History and Traditions :

• Interactive Map: “Gift-Giving Traditions Throughout The World” (larryferlazzo.edublogs.org)

• Words and Their Stories: Santa Claus - AUDIO + SCRIPT
  "The story of the man in the red suit who brings gifts to children at Christmas."
  (learningenglish.voanews.com)

• 10 Remarkable Origins of Common Christmas Traditions (listverse.com)

• Americans buy record numbers of guns for Christmas (telegraph.co.uk)

• Mistletoe, the kiss of Christmas
  "It's a vintage year for the legendary mistletoe berries...
  In Britain’s mistletoe-growing regions, a branch would be brought inside at Christmas to protect the house. Any woman walking underneath
  could not refuse to be kissed, or she would remain an old maid. After a kiss, she would pick a berry from the branch."
  (telegraph.co.uk)

• Christmas plants: A berry merry season - with pictures
  "Sarah Raven considers the three British plants at the heart of our traditional celebrations."
  Holly, ivy, mistletoe...
  (telegraph.co.uk)

• Christmas dinner around the world - with a slideshow
  (telegraph.co.uk)

• Family create festive display using one million Christmas lights
  "A family in Croatia have transformed their estate into a winter wonderland with more than 1.2 million Christmas lights."
  ARTICLE + VIDEO
  (telegraph.co.uk)

  
  
  
  

• Extreme Christmas lighting - ARTICLE + VIDEO
  "Paul Toole's Chrris wheel, giant baubles and a 20ft-tall tree made of solid lights..."
  (telegraph.co.uk)

• 

• One in seven will avoid shops this Christmas
  "One in seven people intend to use the internet for their entire Christmas shopping this year, a survey has suggested."
  (telegraph.co.uk)

  

• It's July - so time for Harrods and Selfridges to open their Christmas shops
  "Harrods stressed the need for the early launch, saying that there is an increasing demand from international shoppers for Christmas products...
  This years’ theme is ‘A Crystal Christmas inspired by Swarovski,’ so customers can expect a glittering exhibition."
  (telegraph.co.uk)

  

• Taking the plunge
  "It's difficult to understand how diving into a freezing body of water on Christmas Day ever caught on, but it has become an annual custom in Britain (brave Londoners leap into the Serpentine on Hyde Park or, pictured here, Brighton beach), Ireland (where many head for the chilly Irish Sea), and France (there's an  annual dip in Nice)."
  (telegraph.co.uk)

  

• In pictures: 20 Guinness world records with a Christmas theme (telegraph.co.uk)

  

• Christmas celebrations around the world
  (neatorama.com)
  "Whether you’re just interested in learning more about other cultures or want to incorporate some new traditions into your holiday celebrations, this article is filled with all you need to know about international Christmases."
  For example in Austria :

  

• Five great European cities for Christmas markets
  1. Cologne 2. Vienna 3. Bruges 4. Strasbourg 5. Prague
  (BBC)

  

• Christmas Around the World - Click on SEASONAL / Christmas activities
  (primaryresources.co.uk)

  

• Christmas around the world
  "When we think of Christmas, we think of eating turkey, exchanging gifts, red-and-white-clad fat men climbing down chimneys, and 25 December. But that's not the case everywhere. Here are a few arbitrarily selected examples..."
  (telegraph.co.uk)

• Christmas Tree (and other) Christmas Traditions Around the World
  (pickyourownchristmastree.org)

• Families facing winter debt, Save the Children suggests
  "Families will fall into debt to buy warm clothing and food this winter, a Save the Children survey suggests.
  Spending on Christmas presents and basic essentials like heating is also likely to be cut."
  (BBC)

  

• Christmas Around the World - a slideshow (cbsnews.com)
  recommended by Larry Ferlazzo

  

• Christmas - in France, Spain, Germany and Italy
  - with a Christmas quiz about festive traditions across Europe
  (BBC)

  

• Caribbean: Christmas Traditions (globalvoicesonline.org)
  
  
  
• Where to Hide Christmas Presents from Your Sneaky Kids and Spouse
  (associatedcontent.com)

• Hiding Christmas Presents from Your Kids
  (associatedcontent.com)

• Unusual gifts (somucheasier.co.uk)

• Victorian Christmas
  (jeh.5u.com)

  

• Christmas Around the World
  (the-north-pole.com)

• Christmas Traditions Around the World
  (woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk)

• Christmas celebrations around the world
  (soon.org.uk)

• Christmas Traditions
  "10 posters which look at 8 common Christmas traditions."
  (instantdisplay.co.uk)

  

• The Christmas Story (Primary Resources)
  Click on TOPIC/THEME on the left, then on Christmas activities.
  
  

• Christmas Around the World
  (Primary Resources)
  
  

• Christmas Around the World (northpole.net)
  

• CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS (claus.com) -
  - "Learn the origin of some of our favorite symbols and traditions!" :
  Stockings - Sleigh & Reindeer - Ornaments - Mistletoe - Yule Log - Holly - Greenery - Gingerbread House - St. Bernard - Christmas Cards - Candles
  
  
  
  
  

• How Christmas Works - Un site à exploiter pour concevoir une 'webquest' - (howstuffworks.com) - UPDATED
  De plus, vous y trouverez les réponses aux questions souvent posées par vos élèves.
  
  
  
  

• Symbols and Traditions ( suivi d'un quiz interactif) - (wilstar.net)
  
  
  

• Christmas Traditions around the world (santas.net)
  
  
  
  

• A Christmas journey across Europe
  
  
  
  (myeurope.eun.org)
  

• Traditions at the White House (whitehouse.gov)
  
  
  
  
  

• Old Superstitions : Christmas (bored.com)
  
  

Infographics :

• Infographic: “History Of The Christmas Tradition” (larryferlazzo.edublogs.org)

• Top 50 TOYS of the Last 100 Years - an infographic (larryferlazzo.edublogs.org)

• 2012 Holiday Shopping Season - How will America shop - an infographic (visual.ly)

• Christmas Around the World - an infographic (lemon.ly)

Advent calendars :

• 27 Days Of European Christmas Customs (germanembassyadventcalendar.org)

• Advent Calendar For English Students and Kids - with activities and videos (esolcourses.com)

• Advent calendar - interactive : Click the numbers to get facts around the world.
  (macmillanenglish.com)

  

• "Here is a fun Advent Calendar
  for you to countdown to Christmas with fascinating questions about Christmas celebrations around the world."
  (Woodlands Junior School)
  
  

• Christmas Advent Calendar (jolies images et poèmes) - (smile-a-day.com)
  
  
  
  

Cliparts, Flashcards and Pictures :

"Deux membres du club de tir de Scottdale, en Arizona, posent pour la photo annuelle de noël, le 10 décembre 2011." (20minutes.fr)		Christmas Time Around The World - PHOTOS (theatlantic.com)
Christmas guns - ads (retronaut.co)		Santa Claus 2012 - PHOTOS (blogs.sacbee.com) Christmas trees around the world (online.wsj.com)
Cool Christmas Lights Pictures and videos from around the world. (collthings.co.uk)		The Twelve Shoppers of Christmas Which one are you ? (geekculture.com)
Christmas trees around the world – in pictures (guardian.co.uk)		The 9 Most Christmassy Towns in America (time.com)
PHOTOS : Christmas comes to the White House - a slideshow (time.com)		Best Christmas trees around the world - 20 photos (nydailynews.com)
Ready for Christmas- Slideshow (nytimes.com)	A Christmas superstore - Slideshow (nytimes.com) Bronner's Christmas Wonderland (bronners.com)
Christmas shopping (sondag.devils-elbow.com)	Buying the presents (blog.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk)	Decorating
Christmas Flashcards (British Council)	Christmas drawings (bluebison.net) Monkeys decorating a christmas tree with the help of some hummingbirds.
Christmas Flashcards (bogglesworldesl.com)	FLASHCARDS (mes-english.com)	Christmas Clip Art (uk.dk.com)
Christmas Images (esl-library.com) Click on Flashcard Library.	Nativity (gurney.co.uk)	Christmas Clipart (about.com)

CLIPARTS "Scenes from the Nativity" (jsmagic.net) [Animals] [Angels] [Bells & Bows] [Buttons & Bars] [Fireplaces] [HodgePodge] [Lights & Candles] [People] [Santas] [Signs] [Snowpersons] [Toys & Gifts] [Trees] [Wreaths] [Christmas In Black & White]

Christmas Resources for Teachers (Teacher Planet) : Lessons and Units - Worksheets - Clip Art...

Vocabulary :

• Christmas vocabulary (learningchocolate.com)

  

• Christmas Vocabulary
  Activity sent by Corinne Degezelle (Ac. Reims)

  

• Christmas Vocabulary
  Vocabulary included: Santa Claus, Present, Reindeer, Candle, Christmas Tree, Elf, Star, Bells, Sleigh, Chimney, Candy Cane and Stocking.
  (teacherslove.blogs.sapo.pt)

  

• Christmas Alphabet
  " A Christmas related item for each letter of the alphabet."
  (instantdisplay.co.uk)

  

  
  

• Merry Christmas from 18 different countries
  (instantdisplay.co.uk)

  

• Christmas ESL Vocabulary - with definitions and activities (canada-esl.com)
• Christmas Vocabulary : REVIEW (marks-english-school.com)
  - with GAMES
  
  

• Christmas and New Year Vocabulary : Language Point (BBC)
  "A lot of Christmas vocabulary can be used with or without the word Christmas  in front of it..."
  - with a QUIZ
  

• A new word : houseblinging (macmillandictionary.com)

  

• Christmas vocabulary with pictures (xtec.es)

• Learn words about Xmas - with activities (Renée Maufroid) :
  Matching / Concentration / Word Search
  
  
  
  
  
  
• A Christmas Alphabet Book - A is for Angels - B is for Bells.. (bry-backmanor.org)
  
  
  

• Christmas Vocabulary - une jolie fiche (beginner) (tefl.net)
  
  
  

• Christmas Vocabulary - words with definitions (intermediate) - (englishclub.com)

• Christmas Words - a list (iteslj.org) :
  General Words / Food / Flowers / Religious / Christmas Tree / Shopping / Santa Claus / Feelings / Reindeer Names
  
  
  

Christmas presents :

• John Lewis' best-selling products this Christmas
  (dailymail.co.uk)

  
  
  

  Best-selling products this Christmas - a worksheet

  
  
  

• Where to Hide Christmas Presents from Your Sneaky Kids and Spouse
  (associatedcontent.com)

• Hiding Christmas Presents from Your Kids
  (associatedcontent.com)

• Unusual gifts (somucheasier.co.uk)

Idioms :

• Merry Christmas, Baby by Christina Aguilera :
  "I'm lit up like a Christmas tree"

Superstitions :

• Common superstitions (csicop.org) :
  
  • To refuse a kiss under mistletoe causes bad luck
    
  • Animals can talk at midnight on Christmas Eve

   

Listening :

• Words and Their Stories: Santa Claus - AUDIO + SCRIPT
  "The story of the man in the red suit who brings gifts to children at Christmas."
  (learningenglish.voanews.com)

• AUDIO-LINGUA : Christmas in New-Zealand :
  
  ** Sarah : Christmas dinner in New Zealand **
  Langue : Anglais, niveau : A2 par  Sarah (Wellington, New Zealand) - 13 décembre 2012
  For dinner, you usually have a barbecue (steack, sausages, kebabs).
  -> http://www.audio-lingua.eu/spip.php?article2789
  
  ** Sarah : Christmas lunch in New Zealand **
  Langue : Anglais, niveau : A2 par  Sarah (Wellington, New Zealand) - 13 décembre 2012
  In New Zealand, people eat on the beach, outside. It is a light meal because it is warm.
  -> http://www.audio-lingua.eu/spip.php?article2788
  
  
  ** Sarah : Christmas breakfast in New Zealand **
  Langue : Anglais, niveau : A2 par  Sarah (Wellington, New Zealand) - 13 décembre 2012
  On Christmas day, they have a special breakfast : Kiwi fry up.
  -> http://www.audio-lingua.eu/spip.php?article2787
  
  
  ** Sarah : Christmas tree and decoration in New Zealand **
  Langue : Anglais, niveau : A2 par  Sarah (Wellington, New Zealand) - 13 décembre 2012
  Sarah explains that they have pine trees with traditional decorations in New Zealand too, even if it's summer.
  -> http://www.audio-lingua.eu/spip.php?article2786
  
  
  ** Sarah : Christmas in New Zealand, a family tradition **
  Langue : Anglais, niveau : A2 par  Sarah (Wellington, New Zealand) - 13 décembre 2012
  In New Zealand, you spend Christmas with your family. You go to a beach house and you stay until New Year's Eve.
  -> http://www.audio-lingua.eu/spip.php?article2785
  
  
  ** Sarah : Christmas in New Zealand in beach houses **
  Langue : Anglais, niveau : B1 par  Sarah (Wellington, New Zealand) - 13 décembre 2012
  New Zealander people go to the beach for Christmas and spend their vacations in beach houses.
  -> http://www.audio-lingua.eu/spip.php?article2783

• Chatty Santa (chattysanta.com)
  "Type what you’d like Santa to say to a particular person, and Chatty Santa will say it. Then send it to the designated person..."
  (Larry Ferlazzo)

• ** Sarah : Weather in New Zealand for Christmas **
  Langue : Anglais, niveau : A2 par  Sarah (Wellington, New Zealand) - 7 décembre 2012
  In New Zealand, Christmas is celebrated on December 25th, but it's summer and it's hot !
  -> http://www.audio-lingua.eu/spip.php?article2782
  
  ** Sam : my Christmas list **
  Langue : Anglais, niveau : A2 par  Sam (Southampton, England) - 7 décembre 2012
  Sam tells us what presents she is going to ask Father Christmas.
  -> http://www.audio-lingua.eu/spip.php?article2781
  
  
  ** Sam : my best Christmas present ever **
  Langue : Anglais, niveau : B1 par  Sam (Southampton, England) - 7 décembre 2012
  Sam remembers one of the best Christmas present she ever received and why it was such a nice present.
  -> http://www.audio-lingua.eu/spip.php?article2780
  
  
  ** Sam : Christmas in England **
  Langue : Anglais, niveau : A2 par  Sam (Southampton, England) - 7 décembre 2012
  Sam explains the main Christmas traditions in England, before Christmas day (advent calendars, christmas services),
  on Christmas day (food, crackers, stockings, late night shopping).
  -> http://www.audio-lingua.eu/spip.php?article2779
  
  
  ** Kate : Christmas decorations in the UK **
  Langue : Anglais, niveau : A2 par  Kate (Manchester, UK) - 7 décembre 2012
  Kate explains how British people celebrate Christmas : decorations outside and inside the house.
  -> http://www.audio-lingua.eu/spip.php?article2778
  

• Christmas in England
  Une fiche de travail sur un enregistrement de Audio Lingua,
  envoyée par Elisabeth Pellegrino (Ac. Dijon)

• Fichiers audios sur le thème de Noël - une compilation - Différents niveaux
  "Audio Lingua propose des enregistrements authentiques autour de la fête de Noël.
  Pour les trouver, choisissez votre langue, puis tapez « Christmas » dans le moteur de recherche."
  (anglais.ac-versailles.fr)

• Christmas vocabulary (learningchocolate.com)

  

• Fichiers audios sur le thème de Noël avec Audio Lingua - Niveaux A2 / B1 / B2
  (Elisa Gy - Ac. Versailles)

• English Village
  Steven talks about the village he is from in England.
  "The last time I went back was Christmas... I saw old friends and family and did the usual Christmas things..."
  - with a Comprehension Quiz
  (elllo.org)

• Words and Their Stories: Santa Claus - UPDATED
  The story of the man in the red suit who brings gifts to children at Christmas. Transcript of radio broadcast: 19 December 2009
  "Santa Claus is someone who will remain in the hearts of children forever...
  Santa Claus also has some other names: Saint Nicholas, St. Nick, Kris Kringle, Pelznickel."
  (learningenglish.voanews.com)
  
  

• Council axes real Christmas tree
  "A council has axed its traditional town centre fir Christmas tree and put up a £14,000 fake one instead...
  Shoppers told the BBC that the 33ft (10m) tree looked more like a "huge traffic cone" or "a witch's hat"."
  "Shoppers in Poole (in Dorset) give their views of the new Christmas tree."
  (BBC)

  
  
  

  Listen to the news. (curseur => 7'16)
  (BBC)
  
  

  30 éléments de description des habitants
  (sabironlangues.typepad.fr)
  
  

• Advent
  "Find out about Advent, Christmas shopping and other things people in Britain do before and during the festive season."
  + Vocabulary explained
  (BBC Learning)

  

• Celebrating Christmas in South Africa
  "In South Africa, Christmas is not celebrated in the same way as in England.
  Corinne, a 58-year-0ld South African living in England, tells us about this difference."
  (audio-lingua.eu)

• Christmas Vocabulary : REVIEW (marks-english-school.com)
  - with GAMES
  
  

• DOCUMENTS SONORES (Ac. Reims) - UPDATED
  My best Christmas(US, 1.66Mo)
  

• Christmas Activities (iteslj.org)
  Quizzes, Crossword Puzzles, Word Games & Listening Comprehension

• A Christmas Carol : Listen! (wiredforbooks.org)
  
  

• The Snowman - an animated story read to you (British Council)

  

• Christmas in Great Britain : Reading and listening text (kico4u.de)
  - with a quiz

• Christmas is coming (santasearch.org)
  
  
  
• A Poem by ee cummings - Fill in the blanks - You can listen to the poem (absolutenglish-972)
  
  
  e.e. cummings (1894 - 1962) - American poet
  
  

• CLAUS.COM - a fun site! Explore the village!
  
  
  
  
  

• Christmas is coming! - a conversation (intermediate) with :
  I. Pre-Listening Exercises
  II. Listening Exercises
  III. Post-Listening Exercises
  Topic : Christmas gifts
  Speakers : a man and 2 children
  (esl-lab.com)

• The Christmas Gift - a narration (difficult) with :
  I. Pre-Listening Exercises
  II. Listening Exercises
  III. Post-Listening Exercises
  (esl-lab.com)
  
  

• Christmas Day - a lesson (dailyesl.com)