Friday, 7 December 2012

Christmas Vocabulary



advent: the arrival of someone or something importantAdvent: the coming (or second coming) of Jesus Christ; the month leading up to Christmasangel: a spiritual being acting as a messenger of God (usually shown as a human being with wings)
berry: a small round fruit
Bethlehem: the small town in the Middle East believed to be the birthplace of Jesus Christcandle: a cylinder of wax with a central wick (like string) which burns to produce light 
chimney: a vertical pipe in a house that allows smoke and gases to escape from a fireplace (Father Christmas traditionally enters a house through its chimney) 
Christ: the title of Jesus (also used as His name)Christian: a person who believes in Christianity; also an adjective 
Christmas: the annual Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ (Christmas Day is on 25 December) 
Christmas cake:
 a rich fruit cake covered with white icing, eaten at Christmas
Christmas card: a greetings card that people send to friends and family at ChristmasChristmas carol: a religious song or popular hymn that people sing at ChristmasChristmas Day: 25 December, the birthday of Jesus Christ
Christmas Eve: the evening or day before Christmas Day (24 December)
Christmas holidays: the holiday period for about a week before and after Christmas Day 
Christmas present: a gift or present given at Christmas
Christmas tree: an evergreen tree (often a spruce) that people decorate with lights and ornaments at Christmascracker: a decorated paper tube that makes a sharp noise ("crack!") and releases a small toy when two people pull it apart 
decorationsomething that adds beauty; ornament
egg-nog: a traditional Christmas drink made of alcohol with beaten eggs and milk
Father Christmas: an imaginary being who brings presents for children on the night before Christmas Day (also known as Santa Claus) - traditionally an old man with a red suit and white beardfireplace: a partly enclosed space in a house where people light a fire for warmth
frankincense: a gum used for incense, one of the gifts that the three wise men gave to Jesusgold: a yellow precious metal, one of the gifts that the three wise men gave to Jesusholly: an evergreen plant with prickly dark green leaves and red berries 
Jesus: the name of Christ, the central figure of Christianity (believed by Christians to be the Son of God)Joseph: the husband of Mary (the mother of Jesus)
magithe wise men from the East who brought gifts for the baby Jesusmanger: a trough for food for horses or cattle (used by Mary as a cradle or bed for Jesus)
Mary: the mother of Jesus
mistletoe: a parasitic plant with white berries, traditionally used as a Christmas decorationmyrrha gum used for perfume or incense, one of the gifts that the three wise men gave to Jesusnativity: the birth of a personthe Nativity: the birth of Jesus Christ
nativity play:a play that people perform at Christmas based on the birth of Jesus
new year: the start of a year; the period just before and after 1 January
New Year's Day: 1 JanuaryNew Year's Eve: 31 December
ornamentan object that adds beauty to something; a decorationpresent: a thing given to somebody as a gift.
reindeera deer with large antlers found in some cold climates (believed to pull the sleigh for Santa Claus or Father Christmas)Santa Clausan imaginary being who brings presents for children on the night before Christmas Day (also known as Father Christmas) - traditionally an old man with a red suit and white beard (Santa Claus may be based in part on the historical figure of Saint Nicholas.) shepherda person who looks after sheep
sleigh: a sledge or light cart on runners pulled by horses or reindeer over snow and icesnow: water vapour from the sky that falls as white flakes and covers the groundstar: a bright point in the night sky which is a large, distant incandescent body like the sunthe star of Bethlehem: the star that announced the birth of Jesus and guided the wise men to find Himtinsel: a decoration consisting of thin strips of shiny metal foil, traditionally used at Christmasturkey: a bird like a large chicken, traditionally eaten at Christmaswhite Christmasa Christmas with snow on the groundXmas: abbreviation or informal term for Christmas
Christmas Expressions
  • Merry Christmas!
  • Happy Christmas
  • Happy New Year!
  • Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
  • Wishing you a prosperous New Year
  • All the best for the coming year
  • Seasons Greetings!

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