Yesterday was such fun I found some questions on an ESOL site that I thought would be fun to try here. However, I am modifying some of them since they were created for talking to foreigners so in some cases may not make sense without modification. Here goes!
Mind you, these questions are based on the assumption that the reader does indeed celebrate Christmas!
- Where you live, did it snow last year at Christmas?
- Did you believe in Santa Claus when you were a child?
- Did you enjoy last Christmas? Please elaborate.
- Do people behave differently during Christmas?
- If so, do you think they try to be better?
- Do you donate something (money, clothes, food) to charities?
- Do you give something to homeless people (besides money, clothes, food... like time volunteering or used vehicles etc.)?
- Do you attend any special religious ceremonies during the Christmas season?
- If you're not from the USA, do you celebrate Christmas in your country?
- Do you celebrate Christmas in a special way?
- Do you celebrate Christmas in a traditional way?
- Do you have a traditional Christmas?
- Do you decorate the outside of your house for Christmas?
- Do you eat a turkey dinner for your Christmas dinner? If not, what DO you eat?
- Do you enjoy Christmas time? Please elaborate.
- Do you enjoy singing Christmas songs?
- Do you exchange presents with your friends at school?
- Do you go to church on Christmas day?
- Do you hang up a stocking?
- Do you have a Christmas party at school or work?
- Do you have a Christmas tree?
- If so, how do you decorate it?
- When do you put it up?
- When do you take it down?
- Is it real or artificial?
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Comments: 26
I light candles for my Yule ritual. I am also Chinese and we have our own celebration of the Winter Solstice. On Christmas Eve, we attend Midnight Mass and on Christmas Day itself, we have our Christmas lunch and dinner. We do exchange gifts with friends and relatives.
I also follow the Christian Advent calender as I am Christo-Pagan. :)
Did you believe in Santa Claus when you were a child? Nope
Did you enjoy last Christmas? Please elaborate. I enjoy every Christmas! It's great to be with family and friends. For me its never about what I get, but about all the fun being with people!
Do people behave differently during Christmas? Hmmm... they generally seem more giving; but some are grumpier and more harried.
If so, do you think they try to be better? Many do.
Do you donate something (money, clothes, food) to charities? Well, first of all, we regularly title 10% of our income to our church. Then we give to local charities over and above that, but year-round, not just at Christmas.
Do you give something to homeless people (besides money, clothes, food... like time volunteering or used vehicles etc.)? Yes (see previous answer).
Do you attend any special religious ceremonies during the Christmas season? Indeed! That's one of the best things about the season! This year I am helping to lead a "Blue Christmas" service at our church, in addition to 2 Christmas Eve services. Blue Christmas will allow folks to remember their losses, and light candles in memory of those who have died and are not here this Christmas.
If you're not from the USA, do you celebrate Christmas in your country? N/A
Do you celebrate Christmas in a special way? Nope.
Do you celebrate Christmas in a traditional way? Yep.
Do you have a traditional Christmas? Pretty much so.
Do you decorate the outside of your house for Christmas? Very sparingly... a wreath on the front of the house, and on the front and backdoors, and faux poinsettias in the flower baskets.
Do you eat a turkey dinner for your Christmas dinner? If not, what DO you eat? We always have turkey, ham, dressing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, corn, rolls, and lots of dessers.
Do you enjoy Christmas time? Please elaborate. See above responses: I love being with family and friends! Also, I love going to the hospital on Christmas morning and visiting the patients and staff who have to be there.
Do you enjoy singing Christmas songs? I love to sing! Christmas time and all year!
Do you exchange presents with your friends at school? I made each member of our church staff their own mini original painting.
Do you go to church on Christmas day? No, but twice on Christmas Eve.
Do you hang up a stocking? Nope.
Do you have a Christmas party at school or work? "Party" is too strong a word, we had a church staff meeting with food and gifts... but we also worked. This is a very busy time of year in churches.
Do you have a Christmas tree? Sorta. (This year it is an artificial Palm Tree!! LOL!)
If so, how do you decorate it? Of course!
When do you put it up? Thanksgiving Weekend.
When do you take it down? New Years Day.
Is it real or artificial? Artificial.
2. Did you believe in Santa Claus when you were a child? Oh, Yes. Still do!
3. Did you enjoy last Christmas? Please elaborate. Last Christmas was a house full. All the children and grand children were here. Not as big this year. Some are staying home for Christmas.
4. Do people behave differently during Christmas? Usually friendlier and kinder.
5. If so, do you think they try to be better? Yes, I do.
6. Do you donate something (money, clothes, food) to charities? Yes, church, Carenet, local Christian radio station.
7. Do you give something to homeless people (besides money, clothes, food... like time volunteering or used vehicles etc.)? Gave my lincoln one year.
8. Do you attend any special religious ceremonies during the Christmas season? Sometimes.
9. If you're not from the USA, do you celebrate Christmas in your country? USA
10. Do you celebrate Christmas in a special way? Lots of food, lots of presents, lots of people.
11. Do you celebrate Christmas in a traditional way? Pretty much.
12. Do you have a traditional Christmas? Yes.
13. Do you decorate the outside of your house for Christmas? A little. 2 lighted trees by the front door.
14. Do you eat a turkey dinner for your Christmas dinner? If not, what DO you eat? Turkey and a whole lot more. Leftovers keep us going for a whole week.
15. Do you enjoy Christmas time? Please elaborate. I do. I keep telling myself that I don't have to knock myself out. It's only my children and it doesn't have to be perfect. But, yes, it does. Because I want it to be perfect for my children.
16. Do you enjoy singing Christmas songs? Goodness yes. The 25th of each month from January to October. Then everyday until January 1st.
17. Do you exchange presents with your friends at school? Don't go to school, but give to some in the neighborhood.
18. Do you go to church on Christmas day? No. Too much going on.
19. Do you hang up a stocking? I used to hang stockings for all my kids, grandkids, dogs, cat, husband and myself. When we moved, I decided to get new stockings, just for the grandkids to hang. So now each grandchild has a stocking.
20. Do you have a Christmas party at school or work? Don't work.
21. Do you have a Christmas tree? No. We have 3 trees inside and 2 outside.
* If so, how do you decorate it? One is decorated with all kinds of ornaments collected over the years. One just has lights, it's over the front door. The other is a Santa tree, with Thomas Kinkaid Santas on it.
* When do you put it up? soon after Thanksgiving.
* When do you take it down? After the 6th of January.
* Is it real or artificial? they are all artificial.
*YES, about 4 inches Christmas Eve.*
Did you believe in Santa Claus when you were a child?
*Yes-until the year Santa didn't bring me anything and mother told me it wasn't because I was bad but because they had no money and then told me that Santa is a story they make up for little kids*
Did you enjoy last Christmas? Please elaborate.
*Yes. We had everyone here, all the kids and grandkids and in-laws and it was so much fun talking and joking and opening gifts...I miss that.*
Do people behave differently during Christmas?
*Not generally, but my MIL does, she suddenly becomes all sugar and spice and wants to take you shopping just so she can point out what she wants you to get her, then she ends up feigning no money and doesn't get us anything...*sigh*but buys her ticket to her other kids and has gifts for them.*
If so, do you think they try to be better?
*No. Just my MIL see above question*
Do you donate something (money, clothes, food) to charities?
*Yes, yearly and all year long I'm searching, picking up and cleaning, collecting and sorting free items given away and then take them to the needy - I also set out a huge bag of canned goods for the mailman's Christmas Drive too*
Do you give something to homeless people (besides money, clothes, food... like time volunteering or used vehicles etc.)?
*NO, I buy them food or a meal but it's the best I can do*
Do you attend any special religious ceremonies during the Christmas season?
*I'd love to, I use to do the midnight service on Christmas Eve, but now I'm too sick and tired, both physically and mentally*
If you're not from the USA, do you celebrate Christmas in your country?
*Native Born and Bred - American Indian -Apache*
Do you celebrate Christmas in a special way?
*No*
Do you celebrate Christmas in a traditional way?
*Yes*
Do you have a traditional Christmas?
*Yes*
Do you decorate the outside of your house for Christmas?
*Yes*
Do you eat a turkey dinner for your Christmas dinner? If not, what DO you eat?
*No, we have HAM for Christmas and Turkey for Turkey Day*
Do you enjoy Christmas time? Please elaborate.
*Use to -NOT anymore-what with family scattered to the four winds and no visitors because their with their families or in-laws, it's just us and the cats and with so MANY death anniverseries around the week of Christmas it's hard to think of Christmas without thinking of those who are gone*
Do you enjoy singing Christmas songs?
*YES - love them but hubby hates them so I rarely get to hear any*
Do you exchange presents with your friends at school?
*One time only and I got this huge ugly brown old-lady beads and the whole class laughed at me*
Do you go to church on Christmas day?
*No - I wish but hubby is antichurch so we don't go*
Do you hang up a stocking?
*yes but for decoration only*
Do you have a Christmas party at school or work?
*At work we did but since I've been retired all that has fallen to the wayside*
Do you have a Christmas tree?
*Yes, a Charlie-Brown Christmas Tree that someone was throwing out and asked my husband if we wanted it.....it's about 20 years old and scraggly but better then none*
If so, how do you decorate it?
*Yes, it's the decorations that have made it beautiful throughout the years, every year I treat myself to ONE orniment that reminds me of a family member and that becomes their place on my tree and in my home so it's really a family tree*
When do you put it up?
* this year we didn't because we were suppose to go away for Christmas with family but it fell through and now I'm not in the mood to put anything up so the house is empty of any Christmas cheer, but generally we put it up the day after Thanksgiving*
When do you take it down?
*January 2, of the New Year.*
Is it real or artificial
*Don't do real because of my allergies and the cats so always artifical*
We go to Church on Christmas Eve. I do decorate the outside of my house and the inside.
2. Did you believe in Santa Claus when you were a child? yep
3. Did you enjoy last Christmas? Please elaborate. I loved it, it was my first year living with Matt!
4. Do people behave differently during Christmas? I think moods are enhanced a little.
5. If so, do you think they try to be better? maybe some, some just get more depressed that they have no money
6. Do you donate something (money, clothes, food) to charities? try to!!! usually toys and clothes, sometimes leftovers from big holiday feasts
7. Do you give something to homeless people (besides money, clothes, food... like time volunteering or used vehicles etc.)? I used to volunteer teaching illiterate adults to read, i also have volunteered time advocating domestic violence victims awareness
8. Do you attend any special religious ceremonies during the Christmas season? candle lighting at church christmas eve, also winter solstice celebration for yule
9. If you're not from the USA, do you celebrate Christmas in your country? n/a
10. Do you celebrate Christmas in a special way? being with my family is always special
11. Do you celebrate Christmas in a traditional way? decorated tree and presents
12. Do you have a traditional Christmas? pretty much yep
13. Do you decorate the outside of your house for Christmas? yep
14. Do you eat a turkey dinner for your Christmas dinner? If not, what DO you eat? nope we have turkey at thanksgiving and ham at christmas
15. Do you enjoy Christmas time? Please elaborate. I do but it also makes me sad thinking of all the people in nursing homes whose family doesn't visit them, all the kids who have been taken away from their families, or orphans, or people who don't have family to celebrate with. I enjoy non family centered holidays like halloween more because i figure it isn't as depressing for the people who aren't as blessed as i have been
16. Do you enjoy singing Christmas songs? yes, i play them on my piano too
17. Do you exchange presents with your friends at school? n/a sent gifts with kids for the teachers
18. Do you go to church on Christmas day? no
19. Do you hang up a stocking? yes
20. Do you have a Christmas party at school or work? yes
21. Do you have a Christmas tree? yes
* If so, how do you decorate it? with special ornaments, lights, and garland
* When do you put it up? one day after we buy it
* When do you take it down? right after christmas (i am allergic)
* Is it real or artificial? real
Then to top it off I went to paypal to check my account. I had won bids on 5 items for a total of about $190.00 and entered a credit card number for them to charge it to.
Well, they didn't do that. They decided to take it out of my checking account instead. I called them and they said that was the way it was and they couldn't do anything about it They suggested that I contact each of the five sellers and ask them to return the money to ebay and they would take care of the problem.....RIGHT.
Then to top it off, I went back to check by account I couldn't access it because someone had entered an email address, in the login, that wasn't me, and I couldn't access the account.
Did you believe in Santa Claus when you were a child? I still believe!
Did you enjoy last Christmas? Please elaborate. I enjoyed it because I love to see my daughter's face all excited about Christmas, but I was a little sad missing my grandpas
Do people behave differently during Christmas? Yes
If so, do you think they try to be better? No
Do you donate something (money, clothes, food) to charities? If I have the extra money I donate to the angel tree at church
Do you give something to homeless people (besides money, clothes, food... like time volunteering or used vehicles etc.)? No
Do you attend any special religious ceremonies during the Christmas season? Sometimes
If you're not from the USA, do you celebrate Christmas in your country?
Do you celebrate Christmas in a special way? We always go to my Grandma's on Christmas Eve
Do you celebrate Christmas in a traditional way? Yes
Do you have a traditional Christmas? Yes
Do you decorate the outside of your house for Christmas? No
Do you eat a turkey dinner for your Christmas dinner? If not, what DO you eat? Ham at my family's and my inlaws always do several different kinds of soup and desserts.
Do you enjoy Christmas time? Please elaborate. I don't enjoy the stress of picking out presents for everyone, but I enjoy the family all together.
Do you enjoy singing Christmas songs? Yes
Do you exchange presents with your friends at school? I'm not in school, but I used too
Do you go to church on Christmas day? No
Do you hang up a stocking? Yes
Do you have a Christmas party at school or work? At of school and not working
Do you have a Christmas tree? Yes
If so, how do you decorate it? A wide variety of ornaments and lights and garland.
When do you put it up? After Thanksgiving
When do you take it down? A few days after Christmas
Is it real or artificial? Artificial
Where you live, did it snow last year at Christmas? Colorado -- and we had snow.
Do you decorate the outside of your house for Christmas? Neither outside or inside EXCEPT, a friend gave me a small antique ceramic bell many years ago and I put that out. I also use the season as an excuse for eggnog.
Yes, but not much.
Did you believe in Santa Claus when you were a child?
I believed in the spirt of Christmas and still do.
Did you enjoy last Christmas? Please elaborate.
Yes. all my family was together. This Christmas, My wife is in the nursing home.
Do people behave differently during Christmas?
I don't think so.
If so, do you think they try to be better?
Do you donate something (money, clothes, food) to charities?
As much as I can. I believe that what goes around, comes around!
Do you give something to homeless people (besides money, clothes, food... like time volunteering or used vehicles etc.)?
n/a
Do you attend any special religious ceremonies during the Christmas season?
I try to attend Christmas service at my local church.
If you're not from the USA, do you celebrate Christmas in your country?
n/a
Do you celebrate Christmas in a special way?
We sing happy birthday to Jesus before we do anything Christmas morning.
Do you celebrate Christmas in a traditional way?
Mostly.
Do you have a traditional Christmas?
I think so.
Do you decorate the outside of your house for Christmas?
Just some simple lights along the roof line.
Do you eat a turkey dinner for your Christmas dinner? If not, what DO you eat? Sometimes Turkey, sometimes Ham!~
Do you enjoy Christmas time? Please elaborate.
It's the most wonderful time of the year!~
Do you enjoy singing Christmas songs?
Most times.
Do you exchange presents with your friends at school?
n/a
Do you go to church on Christmas day?
Most times
Do you hang up a stocking?
Every year! We even hang them for the pets!~
Do you have a Christmas party at school or work?
Neither
Do you have a Christmas tree?
Not this year. It just isn't the same without my wife here!~
If so, how do you decorate it?
When do you put it up?
When do you take it down?
Is it real or artificial?
# Did you believe in Santa Claus when you were a child? I guess
# Did you enjoy last Christmas? Yes, it was just the way I had dreamed. No crazy relatives, no uncomfortable clothes, no over eating, just BF and I.
# Do people behave differently during Christmas? I tend to be even more down:(
# If so, do you think they try to be better?I try every year
# Do you donate something (money, clothes, food) to charities? yes
# Do you give something to homeless people (besides money, clothes, food... like time volunteering or used vehicles etc.)? not really, thanks for making me feel bad!
# Do you attend any special religious ceremonies during the Christmas season? sometimes
# Do you celebrate Christmas in a special way? he he, I am not telling!
# Do you celebrate Christmas in a traditional way? depends on what you call tradition...
# Do you decorate the outside of your house for Christmas? My mom gave us some lights and they are on the walkway and fence
# Do you eat a turkey dinner for your Christmas dinner? If not, what DO you eat? Haven't even thought about it yet.....yikes!
# Do you enjoy Christmas time? I do and I don't. I miss the childhood Christmases and they people that are no longer with us. No matter how hard I try, I am always missing someone or something and I have to try really hard to stay in the moment.
# Do you enjoy singing Christmas songs? some
# Do you exchange presents with your friends at school? all of my classes are online, so a few of us send e-cards.
# Do you go to church on Christmas day? Sometimes, I don't do well in crowds.
# Do you hang up a stocking? We don't have a fireplace, but they are hanging from the breakfront:)
Indiana / Boy, did it!
Did you believe in Santa Claus when you were a child?
Until I Saw the Presents Hidden in my mom's car trunk
Did you enjoy last Christmas? Please elaborate.
Not really. We had very hard times (my husband wasn't working and I couldn't afford much).
Do people behave differently during Christmas?
Depends on if your in, around, or near a shopping mall or store.
If so, do you think they try to be better?
Depends on if your in, around, or near a shopping mall or store.
Do you donate something (money, clothes, food) to charities?
Every year, and not just during the holidays.
Do you give something to homeless people (besides money, clothes, food... like time volunteering or used vehicles etc.)?
Don't have time or a spare vehicle to donate, but I do contribute to charities that benefit the homeless.
Do you attend any special religious ceremonies during the Christmas season?
Used to attend Christmas Eve Service & Christmas musical.
If you're not from the USA, do you celebrate Christmas in your country? I'm American
Do you celebrate Christmas in a special way?
nope....very traditional
Do you celebrate Christmas in a traditional way? yep
Do you have a traditional Christmas? yep
Do you decorate the outside of your house for Christmas? not so much
Do you eat a turkey dinner for your Christmas dinner? If not, what DO you eat?
My family does a theme (soup, Mexican, this year it's pizza), my husband's family does the traditional dinner with ham instead of turkey
Do you enjoy Christmas time? Please elaborate.
I enjoy it, but it's lost its glitter and "magic" over the past couple years. I guess I need to get back my Christmas spirit, but I really am trying to enjoy it.
Do you enjoy singing Christmas songs?
Yes, but my "pipes" are a little out of practice.
Do you exchange presents with your friends at school?
Don't go to school anymore, but we do at the office.
Do you go to church on Christmas day?
nope....from sun up to sun down we have one family get-together after another.
Do you hang up a stocking?
yup.....on our built-in bookshelf
Do you have a Christmas party at school or work?
yep...at work
Do you have a Christmas tree?
yep
If so, how do you decorate it?
with a ribbon or angel at the top, ribbon, garland, solid-colored ornaments, some sentamental ornaments (we add a new one each year), and a skirt.
When do you put it up?
the weekend after Thanksgiving
When do you take it down?
After Jan. 1
Is it real or artificial?
Fake.....I don't like promoting the killing of trees just to decorate for one hoilday
Harrel... so sorry you're having such a tough time! Hope it all works out quickly!
Mark, I'm so sorry you're missing your wife so much. Do you get to visit her often? How far away is she?
Gwen!