Christmas Spirit

Hello folks!

Just a few days until Christmas. Since there are not many days left to the "big day" I have decided to dedicate an entry to have a look at some vocabulary and idioms that you can find useful to spend these festivities in a more international way. Let's start from some lexical terms first:

- Merry (adj): happy, cheerful, full of joy 

- Mistletoe (n): a plant with yellowish flowers and white berries used in Christmas decorations

- Holly(n): a tree or plant with shiny leaves and red berries 

- Tinsel(n): a thin sheet or thread of glittering metal that produce a sparkling effect in decorations

- Crib(n): a child's bed with enclosed sides/a box or bin for holding food for animals 

- Christmas carol (n): Christmas songs

- Bauble(n): cheap, showy ornament, decoration

- Father Christmas(n): a popular name for Saint Claus 

- Christmas hamper(n): Large basket containing usually food given in Christmas as present 

- Reindeer(n): a large deer of northern and arctic regions of the world 

- Sleigh(n): a light vehicle usually open and generally drawn by horses used for transporting people over snow 

- Wreath(n): a circular band made of flowers or plants and used for decoration. 

- Christmas stocking(n): a red and white close-fitting covering for the foot and part of the leg made of wool or cotton and used for decoration 

So,now that you have been provided with plenty of vocabulary about this special time of the year, let's have a look at some idioms or sayings popularly used in Christmas: 

-Stocking stuffer: a small gift given at Christmas time. Mary always wait until the last minute to buy all her stocking stuffers

-Eat, drink and be merry: enjoy with good food and drink. Welcome to the company's Christmas party. Eat, drink and be merry! 

-Trim the tree: to put ornaments on a Christmas tree. There is so much to pr pare before Christmas but Jamie always comes to help me cook and trim the tree

-White Christmas: a Christmas Day with snow on the ground. It's so hot that I don't think we will have a white Christmas this year. 

-In the holiday spirit: feeling excited about Christmas. My little son is always in the holiday spirit at this time of the year 

-Don't be a Scrooge: don't be negative around the Christmas holidays spoiling others' fun (from Charles Dickens novel A Christmas Carol). Come on! Come to the party. We will have so much fun. Don't be a Scrooge!

-Secret Santa: when members of a group are assigned a person to give a present to, often by having randomly selected names beforehand. There are so many of us that we always do secret Santa for Christmas. 

-Christmas comes but once a year: it is a special day and we should be especially generous and indulgent. You could be a bit more permissive with your daughter, Christmas comes but once a year! 

-Christmas came early!: when you receive some unexpected good news or good fortune. My sister got promoted in her job unexpectedly and my son passed all his final exams, Christmas came early this year! 

-Like Turkeys voting for Christmas: choosing to accept a situation which will have very bad results for them. All the employees were like turkeys voting for Christmas, they did not really know what they were getting into! 

Well, I hope you have enjoyed them.  All for me to say is... 

Merry Christmas and don´t forget to... Eat, drink and be merry! 

Donald Trump´s latest idea!

Hello there!

I am sure you have probably heard of Donald Trump and the outrage he is causing with some of his words in the race to elect candidates for the 2016 U.S. Government elections. He is certainly a man who says what he thinks and he does seem to have a major problem refraining his thoughts. Trump´s last controversial words have taken place in a speech where he announced the necessity of imposing a ban on Muslims to enter the U.S. In his statement, he was not talking about terrorist or even suspicious individuals but rather about any Muslim, regardless of their intentions. No need to say I strongly disagree with Mr Trump´s words since not everyone can be judged by some other´s actions.  Here you have Donald Trump´s most controversial words so far:

Now, let´s have a look at some of the vocabulary or expressions he used in his infamous speech:

• Shutdown (n): a closing, a stopping of working or operating. Example: The chain of shops suffered a major shutdown when the crisis started.
• Figure out (ph v):  understand, solve. Example: The students worked hard until they figured out the solution to the problem.
• Hatred (n): the feeling of one who hates, animosity. Example: I can understand why there is so much hatred towards animal abusers. 

Did you know these expressions? What do you think of Trump´s latest brilliant idea (irony mode on)? 

Very, So and Such

Hi Folks!

Friday already! It´s such a nice feeling! It´s so nice... but can I say: "It´s so nice feeling"?  If you answered "no" to the previous question you are on the right track.So, when do we use "such" and when do we use "so"? Go on reading if you want to find a proper answer to this question.

• We use So + Adjective. Example: It´s so exciting!
• We use Such + Adjective + Noun. Examples: It´s such an exciting city! / They are such  exciting people! 
• We can also use Very + Adjective. Example: It´s very exciting! 

Have a look at the following video which deals with the difference between "So" and "Such":

But, what´s the difference between using "So" and using "Very"?

• When we use 'So', there's normally another clause after it. The 'so' part of the sentence explains why the 'that' part of the sentence takes place.  Example: "Madrid is so polluted that some driving restrictions have had to implemented ". The first part of the sentence doesn't really make any sense without the second part  unless you're replying to something another person has just said. For example: -"I went to Madrid the other day and there was so much contamination..." - "Yes. You´re right. Madrid is so polluted!"

• However "Very" can be used without another clause after it or without being a reply to someone else. We can say: "Madrid is very polluted" 
• On the whole, we use 'Very' when we don't mean that something is good or bad, just extreme. Example: The weather is very cold these days!  However, we use 'So' when we want to add some extra information afterwards or replying to someone else. Examples: The weather is so cold that I need to wear a scarf! / - Are you cold? - Yes, It is so freezing! 

Is it clearer now? I hope so. Now, I´m off.  I´m so sleepy that I need a cup of coffee to wake me up. Then, I will go for a walk since it is such nice weather! Have a very lovely weekend!