Traditions

Read about some unusual New Year’s Eve traditions which take place around the world. Complete the definitions on the next page with the underlined vocabulary.

1. On the morning of New Year’s Day, some traditional families toss coins into a river. They believe this will bring them good luck throughout the coming year.
2.  When the clock strikes 12, some people celebrate New Year’s Eve by eating twelve grapes – one for each month of the year, and for each chime of the clock’s bell. Sweet bread is baked with a coin hidden in the dough. New Year’s Eve is also considered the best time to communicate with dead spirits and ask them for guidance.
3.  Farmers wish their livestock a happy New Year. They believe this brings good luck and good health.
4.  Some people believe that if the first visitor (especially an unexpected one) on January 1 is a man, the year will be good.
5.  People believe that the colour of their underwear on New Year’s Eve will determine their fate in the coming year. Yellow underwear will bring happiness and money. Red will bring love and passion. Green is for prosperity, pink is for friendship, white is for hope and peace. At this time of year, yellow underwear is in big demand.
6.  Some people decorate their homes with straw ropes to ward off evil spirits and welcome good luck and happiness. Buddhist temples ring their bells 108 times at midnight.
7.  Some people throw crockery at their neighbour’s door. The family with the largest pile of broken plates, glasses and cups is considered to be the luckiest because it means that they have lots of loyal friends.
8.  People wear polka dots and prepare tables with twelve round-shaped fruits, for example grapes, oranges, melons and watermelons. They believe that this will bring prosperity as round shapes are associated with coins and wealth. At midnight, children jump as high as they can because they believe this will make them taller.

      1.________ : dishes, cups and similar items made of porcelain

      2. ________: large round dots forming a pattern or an item of clothing with this pattern

      3. ________: farm animals

      4. ________: a mixture of flour and liquid, used for baking bread

      5. ________: throw casually

      6. ________: prevent something bad from happening

      7. ________: the sound that a bell makes

      8. ________: success and economic well-being

      9. ________: destiny, things that develop in the future which are outside of your control

Match the underlined idiomatic expressions with their correct meaning .

1. Paul has made a lot of mistakes in his life this year. So he has decided to turn over a new leaf from January 1.
2.   We are planning a big party to ring in the New Year.
   
3.  We had a whale of a time on New Year’s Eve.
4.  The New Year started off with a bang.
   
5.  Instead of making resolutions, why not start the New Year with a clean slate?
   
6.  In Romania, if you don’t throw money into a river on New Year’s Day, you will tempt fate.
   
7.  When I look back on the year, I think it was a pretty good one.
8.  I haven’t travelled much this year, so next year I’m going to make up for lost time.
   

a. an exciting and enjoyable time  _____________

b. began with a lot of excitement______________

c. cause bad luck for yourself    ______________

d. celebrate the beginning of the New Year   ____________

e. ignore the past and start again   ______________

f. remember or think about something  ____________

g. spend a lot of time doing something because you did not have the opportunity to do it before   _________

h. start changing your behaviour or habits for the better  _______________

Match the words and phrases in the boxes to the definitions

1.strictly    2.procession     3.Trafalgar Square     4.chaotic

5.midnight    6.dawn          7.mate                      8.husband

Definitions :

a. The moment of the day when the sun rises.  ____________

b. Random. Without being organised.  _____________

c. Twelve o’clock at night.  ___________

d. Following the rules closely.  __________

e. The man in a marriage.  ___________

f. A formation of people moving forward slowly, e.g. in religious festival.  ___________

g. A public square and monument in the centre of London.  ___________

h. Colloquial term for friend.  ____________

Look at the video , Think and Answer :

Decide whether these statements are true or false.

1. It is New Year’s Day the following day.   __________
2. Johnny wants to go to Trafalgar Square.   _________
3. Sarah likes drinking beer.   ___________
4. Olivia knows what Auld Lang Syne means.  _________
5. Tony is opening the café all night on New Year’s Eve.
6. Harry wants to spend New Year’s Eve with his girlfriend.  ________
7. Olivia is babysitting on New Year’s Eve.  _______
8. Olivia invites everyone to her place.   ________

Click on the link given below and complete the activities .

https://forms.gle/jk3SLsbptRR2TrBR8

https://forms.gle/G3ENSirojmURefb68

    Match the two parts of each dialogue.

1. Christmas goes on until January 6th
2. Is there a special dinner for New Year in Britain?
3. Let’s go and stand outside – in Trafalgar Square!
4. People sing a song at midnight.
5. I’ve got lots of girls!
6. I think we should have a procession.
7. I have to look after my nephew Joe.
8. You can all come to my house.

   a. Now you tell me     ________

   b. Forget it!     ________

   c. Oh yeah?     ________

   d. That’s nice!    _______

   e. Not really.    _______

   f. Great idea!    _________

   g. It never ends!    ________

   h. No way!       __________