By Ana Paula Pinheiro, Writer, British Council
Dec 16, 2020
Christmas is not just a time for family celebrations and socializing, it's also a time to practice your English. If you think you are too busy to study English, don't worry, today we'll bring you 5 tips for studying and improving your English without even realizing it.
1. Christmas carols and songs
Christmas carols or Christmas songs are one of the most iconic British traditions. Winter starts, it's cold and all the family are together at home. An activity that can be both fun and different is listening (and singing along?) to Christmas carols or songs with English subtitles. Here are some good examples: Let It Snow; Baby, Please Come Home; Holy Night; Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Rudolph, the Red-nosed Reindeer, and many more!
2. Magic movies
Who hasn't ever imagined themselves in a Christmas movie? If that hasn't happened to you, we're going to recommend some films that, in addition to being beautiful Christmas stories, will help you to practice your English language. We've carefully chosen a mix for adults and teenagers: The Holiday; Love Actually; The Nightmare Before Christmas. And a selection for the little ones Klaus, Home Alone, The Grinch and the famous Frozen.
3. Christmas books - the imagination's best friends
For those who prefer to put their imagination to the test, books are the best friend. Besides being a great tool to learn a new language, they give you the possibility to create the characters in your mind. Here are some of our favourites: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens; Chris Van Allsburg's The Polar Express; Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie; The Santa Klaus Murder by Mavis Doriel Hay and A Child’s Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas
4. Fun activities to do as a family
Children are, without a doubt, the stars of Christmas. The British Council's LearnEnglish Kids games and activities are a great way for little ones to stay connected with English this vacation. The Troubled Turkey is the title of a Christmas song with which even the youngest will be able to pick up some grammar and vocabulary while having fun. You can also choose games that test the creativity of children and adults. Find out which ones here.
5. British Christmas food
For those who love to cook, there's nothing better than studying English while preparing some of the best British dishes. For the main course, we recommend roast turkey with brussels sprouts to accompany, for desserts we have a couple of options: mince pies and cream or custard, or the traditional Christmas pudding.
We hope that with these tips your Christmas will be livelier and at the same time more "English".