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CHRISTMAS IN THE UK

In Britain, planning for Christmas begins before the commencement of
December and it includes buying decorative items, cleaning houses,
organizing gifts, baking pies and sending Christmas cards across to families
and friends. The essence of love among people is regenerated through the
goodness of the occasion and even the family members living abroad are not
left untouched of the warmth. If you are looking to be a part of Christmas
celebrations that are a perfect fusion of & #39;modern& #39; and & #39;traditional& #39;, Great Britain
is where you should be heading.
Arrangements for the Christmas feast is done until the meal is ready to be
consumed. The table is usually decorated with fruits, flowers and candles. The
Christmas pudding must contain thirteen ingredients, of which, one is for Jesus
and the rest for the twelve disciples. A silver coin is dropped in the pudding
mix which is meant to bring prosperity and good luck to the family. Turkey,
served with cranberry sauce, roast vegetables and potatoes are the centre of
attraction of the entire feast. The Christmas pudding must have a holly placed
on top of it.

After a heavy meal, all members of the family watch the customary Christmas
special speech by the British Monarch. In the evening, people pay visits to
their relatives around Britain. Certain churches have services in which every
child is given a candle wrapped in a red ribbon which symbolizes the blood of
Jesus.
The brightly shining Christmas trees on the eve of Christmas make for a great
view. The decorating of the tree is usually a family occasion, with everyone
helping. They are decorated with candies, cookies and bulbs and are taken
down only twelve days after Christmas. The tradition of Christmas trees can be
traced down to Prince Albert who brought this tradition all the way from
Germany.
Most villages, towns and cities are decorated with Christmas lights over
Christmas. Often a famous person switches them on. The most famous
Christmas lights in the UK are in Oxford Street in London. Every year they get

bigger and better. Thousands of people go to watch the big switch on around
the beginning of November.

There are some customs that only take place, or were started, in the UK.
Wassailing is an old Anglo-Saxon custom that does not take place much
today. Boxing Day is a very old custom that started in the UK and is now taken
as a holiday in many countries around the world.

vocabulary:
commencement – začátek
essence – podstata, základ
to head – mířit
disciple – učedník
prosperity – blahobyt
ribbon – stužka
bulb – žárovka
trace down – vystopovat
switch on – rozsvítit

The United States has such a diversity of cultures and traditions, it is quite difficult to
say what is uniquely American. Many of the Christmas holiday activities vary from
family to family and often depend on the cultural heritage of the family members.
Notwithstanding the variety of cultures and nationalities, there is an ideal Christmas
tradition which seems to be accepted by many is that Christmas Eve in USA, which is
observed on December 24 th , is a family time with a great deal of travel happening
over the holidays.
The Christmas tree plays an important part in the holiday tradition. It is beautified
with colored lights, tinsels, bright ornaments and angels. Often it is topped by a star
to represent the Star of Bethlehem, or by an angel which announces the birth of
Christ. The tree is often placed so that it can be viewed by passers-by in the street.
Decorations are also part of the tradition. Many families decorate outside of their
houses. Different forms of lighting are often used on the houses and in the yards
during the holidays. There are snowmen, Santas, sleigh, snowflakes, reindeer, and
other lighted displays in many neighborhoods. Others outline the features of their
houses in lights. Moreover, towns and cities often decorate the streets with lights to
celebrate Christmas. Perhaps the most famous Christmas street lights in the USA are
at the Rockefeller Center in New York, where there is a huge tree with a public ice
skating rink in front of it over Christmas and the New Year.

A lot of food is often prepared and eaten during this time which is a time of an
extended open house with friends dropping by to bring gifts or just to wish everyone
a happy holiday. At this time, it is appropriate to offer these guests food and
beverage, so many homes have a variety of treats prepared in advance for these
occasions. Although many families serve a variety of menus for Christmas dinner, the

usual dinner includes turkey, dressing, potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, vegetables, a
salad and some sort of dessert.

Many families feel that it is important to go to church on Christmas. There are also a
variety of associated activities such as church dinners, live Nativity scenes, choir
concerts, special church services, and support the spirit of giving to those less
fortunate.
Special Christmas songs, or carols, are sung and heard throughout the holiday
season. Carolers from community groups or churches may go from door to door
through neighborhoods singing Christmas carols. There are different types of carols:
old traditional songs such as “Good King Wenceslaus” and “Deck the Halls;” there are
religious songs like “Joy to the World” and “O Little Town of Bethlehem;” and modern
American songs like “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” Christmas carols, both religious and
secular, capture the spirit and excitement of the season.

vocabulary:
notwithstanding – navzdory
beautified – zdobený
tinsel – vánoční řetěz
passers-by – kolemjdoucí
skating rink – kluziště
drop by – zaskočit
gravy – šťáva z masa
Nativity scene – jesličky, betlém
carol - koleda
capture – vystihnout

Language tip: If you need to strengthen or emphasise an adjective using an adverb, always remember, that "strong" goes with "strong and weak goes with weak" - meaning that a strong adjective requires a strong adverb in order to be properly emphasised...
E.g.:
- expressions such as "very fantastic", or "quite terrifying" do not sound right, compared to "absolutely fantastic" or "totally terrifying"
- expressions such as "extremely happy" or "devastatingly sad" sound odd, compared to "very happy" or "rather sad".

"Bob’s your uncle" - probably one of the strangest and catchiest British phrases.
(Meaning: There you go. / There you have it. / And there we are.)
E.g.: "You want to go to the city centre? Go across the bridge and take the first left after that - and Bob’s your uncle - you're there!"

9. Being Too Stubborn
Be careful not to insist that it is your way or the highway. In this day and age, teamwork is
key, and any employee who insists that they are the only one who knows what is best will
lose the respect of their coworkers and superiors.

vocabulary:
stifle – potlačit
tardiness – nedochvilnost
sloppy – nedbalý, odbitý
get wasted – hodně se opít
narrow-minded – úzkoprsý, omezený
bossy – rozkazovačný
midriff – bříško
be bound to – muset
insist – trvat

8. Taking Criticism Personally
You are bound to make mistakes at work, but you cannot let them affect you in an
unreasonable way. Workplace criticism or feedback is meant for one reason only — to
improve workplace performance. If you take it personally or get defensive or emotional, you
are not acting professionally.

vocabulary:
stifle – potlačit
tardiness – nedochvilnost
sloppy – nedbalý, odbitý
get wasted – hodně se opít
narrow-minded – úzkoprsý, omezený
bossy – rozkazovačný
midriff – bříško
be bound to – muset
insist – trvat

7. Wearing Inappropriate Clothing
It is important to dress the part, even if that does not require wearing a suit and heels daily.
Appropriate is different for different workplaces, but appropriate is key. Save the shorts and
midriff bearing t-shirts for vacation days.

vocabulary:
stifle – potlačit
tardiness – nedochvilnost
sloppy – nedbalý, odbitý
get wasted – hodně se opít
narrow-minded – úzkoprsý, omezený
bossy – rozkazovačný
midriff – bříško
be bound to – muset
insist – trvat

6. Being Bossy To People You Do Not Manage
Being bossy in not professional even if you are the boss. No one likes being bossed around
by anyone else. Professionals will treat others with respect and dignity even in times of
stress.

vocabulary:
stifle – potlačit
tardiness – nedochvilnost
sloppy – nedbalý, odbitý
get wasted – hodně se opít
narrow-minded – úzkoprsý, omezený
bossy – rozkazovačný
midriff – bříško
be bound to – muset
insist – trvat

5. Being Overly Opinionated
We all have opinions, but there are those who feel the need to tell as many people as
possible their opinion on as many subjects as possible. People like this are viewed as
narrow-minded and difficult to be around. Professionals know when to express an opinion
and when to abstain.

vocabulary:
stifle – potlačit
tardiness – nedochvilnost
sloppy – nedbalý, odbitý
get wasted – hodně se opít
narrow-minded – úzkoprsý, omezený
bossy – rozkazovačný
midriff – bříško
be bound to – muset
insist – trvat

4. Regularly Getting Too Drunk At Happy Hours
You should be able to enjoy spending time with your coworkers — and we have all made a
mistake or two when it comes to going overboard with the booze — but you do not want to
make getting wasted a regular occurrence. Even if you and your coworkers become close
friends, it is important to maintain a level of professionalism and trustworthiness, as you see
each other daily.

vocabulary:
stifle – potlačit
tardiness – nedochvilnost
sloppy – nedbalý, odbitý
get wasted – hodně se opít
narrow-minded – úzkoprsý, omezený
bossy – rozkazovačný
midriff – bříško
be bound to – muset
insist – trvat

3. Gossiping
It is one thing to talk about your weekend, but it is another to consistently speak about your
coworkers& #39; business or talk about them in a negative way. As a result, your coworkers will
not trust you or want to befriend you.

vocabulary:
stifle – potlačit
tardiness – nedochvilnost
sloppy – nedbalý, odbitý
get wasted – hodně se opít
narrow-minded – úzkoprsý, omezený
bossy – rozkazovačný
midriff – bříško
be bound to – muset
insist – trvat

2. Writing Sloppy Emails
Some of us get bombarded with emails daily, so it is hard to keep up. But using poor
grammar or writing an unclear email can seem unprofessional as it makes you seem like
you do not care or do not pay enough attention to detail.

vocabulary:
stifle – potlačit
tardiness – nedochvilnost
sloppy – nedbalý, odbitý
get wasted – hodně se opít
narrow-minded – úzkoprsý, omezený
bossy – rozkazovačný
midriff – bříško
be bound to – muset
insist – trvat