Never Ending English Lessons

Christmas Day (UK + USA + Ukraine) Christmas  is an annual  festival  commemorating  the birth  of  Jesus Christ , observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A  feast  central to the  Christian   liturgical year , it is preceded by the season of  Advent  or the  Nativity Fast  and initiates the season of  Christmastide , which historically in the West lasts  twelve days  and culminates on  Twelfth Night ; in some traditions, Christmastide includes an  octave . Christmas Day is a public  holiday  in  many of the world's nations , is celebrated religiously by a majority of Christians, as well as  culturally  by many non-Christians, and forms an integral part of the  holiday season  centered around it.

Christmas Eve (UK + USA + Ukraine) Christmas Eve  is the evening or entire day before  Christmas Day , the festival commemorating  the birth  of  Jesus . Christmas Day is  observed around the world , and Christmas Eve is widely observed as a full or partial holiday in anticipation of Christmas Day. Together, both days are considered one of the most culturally significant celebrations in  Christendom  and  Western society .

Funny English: Santa saw your Facebook posts. This year you're getting a dictionary.

The Most Useful Phrasal Verbs: Look up Serach for E.g. Look me up next time you are in town!

St. Nicholas Day (Ukraine) St. Nicholas Day is a very special holiday for Ukrainian children and adults. In Ukraine and other Eastern Christian countries it is celebrated on December 19 (unlike Western Christian countries, where it is celebrated on December, 6). Tradition to celebrate St. Nicholas Day came to Ukraine with the Christianity during the rule of the prince Vsevolod Yaroslavovich (years 1088-1089). Saint Nicholas always considered to be patron saint for children. Shortly before the holiday Ukrainian children (often with the help of their parents) write letters to Saint Nicholas in which all their dearest wishes are listed – material (new toys or other goods) and spiritual (health and happiness for parents, relatives and friends). The fulfillment of the material wish depends on the child’s behavior during the year. For those who behaved well St. Nicholas will definitely prepare the present, and even for those who did not there will be something pleasant (sweets, for...

Did you know that…? Donald duck comics were banned from Finland because he doesn’t wear pants.

Go for ZNO 2020: usage problems: Good, lovely, nice: •          Try to use more specific adjectives in their place. •          Weak: That was good explanation. The weather is lovely . She wears nice clothes. •          Better: That was an elaborate explanation.   The weather is warm. Se wears fashionable clothes.

Quote of the Day: “If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it.”   William Arthur Ward, American writer  

If everyone cared and nobody cried If everyone loved and nobody lied If everyone shared and swallowed their pride Then we'd see the day when nobody died… “If everyone cared” by Nickelback

Idiom of the Day: Best of both worlds Best of both worlds = a ll the advantages.

This Day in History: 1719  1st recorded display of Aurora Borealis in north American colonies (New England)

Go for ZNO 2020: usage problems: a.m., p.m.: a.m. refers to the hours before noon,   p.m. to hours after noon. Numbers are not spelled out when you use these abbreviations nor should you use phrases such as “in the morning” or “in the evening” with them.

The Most Useful Phrasal Verbs: Look Down On When you look down on people, you consider them to be less intelligent, less educated, or from a lower level of society than you. E.g. Some people look down on Hank because his father was in prison.

  Idiom of the Day: Beat around the bush Beat around the bush =avoiding the main topic. Not speaking directly about the issue.

Quote of the Day: “Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it.” Bruce Lee

Go for ZNO 2020: usage problems: Former, latter: In referring to two items, former designates the first and latter , the second. We bought some food and new toys for the orphanage. The former we gave to the orphanage employees; the latter we gave to the kids.

Idiom of the Day: Be glad to see the back of smb Be glad to see the back of smb. = b e happy when a person leaves.

The Most Useful Phrasal Verbs: Blow Out Defeat decisively. E.g. The Broncos blew out the Raiders 55-0.