Step by step how to make delicious Christmas cookies. It's highly important to use you imagination when you decorate these wondrful cookies. Even more, there is an important ingridient that must be added in any recipe, love and affection!
Ingredients: * 200 grams of butter or milk * small jar of condensed milk * 1 orange * 4 eggs * 4 cups of flour * icing sugar * lemon juice
Preparation step step:
* In a bowl, beat butter, condensed milk, egg yolks, a small can of condensed milk and some orange scratch. * When everything is well mixed, add flour until a dough. * Flour a smooth surface, roll the dough with a rolling pin and cut with Christmas cookie molds for cookie (it would be nice to have seasonal shapes such molds). * Preheat oven and bake about 20 minutes of homemade Christmas cookies on baking paper. * When finished, let cool. * Mix well or a glass of sugar glass, a few drops of lemon juice and a tablespoon of milk. * Use icing to decorate cookies (when cold). * Once hardened glaze, serve cookies.
Once again, I encourage you to cook, you can have a good time with your friends. Ah! if you are interested in cookies, you can find many delicious recipes in the red web-page (at the top).
Christmas Porridge - Frumenty The Christmas pudding known today began life as Christmas porridge called Frumenty, a dish made of wheat or corn boiled up in milk.
Plum Pudding
As time went on, other ingredients, such as dried plums or prunes, eggs, and lumps of meat were added to make it more interesting. When cooked, it was poured into a dish. This pudding was called Plum Pudding. The name 'Plum Pudding' continued to be used even when people used raisins, currants, and sultanas instead of prunes.
When is the traditional time for making the Christmas Pudding?
The traditional time for making a Christmas pudding is on 'Stir Up Sunday ' at the beginning of advent. A proper Christmas pudding is always stirred from East to West in honour of the three Wise Men and traditionally made with 13 ingredients to represent Christ and His Disciples. Every member of the family must give the pudding a stir and make a secret wish.
Christmas crackers were first invented in 1850 by a London confectioner called Tom Smith. A cracker is placed next to each plate on the Christmas dinner table. Crackers are made using a short tube wrapped in colourful paper. There is a fire cracker inside which ‘cracks’ when the cracker is pulled. There is also a gift, a paper crown and a terrible joke inside the cracker!
Love is always around, specially at Christmas...this is one of my favourite film, due to its beginning, there are many people at the airport hugging, kissing each other,... many magic moments that you may have experienced before. Therefore, I recommend you to watch this comedy again and again ... all we need is LOVE.
December 26th, St Stephen’s Day, is called Boxing day in the UK. It is a public holiday, and usually people visit friends. It is called Boxing Day because traditionally, the alms boxes in the churches were opened and the contents distributed to the poor. Also, servants went home to celebrate with their families. It was traditional for workers to open their tip boxes on this day.
Boxing Day is a bank holiday or a public holiday in countries with a mainly Christian population. It is usually celebrated on the day after Christmas Day.
Boxing Day originated in England in the middle of the nineteenth century under Queen Victoria. The day is traditionally marked by the giving of Christmas boxes, or gifts, to service workers.
Alms Box will be placed in every church on Christmas Day, into which worshippers placed a gift for the poor of the parish. These boxes were always opened the day after Christmas, this is called as Boxing Day.
Traditionally, Boxing Day is a day for fox hunting. Horse riders dressed in red and white riding gear, accompanied by a number of dogs, chase the fox through the countryside.
On this day, families and friends get together and watch sports and play board games. In many countries Boxing Day is a Shopping Holiday.
Government buildings and businesses are closed, the malls are filled with people either exchanging gifts or buying reduced priced Christmas gifts, cards, and decorations.
According to legend, a kindly nobleman grew despondent over the death of his beloved wife and foolishly squandered his fortune. This left his three young daughters without dowries and thus facing a life of spinsterhood.
The generous St. Nicholas, hearing of the girls' plight, set forth to help. Wishing to remain anonymous, he rode his white horse by the nobleman's house and threw three small pouches of gold coins down the chimney where they were fortuitously captured by the stockings the young women had hung by the fireplace to dry.
In 16th-century Germany fir trees were decorated, both indoors and out, with apples, roses, gilded candies, and colored paper. In the Middle Ages, a popular religous play depicted the story of Adam and Eve's expulsion from the Garden of Eden.
A fir tree hung with apples was used to symbolize the Garden of Eden -- the Paradise Tree. The play ended with the prophecy of a saviour coming, and so was often performed during the Advent season.
It is held that Protestant reformer Martin Luther first adorned trees with light. While coming home one December evening, the beauty of the stars shining through the branches of a fir inspired him to recreate the effect by placing candles on the branches of a small fir tree inside his home.
The Christmas Tree was brought to England by Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert from his native Germany. The famous Illustrated News etching in 1848, featuring the Royal Family of Victoria, Albert and their children gathered around a Christmas tree in Windsor Castle, popularized the tree throughout Victorian England. Brought to America by the Pennsylvania Germans, the Christmas tree became by the late 19th century.
The origin of Santa Claus begins in the 4th century with Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, an area in present day Turkey. By all accounts St. Nicholas was a generous man, particularly devoted to children. After his death around 340 A.D. he was buried in Myra, but in 1087 Italian sailors purportedly stole his remains and removed them to Bari, Italy, greatly increasing St. Nicholas' popularity throughout Europe. His kindness and reputation for generosity gave rise to claims he that he could perform miracles and devotion to him increased. St. Nicholas became the patron saint of Russia, where he was known by his red cape, flowing white beard, and bishop's mitre.
In Greece, he is the patron saint of sailors, in France he was the patron of lawyers, and in Belgium the patron of children and travellers. Thousands of churches across Europe were dedicated to him and some time around the 12th century an official church holiday was created in his honor. The Feast of St. Nicholas was celebrated December 6 and the day was marked by gift-giving and charity.
After the Reformation, European followers of St. Nicholas dwindled, but the legend was kept alive in Holland where the Dutch spelling of his name Sint Nikolaas was eventually transformed to Sinterklaas. Dutch children would leave their wooden shoes by the fireplace, and Sinterklaas would reward good children by placingtreats in their shoes. Dutch colonists brought brought this tradition with them to America in the 17th century and here the Anglican name of Santa Claus emerged.
In 1822 Clement C. Moore composed the poem A Visit From Saint Nicholas, published as The Night Before Christmas as a gift for his children. In it, he portrays Santa Claus:
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly,
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
Other countries feature different gift-bearers for the Christmas or Advent season: La Befana in Italy ~ The Three Kings in Spain, Puerto Rico, and Mexico ~ Christkindl or the Christ Child in Switzerland and Austria ~ Father Christmas in England ~ and Pere Noël, Father Christmas or the Christ Child in France. Still, the figure of Santa Claus as a jolly, benevolent, plump man in a red suit described in Moore's poem remains with us today and is recognized by children and adults alike around the world.
Are you having a good time in your bank holidays? Well, I hope so. Have you ever listened to Pheobe singing her famous song "Smelly Cat" in Friends TV serie? Now, we can listen and sing this!!! Please, pay attention to its lyrics.
Smelly cat, smelly cat What are they feeding you? Smelly cat, smelly cat It's not your fault They won't take you to the vet You're obviously not their favourite pet You may not be a bed of roses And you're no friend to those with noses (repeat chorus)
Maybe you've never heard about this group Eternal, but let me introduce you one of their song: ANGEL OF MINE. It's very relaxing and when I was younger, I loved listening and singing its lyrics.
If you are bored, you can do more exercises related to CONDITIONALS.
A. Complete the sentences in the First or Second conditional. Use the correct form of the verbs.
1. If I ______________ (be) a film star, I ______________ (buy) very expensive clothes.
2. I ______________ (phone) you if I ______________ (decide) to go shopping.
3. Tim ____________ (go out with) Helen if she _____________ (ask) him. But she’s too shy.
4. If I _______________ (be) an advertising manager, I _____________ (not make) offensive adverts.
5. The shoe shop ______________ (not sell) many Nike trainers if they ____________ (not reduce) the prices soon.
6. If my brother ______________ (pass) his driving test, Mum _______________ (let) him use her car. I’m sure he’ll pass!
B. Choose the correct answer.
1. When you ( are starting, start, will start ) your diet, you will have to give up chocolate.
2. You won’t lose weight unless you ( will change, changed, change ) your eating habits.
3. If I had had an appetite, I ( would eat, ate, would have eaten ) more.
4. It would be much better at this club there ( would be, are, were ) more people.
5. If I had known how many people wanted to exercise, I ( will form, would have formed, formed ) an exercise group.
6. When you grill the chicken, there ( are, were, would be ) fewer calories in it.
7. Unless the temperature ( will rise, rose, rises ), I’m going to the beach today.
8. What ( would you do, you did, had you done ) if you were me?
9. It ( cheer you up, will cheer you up, would cheer you up ) if you go and buy yourself a new dress.
10. You ( can join, could have joined, could join ) the aerobics class if you had signed up on time.
C. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in brackets. All conditionals may be used.
1. If you _____________ (want) to remain healthy, ____________ (eat) less salt, sugar and fat!
2. Unless you _____________ (get) at least seven hours sleep a night, you ___________ (feel) tired the following day.
3. If you _______________ (need) a holiday, _______________ (you take) one?
4. If you ________________ (not include) fruit and vegetables in your diet, you _________________ (not have) the vitamins you need to stay healthy.
5. If you ______________ (take) exercise twice a week, your general fitness level ________________ (improve).
6. If you ______________ (try) the frilled chicken, I think you __________________ (like) it, but you insisted on steak, as usual.
7. If you ______________ (live) in France instead of England, you _______________ (get used to) having a glass of wine with your meals.
8. If I ______________ (be) you, I ________________ (talk) to a doctor before going on a diet.
9. If you ______________ (go out) with us last night, it _______________ (you cheer up) a bit.
10. If I _________________ (drink) enough water, I _______________ (not have) such a bad headache yesterday.
D. Rewrite the following sentences without altering their meaning.
1. If you aren’t on a diet, try the cheesecake. (unless)
-______________________________________________
2. Danny wants to lose some weight, but he doesn’t have any will power. (if)
-______________________________________________
3. Sue didn’t mention the tennis game so I didn’t turn up to watch. (if)
-______________________________________________
4. In my opinion, you should drink low-fat milk. (if)
-_____________________________________________
5. You should have a medical check-up when starting a diet. (if)
-____________________________________________
6. I didn’t buy any vegetables so I couldn’t make a salad. (if)
-___________________________________________
7. Paul won’t swim in the pool because there is no lifeguard. (if)
-____________________________________________
8. Peter gets angry with people who don’t take him seriously. (unless)
-__________________________________________
E. Complete the following sentences using your own words.
1. If Helen _______________________________________________, we will go and visit her.
2. If you were a celebrity, where __________________________________________________.
3. Unless you take exercise, _____________________________________________________.
4. The doctor would have helped him if she ________________________________________ .
5. Would you give up fast food if _________________________________________________.
6. I __________________________________________________________ if I won the lottery.
7. If you had made a healthy holiday, ______________________________________________.
8. I would have met David Bisbal if _______________________________________________.
9. If she were Scarlet, __________________________________________________________.
10. If I met the Prime Minister, ___________________________________________________.
F. Make up endings for these conditional sentences.
1. If you don’t write it down, you …….
2. If I lost my address book …….
3. If you hadn’t told me …..
4. I wouldn’t like it if ……
5. You would have remembered if …..
6. We won’t forget it if …….
G. Think of ways to complete these sentences.
1. Unless you pass your exams ……
2. I won’t know what to do unless …..
3. Unless you write the words down ….
4. I won’t help you with your homework unless …..
5. Unless I find someone to help me …..
H. Make conditional sentences about these situations. Examples:
I forgot to set my alarm clock; I was late for school.
If I hadn’t forgotten to set my alarm clock, I wouldn’t have been late for school.
I didn’t have time; I didn’t watch the film on TV.
If I’d had time, I would have watched the film.
1.I missed the last bus; I had to walk home.
2.I didn’t have your address; I didn’t write to you.
3.I was ill; I didn’t go on the picnic.
4.I forgot to take my umbrella with me when I went out; I got wet.
5.I didn’t have a map; I got lost.
6.I didn’t work hard; I failed my exam.
I. Rewrite the sentences. Use UNLESS, AS LONG AS, and PROVIDED (THAT):
1. We won’t use the same advert again if people don’t like it. (provided that)
We _____________________________________________________________________
2. We won’t watch satellite TV if they don’t reduce the number of adverts. (unless)
We _____________________________________________________________________
3. I won’t go to the cinema this evening if Tom isn’t going to be there. (as long as)
I _______________________________________________________________________
4. The company won’t succeed if it doesn’t change its image. (unless)
The _____________________________________________________________________
5. I won’t buy cosmetics if they’re tested on animals. (provided that)
I _______________________________________________________________________
Write the verb in the correct tense to form a conditional sentence .
1. What you (do) if you (be) given the Nobel Prize.
2. If I (know) that teacher was coming, I (not join) the excursion.
3. If you (heat=calentar) water to 100 degrees, it .(boil)
3. you (find) the room too noisy, (close) the windows firmly.
4. You (not open) the bottle unless you (use) a bottle opener.
5. (not run) unless you (want) to sweat too much.
6. All the students (pass) the test on condition that he (explain) lessons properly.
7. If you (meet) Mr Leech, (can) you ask him a favour, please?
8. They (not escape) if the police (be) faster.
9. Whales (not disappear) if we conscious about it.
10. Where you (travel) if you (win) the lottery?
If you need to review Conditionals and repeat the activities corrected in class, you can get them here. Besides, I'm going to recommend you to take a look to the following exercises.
CONDITIONAL SENTENCES: EXERCISES
1) Change these conditional sentences type I into type II and type III.1.- If you give me some glue, I will stick the piecestogether.2.- I will get you a newspaper if I can find one. 3.- He will be a good president if he is elected. 4.- There will be more people killed if we don't stop thatwar.5.- If you hurry, you'll catch your train. 6.- If you are a good boy, I will take you to the cinema.
2) Rephrase the following sentences into conditionals (types I, II or III) like in the example:
e.g. You were not at home yesterday. Your littlebrother had an accident (type III) = If you had been athome yesterday, your little brother wouldn't have hadan accident.
1.- I forgot the car keys at home. I was late for work. (t.III). 2.- She hasn't got a university degree. She'd like tohave a better job. (t. II) 3.- I spent all my money on cigarettes. I need adictionary. (t. III). 4.- You might see my sister. I need to tell her that ourfather's gone on a business trip. (t. I, use SHOULD). 5.- Susan is going to fail almost every subject this year.She wants to go to university. (t. I) 6.- He's not handsome. He'd like to have a beautiful girlfriend. (type II, use MIGHT in the main clause). 7.- The prison warder was having lunch. The prisoners escaped. (t.III). 8.- I need a typewriter. It costs a lot of money. (t. I) 9.- I don't have enough time. I like reading very much.(t. II) 10.- I don't like cooking. I always eat in restaurants(t. II)
3) CONDITIONAL SENTENCES TYPE I: basic formsWrite conditional sentences type I, using thegiven facts in your conditional clause, and addinga suitable completion.
1.- It looks as if those shoes in the window are my size. 2.- Don't drop that vase. 3.- It looks like being fine tomorrow. 4.- My father has suggested that I change my job. 5.- It seems that we'll be late for the theatre. 6.- Don't lose my library book! 7.- You may meet some friends of mine in London. 8.- He expects to pass his exams. 9.- They're hoping it will be a baby boy. 10.- I anticipate getting a rise in salary next year. constant balance of payments problem.
Complete the following sentences: 1.- You will have to go to the dentist if... 2.- He would have been drowned if... 3.- If I'd had a car... 4.- If Tom rings while I'm out...
CONDITIONAL SENTENCES: inversionRewrite these sentences as in the examples. 1 If you should need my help again, just give me aring. = Should you need my help again, just give me aring.
2 Were the Government to go back on this electionpledge, there would be a revolt among back-benchers.=If the Government were to go back...
3 Had I known you were ill, I would have visited you.= IfI had known you were ill,... 1.- If you should need to consult me again, you can contact me at this number. 2.- The hospital can switch to an emergency generator if the need should arise. 3.- If you should be late once again, you'll lose your job. 4.- If it were not for the fact that his father is on the board of directors, he would never have got the job. 5.- If such a merger were ever to be proposed, it would undoubtedly be referred to the Monopolies Commission. 6.- If it were not for the expense involved, I would go there by air. 7.- If it hadn't been for your laziness, you could have finished the work by now. 8.- If he had taken a little more time to think, he might have acted more sensibly. 9.- If the attempted assassination had succeeded, there would almost certainly have been civil and political chaos. 10.- If the driver of the train hadn't reacted so quickly, the accident would have been much worse.
Thanksgiving is America's preeminent day. It is celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday in the month of November. It has a very interesting history. Its origin can be traced back to the 16th century when the first thanksgiving dinner is said to have taken place.
Journey of Pilgrims The legendary pilgrims, crossed the Atlantic in the year 1620 in Mayflower-A 17th Century sailing vessel. About 102 people traveled for nearly two months with extreme difficulty. This was so because they were kept in the cargo space of the sailing vessel. No one was allowed to go on the deck due to terrible storms. The pilgrims comforted themselves by singing Psalms- a sacred song.
Arrival in Plymouth The pilgrims reached Plymouth rock on December 11th 1620, after a sea journey of 66 days. Though the original destination was somewhere in the northern part of Virginia, they could not reach the place owing to winds blowing them off course. Nearly46 pilgrims died due to extreme cold in winter. However, in the spring of 1621, Squanto, a native Indian taught the pilgrims to survive by growing food.
Day of Fasting and Prayer In the summer of 1621, owing to severe drought, pilgrims called for a day of fasting and prayer to please God and ask for a bountiful harvest in the coming season. God answered their prayers and it rained at the end of the day. It saved the corn crops.
First Thanksgiving Feast It is said that Pilgrims learnt to grow corn, beans and pumpkins from the Indians, which helped all of them survive . In the autumn of 1621, they held a grand celebration where 90 people were invited including Indians. The grand feast was organized to thank god for his favors. This communal dinner is popularly known as “The first thanksgiving feast”. There is however, no evidence to prove if the dinner actually took place.
While some historians believe pilgrims were quite religious so, their thanksgiving would've included a day of fasting and praying, others say that the Thanksgiving dinner did take place.
Turkey and First Thanksgiving Feast There is no evidence to prove if the customary turkey was a part of the initial feast. According to the first hand account written by the leader of the colony, the food included, ducks, geese, venison, fish, berries etc.
Pumpkin and Thanksgiving Feast Pumpkin pie, a modern staple adorning every dinner table, is unlikely to have been a part of the first thanksgiving feast. Pilgrims however, did have boiled pumpkin. Diminishing supply of flour led to the absence of any kind of bread.
The feast continued for three days and was eaten outside due to lack of space. It was not repeated till 1623, which again witnessed a severe drought. Governor Bradford proclaimed another day of thanksgiving in the year 1676. October of 1777 witnessed a time when all the 13 colonies joined in a communal celebration. It also marked the victory over the British.
After a number of events and changes, President Lincoln proclaimed last Thursday in November of thanksgiving in the year 1863. This was due to the continuous efforts of Sarah Josepha Hale, a magazine editor. She wrote a number of articles for the cause.
If you could read my mind love What a tale my thoughts would tell Just like an old time movie 'Bout a ghost from a wishing well In a castle dark or a fortress strong With chains upon my feet You know that ghost is me
All three I don't know where we went wrong But the feeling's gone and I just can't get it back
If you could read my mind, yeah
Amber If you could read your mind love What a tale my thoughts would tell Just like a paperback novel The kind that drugstores sell When you reach the part where the heartache comes The hero would be you Heroes often fail
All three Never thought I could feel this way...
If you could read my mind
If you could If you could If you could read my mind (repeat)
Jocelyn If you could read my mind love What a tale my thoughts would tell Just like an old time movie 'Bout a ghost from a wishing well
All three (w/Jocelyn) If you could read my mind love What a tale my thoughts would tell Just like a paperback novel The kind that drugstores sell
Ultra Nate' And when you reach the part where the heartache comes The hero would be you Heroes often fail
All three Never thought I could feel this way...
If you could If you could If you could read my mind
On many occasions in class, I do not have enough time to tell you all the most important days of the British calendar. Neither do I know if you have you ever noticed that during this month, the British politicians wear a red poppy in their lapel. This is because of the celebration of the so-called "Remembrance Day" in UK.
Remembrance Day – also known as Poppy Day, Armistice Day (the event it commemorates) or Veterans Day – is a day to commemorate the sacrifices of members of the armed forces and of civilians in times of war, specifically since the First World War. It is observed on11th November to recall the end of World War I on that date in 1918 (major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice). The day was specifically dedicated by King George V, on 7 November 1919, to the observance of members of the armed forces who were killed during war; this was possibly done upon the suggestion of Edward George Honey to Wellesley Tudor Pole, who established two ceremonial periods of remembrance based on events in 1917.
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