Holidays and Celebration - Video for English Classroom

In most countries, the first celebration is New Year's Day. The changing year always makes us think. 

Everyone makes good resolutions: go on a diet, stop smoking, exercise more . . . But four weeks later, when the Chinese New Year hasn't even begun, the good resolutions have already been forgotten. 

If you like dressing up, you look forward to carnival time. The ones in Rio and Venice are the largest and the most famous of all. There are so many feathers on the costumes, you would think that all the birds in Brazil are bald! 

A lot of holidays have a religious origin, like Ramadan, Hanukkah or even Easter when, in some countries, chocolate eggs, bells, rabbits or chickens are given. 

A holiday without fireworks isn't a real holiday! They're used to celebrate Independence Day on July 4th in the United States. In France, on July 14th, the sky lights up to celebrate the French Revolution of 1789. 

And you can see fireworks on November 5th in England, on Guy Fawkes Night. Everybody loves fireworks, especially when the explosions make your ears ring. 

Some holidays are world-famous, like the Oktoberfest in Germany. In France, there are other lesser-known festivals that, all the same, reunite towns and villages. For example, the onion festival, the tuna festival, the sardine festival and even the garlic festival! 

Children love Halloween, a holiday of Celtic origin, that takes place on the eve of All Saints' Day. They dress up as a witch, ghost or other. 'Trick or treat!', the children shout, going from house to house, promising misfortune if you don't give them sweet things. 

Children bring back kilos of sweets and the only real misfortunes of the evening happen to those children who eat them all in one go! 

National holidays are an opportunity for the whole family to get together. Grandparents visit their children and grandchildren. Everyone sits down at the table to celebrate the reunion. Here we can see an American family celebrating Thanksgiving. 

The tradition is to thank God for having given land to the ancestors and for having provided a good harvest. The meal is every turkey's nightmare! You eat roast turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and corn bread. And don't forget the good wine! 

Christmas Day is reserved for children and the presents brought by Father Christmas. He came on his sleigh during the night and then down the chimney to leave his parcels under the tree. 

They come in all colours: red, green . . . Even if there's no chimney, Santa Claus still manages to get in. He's a contortionist, not a burglar, otherwise he'd take more things than he'd leave behind! 

In Spain, it isn't Father Christmas who delivers the presents, but the Three Wise Men. And it's on January 6th that they fill children's shoes during their sleep. 

But the most beautiful of all holidays is Valentine's Day. All those with hearts for the taking cross their fingers and hope to receive a love letter! 

Every Romeo tries to find his Juliet to take to Paris, the capital of love. And every Juliet hopes for just one thing: a marriage proposal, so that love can be celebrated each and every day! 


See other video scripts of the same level (Intermediate):
At the Weekend
Holidays and Celebration
The Weather
The Holidays Have Arrived!
Happy birthday to you
What do you have for breakfast?

Other script of different level can be found here:

Video for Listening Comprehension from Tell me More Intermediate+ Level
Video for Listening Comprehension from Tell me More Intermediate Level
Video for Listening Comprehension from Tell me More Beginner Level

Other articles related to Tell me More:
Apakah Tell me More itu?
Kemasan dan Isi Tell me More British English
Grammar Points of Tell me More British English
List of lessons and videos of Tell me More British English
Tell me More British English - List of Lessons