Winter Festivals

WINTER FESTIVALS
AUDIO
Season of Light. 'Winter has a cold heart,' said the writer, Christina Rosetti.
But is it a sad season? Not at all. For thousands of years, winter festivals
have brought light and colour to the darkest time of year.
season of light: tiempo de luz, estacin de la luz; not at all: en absoluto; have
brought: han trado; the darkest time: la temporada ms oscura;
The earliest festival lights were candles. Romans tied them to trees for
theirSaturnalia festival. During Saturnalia week 17 to 24 December
people gave each other gifts. And they couldn't work or fight wars. The
Celts also used candles for their Imbolic festival, on 2 February. Imbolic was
a celebration of light returning after winter. On festival day, candles were
put in the windows of the family home. Outside, the men lit fires. The
women were braver. They wore a crown of candles on their heads.
the earliest: las primeras; candles: velas; tied them: las ataban; gave each
other:se entregaban mutuamente; fight wars: hacer guerras; lit fires: encendan
hogueras;braver: ms valientes; wore: usaban; crown of candles: corona de
velas;
Some of today's festivals use this same tradition. The most famous of these
is Sweden's Lucia's Day, on 13 December. Catholics say that Lucia was a
young Roman girl. While she lived, her people were attacking Christians for
their religion. Lucia felt sorry for the Christians and wanted to help. When
night came, she wore a crown of candles. The Christians followed her
crown of lights through tunnels under the ground and escaped. On Lucia's
Day, the eldest daughter of the family wears a long white dress, a red sash
and a crown of candles. She walks through the house and gives food and
drink to other people in the family. Male children walk behind her. They
carry silver stars and sing St. Lucia's song.
this same: esta misma; while: mientras; felt sorry for: se senta apenada
por; she wore: ella se coloc; through tunnels: a travs de tneles; under the
ground:subterrneos; the eldest daughter: la hija mayor; wears: viste,
luce; sash: faja;male children: los nios varones; behind her: detrs de
ella; silver stars: estrellas plateadas;
In the east, India's Diwali festival is also a celebration of light and

colour.Diwali means 'night of lights' and celebrates the Hindu New Year. The
festival lasts for five days. Indians fill their houses with candles, lamps and
bright flowers. And they wish for happiness in the next year.
lasts for: dura, se extiende durante; bright flowers: flores de color brillante;
Candles are also important in the Jewish festival of Chanukah. It begins on

22 December and lasts for eight days. Every evening another candle is lit on
the menorah (a traditional candle-stick). People give each other money and
give children small gifts.
Jewish festival: festividad juda; is lit: se enciende; candle-stick: candelabro
sagrado (de 9 brazos); give each other: se entregan, se obsequian;
In western homes, decorating the Christmas tree is an old tradition. In the

past people decorated trees with candles. But today people decorate their
trees with yellow stars and balls of red, silver and gold.
western homes: los hogares occidentales; balls: esferas;
Most churches also prefer candlelight for their Christmas festivals.

England's festival of 'Nine Lessons and Carols' from King's College,
Cambridge, is a world-famous example. The festival starts at midnight on 24
December. Boys with candles walk slowly to the front of the church as they
sing the first carol.
most: la mayora de (las); candlelight: la luz de las
velas; carols: villancicos; world-famous example: ejemplo mundialmente
famoso; starts: arranca, comienza; at midnight: a
medianoche; slowly: lentamente; as they sing: mientras cantan;
From east to west, winter brings cold weather and long nights. But its
festivals all bring light, colour and warmth to people's homes. Everyone
celebrates and hopes for a happy new year.
all bring light: todos aportan luz; warmth: calidez; hopes for: ansa.
Y ahora demuestra tu habilidad en estos tres ejercicios.

Revisa luego las respuestas al pie del boletn.
ACTIVIDAD 1/3: Lee estos cinco comentarios y selecciona luego el festival
correcto del men.
(a) Boys with candles walk slowly to the front of the church.
(b) During this festival, people couldnt work or fight wars.
(c) A girl walks through the family house with candles on her head.
(d) It means night of lights in English.
(e) This festival celebrates light coming back after winters darkest days.
ACTIVIDAD 2/3: Selecciona el final correcto para cada oracin.

(a) Lucia was brave because ...
(b) Three things happened during the Imbolic festival. People put candles in their
windows, ...
ACTIVIDAD 3/3: Completa cada espacio en blanco con una palabra del
men.
(a) People in the west ___ the Christmas tree with coloured balls.
(b) In many festivals, people give each other gifts. It is a very old ___.
(c) During the festival, the boys sing nine ___.
(d) There are lamps, candles, and bright flowers in every house. It is a wonderful
___ of colour and light.
(e) They tied ___ to the trees.

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WINTER FESTIVALS

In the east, India's Diwali festival is also a celebration of light and

Candles are also important in the Jewish festival of Chanukah. It begins on

In western homes, decorating the Christmas tree is an old tradition. In the

Most churches also prefer candlelight for their Christmas festivals.

Y ahora demuestra tu habilidad en estos tres ejercicios.

(b) During this festival, people couldnt work or fight wars.

(d) It means night of lights in English.

ACTIVIDAD 2/3: Selecciona el final correcto para cada oracin.

(c) During the festival, the boys sing nine ___.

(e) They tied ___ to the trees.

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