1. The document provides information about Christmas traditions and celebrations in both long and short versions. It describes what people do on Christmas Eve (go to church, have drinks with friends), Christmas Day (open presents, have dinner with roast turkey or goose and pudding), and in the weeks before Christmas (send cards, put up decorations, perform nativity plays). 2. It includes a quiz about Christmas traditions and proposed Christmas-related classroom activities like making cards, writing rhymes, singing carols, using grammar contractions to decorate a tree, and learning about Boxing Day. It also discusses the Queen of England's annual Christmas message broadcast.

1. MERRY CHRISTMAS
Get into the Christmas spirit with presents, a coin, and a roasted feathered friend
On Christmas Eve the children go to bed
And dreams of presents fill their head
The morning after Christmas is here
With opening of gifts and holiday cheer
- holiday cheer – a shout of praise or happiness = hurraråb
CHRISTMAS EVE
Christmas Eve (December 24) is a very busy day. Shops are full of people. They are shopping for
tomorrow’s family Christmas dinner. In the evening, some people go to church. Others invite their
friends and neighbours over for drinks. The children go to bed early. Tomorrow, they will open
their Christmas presents.
CHRISTMAS DAY
Christmas is celebrated on the 25th December. Before breakfast families will open their presents. In
the afternoon, they have a Christmas dinner. Roast turkey or goose is on the table with pudding for
dessert. A coin is hidden in the pudding. It is said that if you find the coin, when the pudding is cut,
it will bring you good luck.
CHRISTMAS PREPARATIONS
During the weeks before Christmas Day, people send Christmas cards and put up Christmas
decorations. Children perform nativity plays at school, and at home, they hang up Christmas
stockings.
- Christmas decorations – beautiful things that you put up around the house such as
colourful electric lights and – of course – the Christmas tree = pynt, to perform – to
act, as on stage, in movies, or on TV = at opføre, nativity plays – a play that tells the
story about the birth of Christ = krybbespil, Christmas stockings – empty socks or
sock-shaped bags = julestømper
Facts:
∙ Xmas – pronounced [ek-sm s] or [krIs-m s] – In the UK, Christmas is often shortened to
Xmas. X is the first letter in the Greek word Χριστός (Christos) meaning Christ. The X in Xmas is,
therefore, a shorter version of Christmas.
∙ On Christmas Day, the Queen of England (Elisabeth II) delivers a message to the public. In 1957,
the Queen’s Christmas Message was televised for the first time.
-to deliver a message to sb. – give/ send sb. some information = sende et
budskab/give en besked
Did you know that
Christmas was one time banned in England. In 1647, the English Parliament passed a law against
Christmas. From 1647 to 1660, the Government put people in prison if they were caught
celebrating Christmas.

2. - to ban something – to make something illegal = at forbyde noget, to pass a law –
make it part of the system of laws = at vedtage en lov
Take a Christmas Quiz
Question 1
Why do children go to bed early on Christmas Eve
Answers Because they are very tired
Because they have had too much pudding
Because they will open their presents in the morning (x)
Question 2
What day is Christmas celebrated
Answers Christmas Eve (Dec.24)
Christmas Day (Dec. 25) (x)
New Year’s Eve
Question 3
How do people prepare for Christmas
Answers They watch nativity plays and put up Christmas decorations (x)
They dress up as ghosts and monsters and make a Jack-O’-Lantern
They hide Easter eggs around the house
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Easy Text
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Now it is Christmas, bells are ringing
Time for snow and carol singing
Family and friends are having fun
With food and gifts for everyone
- carol singing – songs sung during Christmas = julesange
CHRISTMAS EVE
On Christmas Eve, some people go to church. Others have drinks with family and friends. The
children go to bed early. Tomorrow, they will open their Christmas presents.
CHRISTMAS DAY
Christmas is celebrated on the 25th December. It is time to open the presents and have a family
dinner. Roast turkey or goose is on the table with pudding for dessert. A coin is hidden in the
pudding. It is said that if you find the coin, when the pudding is cut, it will bring you good luck.
CHRISTMAS PREPARATIONS
During Christmas, people send cards and decorate their houses. At school, children dress up as
Mary and Joseph and the three Kings and tell the story of Baby Jesus. At home, they hang up

3. Christmas stockings.
- to decorate – making something more beautiful by adding nice things to it = pynte
op, Christmas stockings – empty socks or sock-shaped bags = julestømper
Facts
∙ Xmas – pronounced [ek-sm s] or [krIs-m s] – Christmas is often shortened to Xmas. X is the
first letter in the Greek word Χριστός (Christos) meaning Christ. The X in Xmas is, therefore, a
shorter version of Christmas.
-to pronounce – to say words; speak = at udtale
∙ On Christmas Day, the Queen of England (Elisabeth II) makes a speech. It is called the Christmas
Message. Everybody watches her on TV. In 1957, The Queen’s Christmas Message was televised for
the first time.
Take a Christmas Quiz
Question 1
What do people do on Christmas Eve
Answers Go to church (x)
Go to the Zoo
Go trick-or-treating
Question 2
What is hidden in the pudding
Answers A goose
A Christmas card
A coin (x)
Question 3
What is a Christmas stocking
Answers A drink
A sock or a sock-shaped bag (x)
A turkey
Activities
Christmas Cards
Do you like Christmas cards? Make your own Christmas card and wish your teacher, your mum and
dad, or a classmate a Merry Christmas. (4th -5th grade, 90 minutes)
What to learn
• Creativity • Learn about Christmas greetings - Christmas greetings – good wishes = julehilsener
• Pronunciation of words
What you need
Colours, markers, cardboard, coloured paper, a pair of scissors, and other materials for decorating
cards
A computer/tablet to look up Christmas greetings
What to do
1. Individually start by cutting the cardboard down to a smaller size. Now fold one side over
the other, and you are ready to begin

4. 2. Begin drawing a snowman, a Christmas tree, or something else that has to do with
Christmas on the front of the card
3. Use the materials to decorate your Christmas card on the front and on the back
4. Now, look up some Christmas greetings on your computer/tablet and write a Christmas
greeting to the person of your choice. Begin with ‘Dear…’, and end with, ‘Love…’, Best
Wishes…’, or All the Best…’, – like this:
Dear Tom,
Have a Merry Christmas and hope to see you soon.
Best Wishes,
Anna
or
Dear Grandma,
I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Love,
Mike
Sum up
Show your Christmas card to the rest of the class while reading it
Rhyming is fun
How do words rhyme? Find out more about making rhymes and make your own Christmas rhyme
(6th grade, 90 minutes)
Introduction
Words rhyme when they sound the same like ‘here, cheer and bed, head.’ Rhymes are found in
songs you sing at school and in poems.
What to learn
•Learn new words •Learn to distinguish between different word sounds •Learn to tell a story
using rhymes
What you need
Computer/tablet
What to do
1. Read a verse from the song, Frosty the Snowman, to give the students an idea of what a
rhyme sounds like – use the link to find the lyrics: http://www.carols.org.uk/
2. Divide the class into small groups of 3 or 4 students
3. Have each group make a four line rhyme using words about Christmas. They students can
look at the rhyme in the text for inspiration and make use of the link to find suitable
rhymes: www.rhymezone.com
Sum up
Each group reads their rhyme aloud, taking turns reading the lines.
The groups swap rhymes and read the lines aloud.
Discuss the rhymes and try to think of more words that rhyme

5. Carol Singing
Do you like to sing? Here’s your chance to show your classmates that you have the X factor
(4th-5th grade, 45 minutes)
What to learn
•Listen to English words •new words •stronger vocab
What you need
Computer/tablet
What to do
1. Go to this link to find two children’s Christmas carols: http://www.carols.org.uk/
2. Write the words that are difficult on the board
3. Read the words aloud and discuss what the words mean
4. Play the music to the two carols (use the link above)
5. Have the class sing the carols
6. Have fun singing the songs
Sum up
Discuss what the songs say about Christmas
Grammar Christmas Decorations
Work with contractions. Decorate a Christmas tree in colourful grammar. (5th -6th grade, 45
minutes)
-contractions = sammentrækninger
Introduction
Forms like I’m, you’re, you’ll, don’t, and he’s are called ‘contractions.’ Contractions are formed with
a) pronouns + auxiliary verbs, “she’d (she would) like to talk to you”, “somebody’s (somebody is)
coming” and b) aux. vb. + not, “the film wasn’t (was not) bad”, I haven’t (have not) seen him all
day.” The apostrophe (‘) replaces the second word in the contraction. -auxiliary verbs =
hjælpeverber, replaces =erstatter
Contractions are common and correct in informal writing (they exemplify the pronunciation of
everyday speech.) They are not generally used in a formal style.
What to learn
•Get to know the contractions, and how to use them in sentences
What you need
A drawing or picture of a Christmas tree
Coloured pens (green, red, gold, and silver)
What to do
1. Hand out a drawing or picture of a Christmas tree
2. Write a list of some of the pronouns and aux. vbs. on the board (I am, I will, you are, you
would, he is, she has not, it is, we have not etc)
3. Have the students write pronouns and aux. vbs. on one side of their Christmas tree and
some matching contractions on the other side of the Christmas tree. Write the contractions
so they are not opposite their matching pronouns + aux. vbs.
4. Swap your Christmas tree with the student sitting next to you
5. Now pair up the pronouns and aux. vbs. with the correct contraction with the pens. Chose
different colours to pair them up

6. 6. Have you paired them up correctly? Discuss it with the student sitting next to you
Sum up
Explain in your own words how to form contractions, and how to form sentences with contractions
Boxing Day
The day after Christmas Day (Dec. 26) is called Boxing Day. Want to know more? (6th grade, 90
minutes)
Introduction
In the old days, a box to collect money for the poor was placed in churches on Christmas Day.
These boxes were always opened on the day after Christmas, which is why the day became known
as Boxing Day. The boxes were called Christmas boxes or poor boxes, and they were made out of
wood or clay. Helping poor people during Christmas was very important to many churchgoers,
even among the poor themselves. If you helped the poor during Christmas, you acted like a good
Christian.
What to learn
•New knowledge of British history •Construction of sentences
What you need
A computer/tablet
What to do
1. Discuss in class how to write an article (headline, sub-headline (a smaller headline that tells
the reader what the article is also about,) the use of pictures on the left, on the right, or in
the middle, and text))
2. Write a short article about Boxing Day and its relationship to Christmas (look up the term
Boxing Day on the internet for inspiration)
3. Find a picture of a Christmas box/poor box or a church, for instance, and place them in
your articles
4. Have some of the students read their articles and discuss the chosen headlines, sub-
headlines, pictures etc. in class
Sum up
Discuss how we help poor people today
Queen’s Christmas Message
Want to be a Queen or a King for a day? Royalty rules…
(5th-6th, 90 minutes)
Introduction
Act like a Queen or a King and make a speech in front of your classmates.
What to learn
• Practise speaking English
What you need
A computer/tablet
Paper crowns
What to do
1. Pick a paper crown and put it on your head

7. 2. Write some main sentences about your own Christmas celebrations on your computer. Use
these questions for inspiration:
What do you on Christmas Eve?
What do you do on Christmas Day?
How do you prepare for Christmas?
3. Now get up in front of your classmates and make a speech about your own Christmas
celebrations by using the written sentences. Act and speak like a Queen/King while making
your speech
Sum up
Discuss the difference between the Queen of England and the Queen of Denmark. Does the Queen
of Denmark make a Christmas speech?
Media link:
http://www.carols.org.uk/
http://www.realtimeuk.com/projects/view/elf-n-safety (a short movie about an elf in Santa’s
workshop)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrtiD3nIHyQ (the Queen’s Christmas Message anno 1957)