Denis Nuzhdin

Christmas and New Year Vocabulary

ANGEL - a spiritual being acting as a messenger of God (usually shown as a human being with wings)

BERRY a small round fruit

CHIMNEY- a vertical pipe in a house that allows smoke and gases to escape from a fireplace (Father Christmas traditionally enters a house through its chimney)

CHRISTMAS - the annual Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ (Christmas Day is on 25 December)

CHRISTMAS CAKE - a rich fruit cake covered with white icing, eaten at Christmas

CHRISTMAS CARD - a greetings card that people send to friends and family at Christmas

CHRISTMAS CAROL - a religious song or popular hymn that people sing at Christmas

CHRISTMAS DAY - 25 December, the birthday of Jesus Christ

CHRISTMAS EVE - the evening or day before Christmas Day (24 December)

CHRISTMAS TREE - an evergreen tree (often a spruce) that people decorate with lights and ornaments at Christmas

CRACKER - a decorated paper tube that makes a sharp noise ("crack!") and releases a small toy when two people pull it apart

DECORATION - something that adds beauty; ornament

EGG-NOG - a traditional Christmas drink made of alcohol with beaten eggs and milk

FATHER CHRISTMAS - an imaginary being who brings presents for children on the night before Christmas Day (also known as Santa Claus) - traditionally an old man with a red suit and white beard

HOLLY - an evergreen plant with prickly dark green leaves and red berries

MISTLETOE - a parasitic plant with white berries, traditionally used as a Christmas decoration

NEW YEAR - the start of a year; the period just before and after 1 January

NEW YEAR'S DAY - 1 January

NEW YEAR'S Eve - 31 December

ORNAMENT - an object that adds beauty to something; a decoration

PRESENT - a thing given to somebody as a gift.

REINDEER - a deer with large antlers found in some cold climates (believed to pull the sleigh for Santa Claus or Father Christmas)

SANTA CLAUS - an imaginary being who brings presents for children on the night before Christmas Day (also known as Father Christmas) - traditionally an old man with a red suit and white beard (Santa Claus may be based in part on the historical figure of Saint Nicholas.)

SLEIGH - a sledge or light cart on runners pulled by horses or reindeer over snow and ice

SNOW -water vapour from the sky that falls as white flakes and covers the ground

STAR - a bright point in the night sky which is a large, distant incandescent body like the sun

TINSEL - a decoration consisting of thin strips of shiny metal foil, traditionally used at Christmas

TURKEY - a bird like a large chicken, traditionally eaten at Christmas

WHITE CHRISTMAS - a Christmas with snow on the ground

XMAS - abbreviation or informal term for Christmas