🇧 Bonfire Night (UK) – November 5th

Also known as Guy Fawkes Night, this uniquely British celebration dates back to 1605, when a man named Guy Fawkes tried (and failed) to blow up the Houses of Parliament.

Ever since, people across the UK have marked November 5th with:

• Bonfires 🔥

• Firework displays 🎆

• Toffee apples and hot drinks 🍏☕

• Sometimes even burning an effigy (a model) of Guy Fawkes

You’ll often hear this rhyme:

Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
Gunpowder, treason and plot…

It’s a night full of light, history, and warmth.

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🇺🇸 Thanksgiving (USA) – Fourth Thursday of November

Thanksgiving in the USA is a major national holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November every year. It’s a time when families and friends come together to give thanks for the harvest and blessings of the past year.

Key Facts About Thanksgiving in the USA:

• History:
  The origins trace back to 1621 when the Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony shared a feast with the Wampanoag Native Americans to celebrate a successful harvest.

• Traditions:

  • Thanksgiving dinner: The centerpiece meal usually includes roast turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, green beans, and pumpkin pie.

  • Parades: Famous parades like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City feature floats, marching bands, and giant balloons.

  • Football: Watching NFL games on Thanksgiving Day is a popular tradition.

  • Volunteering: Many people volunteer to help feed the homeless or less fortunate.

• Meaning:
  It’s a time to reflect on gratitude, family, and community.

Summary: Thanksgiving is one of the biggest family holidays in the United States. It began as a harvest festival in the 1600s when English Pilgrims and Native Americans shared a meal to give thanks.

Today, it’s celebrated with:

• Roast turkey and stuffing 🦃

• Pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes 🥧

• Family gatherings and gratitude

• Watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 🎈

• And of course... American football 🏈

A common tradition is for everyone to say what they're thankful for before the meal. ❤️

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📝 Expressions of the Month:

• Bonfire – a large outdoor fire

• Feast – a large, special meal

• To be thankful for – to appreciate something

• Fireworks – colorful explosions in the sky

• Stuffing – a savory bread dish served with turkey

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November reminds us of the importance of history, community, and giving thanks.

🍂 What will you be thankful for this month?

🎄 Next stop: December, where lights, songs, and winter magic await…

Until then,
The Festivities Team

🎃 October: Spooky Stories & Halloween Traditions 👻🕸️

🎃 October: Spooky Stories & Halloween Traditions 👻🕸️

Welcome back, festive explorers!

October has arrived, and that means one thing in most English-speaking countries: Halloween is just around the corner! But where does this spooky celebration come from, and how is it celebrated today?

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🎃 A Brief History of Halloween

Halloween has ancient Celtic roots, dating back over 2,000 years to the festival of Samhain in what is now Ireland, the UK, and parts of Northern France. It marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter — a time when people believed the line between the living and the dead became blurred.

Fast forward to today, and Halloween is one of the most fun, festive, and slightly creepy holidays of the year!

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👻 How is Halloween celebrated in English-speaking countries?

• USA & Canada:
  The biggest celebrations! Houses are decorated with spider webs, skeletons, and pumpkins. Children dress up in costumes and go trick-or-treating, knocking on doors and asking for candy.

• UK & Ireland:
  Halloween is growing more popular every year. You'll see carved pumpkins, costume parties, and even apple bobbing, an old game where you try to grab floating apples with your teeth!

• Australia & New Zealand:
  Halloween is not as traditional, but it's becoming more common — especially among kids who enjoy dressing up and collecting sweets.

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🕷️ Vocabulary Corner:

• Jack-o’-lantern – a carved pumpkin with a face and a candle inside

• Trick or treat – the phrase children say to get candy

• Costume – the outfit worn to dress up (witch, ghost, superhero...)

• Haunted house – a spooky place full of ghosts

• Boo! – what you say to scare someone (playfully!)

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🕯️ Whether you're celebrating Halloween with scary stories, pumpkin pie, or a classic costume party, this month is all about imagination and tradition.

✨ Next month: Fire, fireworks, and remembrance… any idea what’s coming in November?

See you soon,
The Festivities Team 👒🍬

@inglisticha #inglisticha #halloween ♬ Special Halloween - Pasrah Instrumental

Homophones

Hallowe’en

Halloween Past Simple

Halloween Activities

Body Parts Song: Frankenstein

Click on Halloween Escape

Halloween ends

Film game

 

 

 

Minimal Family Halloween Traditions Infographic de inglisticha

🍂 September: New Beginnings & Labor Day Celebrations 🇺🇸📚

Welcome to the very first stop on our year-long journey through English-speaking festivities!

September marks a time of change — leaves begin to turn, students head back to school, and in the United States, the month kicks off with Labor Day, a national holiday celebrated on the first Monday of September.

🇺🇸 Labor Day (USA)

Labor Day honors the contributions of workers and the labor movement. For many Americans, it’s also the unofficial end of summer — a final chance to relax before autumn begins.

How is it celebrated?

• Backyard barbecues 🍔

• Parades with marching bands and unions 🎺

• Big retail sales 🛍️

• Family outings to parks, beaches, or sports games 🏈

You might hear the phrase:

“No white after Labor Day!” 👗
(It’s an old-fashioned fashion rule… but most people don’t follow it anymore!)

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📚 Back to School (UK, USA, Australia...)

In many English-speaking countries, September means Back to School! Children return to the classroom after their summer holidays, and shops are full of school supplies, new uniforms, and lunchboxes.

Some fun vocabulary:

• UK: “uniform”, “term”, “timetable”

• USA: “school supplies”, “schedule”, “locker”

• Australia: Students may return earlier (in late July), but still feel the September spring vibes!

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🌍 Wherever you are in the world, September is a time to reset, refocus, and maybe fire up the grill one last time!

✨ Next month, we’ll explore spooky traditions from across the English-speaking world... any guesses? 🎃

See you in October!
The Festivities Team 🥳

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🎉 Welcome to "A Year of English Festivities"! 🇬🇧🇺🇸🇮🇪🇦🇺

Hello and welcome to our blog!

Each month, we’ll take you on a cultural journey through the most iconic (and sometimes surprising!) English-speaking celebrations around the world. From ancient traditions to modern customs, we’ll explore how people in the UK, the US, Ireland, Australia, and other English-speaking countries celebrate throughout the year.

🎈 What can you expect?

• Stories behind well-known holidays

• Unique local traditions

• Fun facts and symbols

• Recipes, crafts, and expressions

• Tips to bring a little English festivity into your own life!

We won’t reveal everything at once — each new celebration will be unveiled as its time of year arrives, keeping the experience fresh and full of surprises. 🎁

So stay curious, follow along, and get ready to discover a year full of culture, color, and celebration... the English-speaking way!

Let’s begin the journey! 🌍✨