Warm-up
Answer a few quick questions before today’s lesson about culture.
Listening
Listen carefully to the recording and answer each question. You can replay the audio up to two times.
Listening — Christmas Traditions Around the World
Read all the questions carefully before the recording begins. You will hear the recording twice.
Reading
Read the passage on the left, then work through the questions on the right.
Reading — How the World Celebrates Christmas
Read the passage on the left, then answer the questions one by one.
How the World Celebrates Christmas
Christmas is celebrated in countless ways across the globe, yet many people have never experienced traditions outside their own culture. While December 25th marks the religious observance in Western Christianity, the festive season has evolved into a secular celebration embraced by billions, regardless of faith. Understanding these diverse customs reveals how a single holiday can transform to reflect local values, climate, and history. In the Philippines, Christmas preparations have traditionally begun as early as September, making it one of the longest celebration periods worldwide. Filipinos decorate their homes with colorful lanterns called parol and gather for midnight mass on Christmas Eve. Meanwhile, in Australia and New Zealand, where summer arrives in December, families celebrate with beach barbecues and outdoor activities rather than indoor gatherings. In Japan, Christmas has been commercialized since the 1970s, and many Japanese celebrate by eating fried chicken and exchanging gifts, though few observe it as a religious holiday. These variations demonstrate how climate, religious context, and cultural history shape celebration practices. The modern Christmas experience has been heavily influenced by globalization and social media. Young people worldwide have increasingly adopted traditions from other cultures, blending them with local customs. For instance, someone in Brazil might display both a nativity scene—a deeply Catholic tradition—and a Christmas tree with tropical decorations. Immigrants and multicultural families often celebrate hybrid versions, combining their heritage traditions with those of their adopted home. This cultural blending has created a dynamic holiday that continues to evolve. While commercial aspects of Christmas have expanded internationally, the core values of generosity, family connection, and reflection remain central to celebrations everywhere. Whether through religious services, festive meals, gift-giving, or community gatherings, people across cultures have found meaning in marking this season together. As travel and technology continue to connect us, Christmas celebrations will likely become even more diverse, offering opportunities for cultural exchange and mutual understanding.Use of English
Transform the root word in brackets to fit the sentence.
Christmas Celebrations Around the World
Use of English — Word formation
Choose or type the correct word for each gap in the passage above.
Writing Task
B2 First — Writing Part 2
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Speaking
Speaking task. Read the instructions, then complete the task.
After the Lesson
Reflect on what you learned and how confident you feel now.
Teacher Guide
Practise with
- adaptationnoun
The process of changing behaviour or characteristics to suit new environments or circumstances.
- challengingadjective
difficult in an interesting way
- excitingadjective
making you feel interested and happy about something
- experiencedadjective
having knowledge or skill gained from doing something many times before
- indigenousadjective
originating or occurring naturally in a particular place from the earliest times
- meaningnoun
what a word says or shows; what something means
- parolnoun
A star-shaped lantern made from bamboo and coloured paper, used in Filipino Christmas celebrations.
- preparationnoun
the process of getting ready for something
- Septembernoun
the ninth month of the year, between August and October
- traditionaladjective
done or made in the way it has been done for a long time
- transformationnoun
A complete change in the form, nature, or appearance of something or someone.
- varietynoun
a number of different things