静岡英和女学院 中学校・高等学校

It’s almost the end of the year and I think many people are now counting down the days until Christmas.

To celebrate this special time of year, Jean and I gave a special English Day service during which we talked about the different Christmas events, food and cultures from the UK and Canada.

To start, Jean and I talked about what we eat on Christmas Day. I told everyone that some people in the UK eat something called Yorkshire Pudding with their Christmas dinner. This is made from the same ingredients as pancakes but instead of frying it, we roast it. Jean told everyone about Tourtière which is a type of pie that people in Canada eat at Christmas time. Jean explained that the pie is made from meat, potatoes and spices. Jean also told us that she makes it every year for her family in Japan.

Next, we talked about the different things we do at Christmas. Jean talked about how her family had natural Christmas trees when she was younger. She told us how many families in Canada have their own tree and that they are recycled after Christmas has ended. I told everyone about the nativity – the play about the story of the birth of Jesus and how I often played the role of Joseph in my elementary school nativity when I was younger.

Finally, Jean and I talk about the things people should do if they visit the UK or Canada over Christmas time. I encouraged everyone to go to a Carol concert and Jean suggested visiting one of Canada’s churches.

After giving the service both Jean and I noticed how similar yet different the Christmas food, events and cultures are in out country. We finished the service with the simple message that no matter how you spend Christmas, the spirit of love, peace and happiness is the most important thing to enjoying this wonderful time of year.

I hope that all of you reading this, no matter where you are and how you celebrate this time of you, have a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!