English for children tasks for the new year. Travel game for elementary school on the theme: New Year in English

04.02.2021

Olga shared an excellent find, and since it is December, it is especially important that it is New Year's Eve.

It is widely believed among parents that the days immediately before and after the holidays are not the best time to study a foreign language. These days, many free their children from any clashes with English in order to plunge headlong into the holiday fuss.

Meanwhile, practice shows that this opinion is erroneous. And today I will try to convince you that it can just become that very “magic pendel” that can awaken your child’s dormant motivation to learn English.

Let's put aside all the textbooks, audio and video recordings and workbooks - and take a look around. Which of the real, not book, characters speaks English? Of course, Santa! And if your child knows not one, but two whole languages (even if he knows only a few words from the second), he has every right to receive two gifts on the New Year: from and. You agree with me?

True, in the case of Santa Claus, there is one tiny "but": he does not understand a word of Russian. So if your child wants to write him a letter, he will have to do it in English - but you will help him, right? Here you have spelling training, and eyes burning with impatience - two, as it seemed before, absolutely incompatible things.

By the way, if you don’t know where Santa lives, I will secretly share the address with you - after all, you will have to indicate it on the envelope:

santa claus
1 Reindeer Lane
North Pole

It was from this address that my daughter received a letter last year:

Do you know what Santa texted her? He suggested that Dasha make it with his own hands, in which elves can bring tasks daily. We settled on the option of cardboard cubes, which the daughter signed herself, along the way, sorting out the differences between even and odd numbers, and also significantly moving forward in the score:

Santa kept his word: assignments really came every day throughout December. And all of them, of course, were in English. And now, a year later, I can say with confidence: believe me, if Santa asks your child to learn, dance to or draw a picture using the colors named in the letter (blue, red, yellow, brown, green, purple etc.), your child you don't have to ask twice.

Here is our last year's list of tasks from Santa - I will be glad if it is useful to you:

Tasks for the advent calendar

It is very cold outside. You are lucky to have a home and some food to eat. Go out and share some bread with birds.
Why not make paper snowflakes and decorate the windows today? Your home wants to look beautiful!
Your home looks beautiful and festive. It's time to think about trees growing outside. Pour some colored water and put some pieces of thread into an ice cube tray and put it into the freezer. When the water freezes, go out and decorate a tree with your ice toys.
Make a paper chain for the tree.
Decorate every door in your house.
Make a birdhouse and feed birds.
What do snowmen eat for breakfast? (Answer: Snowflakes) Do you know any other riddles?
Write your letter to me. Yours sincerely, Santa.
Learn a New Year poem by heart.
Go out in the dark tonight. Look at the lights and take some pictures.
Make a gift for your friend.
Write a New Year story together - have each person add a line.
Describe what you love best about each family member.
Bring home some snow and stand in it barefoot.
Take out some colored water in a bottle and paint a picture in the snow with its help.
Make a New Year drawing - use glitter to make the snow glisten and the stars twinkle.
Put on a play. Act out your favorite New Year story.
Draw a house on the kitchen window with toothpaste.
Make a paper tree to decorate the fridge.
Color the page I've sent you. You'll find it according to the plan I attach.
Create homemade cards to give to friends and family.
Go out with your camera and take some pictures of snow, trees and the sky.
Read a story about New Year.
Watch a New Year cartoon.
Make some paper crackers.
Draw or print a picture. Ask your mother to make some holes all along its outline. Switch off the light and shine a torch from behind your picture. What can you see?
It's time to be generous. Make an ornament - then give it away as a present.
It is a family game night.
Let's have some fun today! Why not dance and sing to Christmas music?
Bake New Year cookies.
Well done, my dear friend! You've coped with all my tasks. Now it's time to celebrate. After midnight look for the present I'm going to send you in your Christmas stocking. Happy New Year!

This year, my daughter herself sat down to write letters to both Santa Claus and Santa. And she no longer needs tasks - she herself knows what she can do in preparation for the New Year. But she really looks forward to answers from both and, of course, ordered gifts.

By the way, gifts from them also come in different ways: Santa Claus usually puts his surprise under the Christmas tree, and Santa - this funny and wonderful grandfather - out of habit puts his surprise in a sock hanging on the wall or a boot sewn specifically for this purpose:

I wonder if you are among those mothers who use the preparation for the New Year and other holidays to stimulate your child's interest in learning English and the culture of English-speaking countries?

Journey game for students primary school in English

Description: game notes can be used by English teachers to conduct extracurricular activities with primary school children. Students of the same class are divided into teams and go through the classes using the route sheet, performing different tasks.
Target: development of children's creative abilities and English language skills
Tasks:
1. Develop teamwork skills.
2. Give children the opportunity to show their skills
Organization of the game:
Several teams take part in the game, 3-4 people per team. Each team must go through a certain path, which is indicated on their sheet. In this way, children travel around the school and get to various places where they receive special missions. For completing tasks, children receive medals. Each medal indicates how many points they received. (Medals can be made in different colors. For example, orange for 5 points, yellow for 4 and gray for 3). The team that scores the most points wins.
Equipment:
Route sheets for all teams with station names, sheets with fillords for each team, disposable plates and cups, plastic bottles, tinsel, rain, glue, scissors, adhesive tape, colored paper, felt-tip pens, drawing paper sheets.

Game progress:
Greetings to all team members at our New Year's event. New Year is a holiday that adults and children love not only in Russia, but also in other countries. Today you will see what tasks the guys in England and America do to get the New Year's prize. At the end of your trip, you will return back, and together we will discuss what you liked and remember, as well as find out which of the teams was the most friendly and active.
You can come up with the names of your teams and write them on the sheets that we will distribute to you. Do not lose these sheets, they indicate where you need to go.
After all the teams write their names, they set off on a signal.

Test 1. Quiz
In this test, team members will need to correctly answer 5 questions. All questions have 4 possible answers. In this task, participants are tested on the knowledge of the culture of the country of the language being studied. A point is given for each correct answer.

Questions:
1. In Russia, the holiday, which is celebrated from December 31 to January 1, is called the New Year, but what is it called in England?
a) Silly dog b) Christmas tree c) New Year d) Fireworks
2. On New Year's Eve Santa Claus comes to children in Russia and gives gifts, but who gives gifts to children in England?
a) Snow Maiden b) Santa Claus c) Snowman d) Grandmother Frost
3. You take a word that does not apply to the New Year
a) Snow b) Presents c) Cat d) Christmas tree
4. What do you need to say in English to wish you a Happy New Year?
a) Happy New Year b) Good New Year c) Lucky New Year d) Better New Year
5. Choose the color of the New Year symbol
a) Black b) Purple c) Blue d) Green

Correct answers: 1.c 2.b 3.c 4.a 5.d

Test 2. New Year's web.
In this challenge, teams need to find the most words hidden in the fillword. Each word is worth 0.5 points. To make it easier for the participants, a list of words to find is given to them at the beginning of the test. You have 10 minutes to complete the task.
Words: Santa, Present, Snow, Tree, Toys, Decoration, Cake, Deer, Magic, Cold

F c o l d n o
d l f p e d b
o r t r e e o
t y o e r c m
r l y s n o w
f k s e u r p
v c r n y a o
s a n t a t t
a k m a g i c
x e d q v o f
v n b e x n d

Test 3."Dress up the Christmas tree."
Participants are given words in different languages. Their task is to choose only words in English and hang them on the Christmas tree.

Test 4. DIY or DIY postcard.
Team members are given a sheet of drawing paper, colored paper, glue, scissors, felt-tip pens, paints, sparkles, etc. Their task is to make a postcard, the faster they make it, the more points they get. If the card turns out to be very beautiful, then the test leader can award an additional point.

Test 5. Christmas mosaic.
In this test, participants in 5 minutes will need to collect sentences cut into pieces in advance (to make the task easier, you can specially cut the whole sentence not into words, but simply into different pieces, which then easily fit together). Participants are given 1 point for each suggestion.
Offers:
1. Santa Claus gives gifts
2. Children like New Year very much
3. People eat tasty food and sweets
4. Kids like playing snowballs
5. Some people make a snowman

When each team has passed all the tests, it returns to its original place and turns in its sheets, after which the jury calculates the points and announces the winner. While the jury is signing the diplomas, the presenter asks the participants about their impressions.

Download Travel game for elementary school on the theme: New Year (in English)

Cheer everybody up(cheer) and bring in(bring in) a genuine(real) New Year spirit(spirit, mood) to your party!

How?! As easy as pie(very easy) - by playing games!

Have you planned your New Year menu? Of course, you will spend lots of time carefully thinking over(think over) and cooking the tastiest(the most delicious) dishes for you family and guests(guests)! And how about entertainment(entertainment)?? Oh, just relax and think of the menu, as we have done everything for you!

Here is a short but very useful list of the most exciting(fun) games to play with your relatives(relatives) and guests. Hope you will like them:

Guessing the resolutions (guess the author of New Year's resolutions):
Make each of your guests(let every guest) write down 5 resolutions * , each on a slip of paper(a piece of paper). pull(pull out) one slip of paper out of a basket(from cart) and read it out loud(aloud). Everyone has to guess(guess) who made each resolution. At the end of the readings, the person who guessed the most correctly wins a prize(wins a prize). Read some wrong resolutions out loud for fun(for laughter)!

* New Year resolutions- promises that a person makes to himself on New Year's Eve (to build a house, quit smoking, etc.).
New Year's Eve Scramble (New Year's "decoder"):
Write a bunch of(set, more: bundle, bunch) different words on a piece of paper that have to do with(be related to something) New Year's Eve, then cut and scramble(shuffle) the letters. The person who guesses(guess) the most words correctly wins a prize.
Celebrity hunt (hunt for a celebrity):
Everyone writes the name of a famous person, character(character) or an animal on a piece of paper, which they stick to the forehead(glue on the forehead) of the player on their left(left). use tape(adhesive tape) or office post-it notes(sticky notes). Make sure(make sure) they don "t see the word. Now the game starts. Everyone else can see your forehead. The objective(target) is to work out(learn, understand) who you are. Each payer takes a turn to ask questions(taking turns asking questions) about who they are - answers can be YES or NO only, like "Am I alive?" or "Am I a female?" etc. If you get a YES you may continue asking, if you get a NO play moves on to the left(the turn passes to the player from the left). Last person to guess(last player to guess) their name is the loser(loser). Simple, but very absorbing(fascinating, absorbing attention).
Winking Murder ("killer" wink):
All except(all but) the detective sit in a circle while the detective waits outside(outside, that is, out of the room). One person from the circle is elected(choose) to be the murderer(killer) * , and then the Detective comes back and stands in the circle. When he is ready, the Murderer winks at(wink at someone) people in the circle. Anyone who the murderer has winked at lets out a blood-curdling scream(lets out a heart-rending scream) and dies. The Detective has three attempts(attempts) to guess the murderer.

* One of the participants is assigned as the killer.
Guess the Word (guess the word):
Write down 100 words on cards like stare(goggle), grin(grin, grin), wink, giggle(giggle), laugh, plate, shoelace(lace), thread(thread) or any word you like.

Stack(stack) the cards and put them in the center of the room. Divide(split) the players into 2 teams(command) and seat them opposite(opposite) each other. Set the timer(set timer) or stop watch(stopwatch) for one minute. Ask the first player from Team One draw a card(draw card) from the pile(stack) and give clues(Clue, hint) to the word to his / her teammates(team players) before the timer ends the play.

So, if the word is "laugh", the team member might say, "What do you do if someone tells you a joke?" Players from Team One try to guess the word; if they are successful(successful) before the time is up(time is over) * , they get a point(earn a point). If the timer runs out(expire, about time) and the word is not guessed, the other team gets a point. Take turns(take turns) until there are no cards left, and then add up(sum) points to see who wins.

* If they manage to guess the word before the time runs out.
Fun photos (funny photos):
Take the picture of(take pictures) each of you guests(guests) with the digital camera. have them make a funny face(make a funny face) and be sure to tell them(be sure to say) there is a prize for the best face. After you have taken all the pictures, download(upload) them to your computer or laptop and ask everyone to gather(gather) around the monitor. The winner will be judged(judge) on the greatest laughter ([ˈlɑːftə] laugh) * .

* The person with the funniest photo wins.
New years win, lose or draw (draw or lose):
This game is one of the active games played at the time of New Year. More than 6 players can play this game. Large drawing pads(notebook), pens and list(list) of important events are required(required). Go through magazines(flip through magazines) and newspapers to pick out(to choose) events(events) from past years. Use the headlines(article title) as " titles"* (title) to Win, Lose or Draw. For tons of fun** , let your guests team up in two's(break into pairs) show them the title they need to draw. When the 2 players are drawing, others are trying to guess. If someone mentioned(mention) a word that was part of the answer, the players at the drawing pad can write it to simplify the task(make things easier).

* So, according to the rules of this game, the competitive task is called.
** Tons of smth.- literally "tons of something", colloquially. meaning a lot e.g. tons of money- A lot of money, tons of time- a lot of time.
Cookie Decorating Competition (competition for the best New Year's cookies):
If you are not good at guessing words or murdering with a wink:-) chase your losses(win back) by organizing a cookie decorating competition. Bake(bake) and decorate(decorate) New Year cookies to your taste(to your taste). apply(apply) your imagination(fantasy) and be creative.

You can get recipes ([ˈresɪpɪ] recipe) for icing and dough ([dəʊ] dough) from here, for example:

Sing in Chorus:
To crown it all(to top it off) suggest(suggest) that your guests learn and sing together with you one of the best-known and most cheerful(cheerful) winter songs in the world.

as you sing, take the pleasure(have fun) of watching the original Jingle Bells animation clip:

Jingle Bells	Ring the bells
Dashing through the snow In a one-horse open sleigh Through the fields we go Laughing all the way. Bells on bob-tail ring Making spirits bright What fun it is to ride and sing A sleighing song tonight.	Rushing through the snow On an open sleigh drawn by a horse, We drive through the fields Laughing all the way. Sleigh bells are ringing Lifting our spirits How fun it is to ride and sing Sleigh song.
Chorus: Jingle bells, jingle bells Jingle all the way Oh what fun it is to ride In a one-horse open sleigh, O Jingle bells, jingle bells Jingle all the way Oh what fun it is to ride In a one-horse open sleigh.	Chorus: Ring the bells Call all the way! Oh what a great ride On an open sleigh pulled by a horse, hey Ring the bells Call all the way! Oh what a great ride On an open sleigh pulled by a horse.
A day or two ago I thought I "d take a ride And soon Miss Fanny Bright was seated by my side; The horse was lean and lank misfortune seemed his lot, We ran into a drifted bank And there we got upset.	A day or two ago I thought about taking a ride And soon Miss Fanny Bright, She sat next to me. The horse was thin and skinny It seemed that misfortune was her destiny. She got stuck in a snowdrift, And we capsized.
Chorus	Chorus
A day or two ago The story I must tell I went out on the snow And on my back I fell; A gent was riding by In a one-horse open sleigh He laughed at me as I there sprawling laid But quickly drove away.	A day or two ago The story I have to tell I went out into the snow And fell on his back. A gentleman passed by In an open sleigh pulled by a horse, He laughed at me, at As I sprawled on the ground But then he quickly left.
Chorus	Chorus
Now the ground is white Go it while you're young, Take the girls along And sing this sleighing song. Just bet a bob-tailed bay two-forty as his speed, Hitch him to an open sleigh and crack! You'll take the lead.	Now the earth is white Go while you are young Take the girls with you And sing a sled song. Take a swift bay, with a trimmed tail, Harness her to an open sleigh and crack the whip! You will become a leader.
Chorus	Chorus

In the video below teaching staff(teaching staff) is congratulating you on New Year 2013 and sining: “We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year”. :-)

That's a joke, of course, though be sure that at the moment we are all trying to sing along with(sing along to someone) the chorus ([ˈkɔːrəs] chorus). Don't miss the chance to join us!(Join!)

We wish you a merry Christmas	We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas We wish you a merry Christmas And a happy New Year!	And Happy New Year!
Chorus: Glad tidings we bring To you and your kin; Glad tidings for Christmas And a happy New Year!	Chorus: Good news we bring To you and your family! Good news on Christmas and Happy New Year!
We want some figgy pudding We want some figgy pudding We want some figgy pudding Please bring it right here!	We want fig pudding We want fig pudding We want fig pudding Give us some right now!
Chorus	Chorus
For we all like figgy pudding for we all like figgy pudding, For we all like figgy pudding: so bring some out here!	Cause we all love fig pudding Cause we all love fig pudding Bring some pudding here!
Chorus	Chorus
We won't go until we get some, We won't go until we get some, So bring it out here!	We won't leave until we get some We won't leave until we get some So give it to us!
Chorus	Chorus
We wish you a Merry Christmas We wish you a Merry Christmas We wish you a Merry Christmas And a happy New Year.	We wish you a Merry Christmas! We wish you a Merry Christmas! We wish you a Merry Christmas And Happy New Year!

The test for the most persistent students!

Choose one correct answer in every sentence.

Teach children to answer the full answer to the question;

Enrich children's vocabulary;

Develop phonemic hearing, worldview, attention, memory, creative imagination, logical thinking and Creative skills;

· Strengthen children's knowledge of Christmas traditions in England;

· Raise interest in the culture of another country.

Download:

Preview:

Municipal Preschool educational institution kindergarten of the combined type No. 228 of the Kirovsky district of Volgograd

The theme is "New Year trip with Santa Claus".

English class for children 5-6 years old

Compiled by:

senior caregiver

first qualification category

Razgonova Lilia Alexandrovna

Volgograd 2014

Target:

Teach children to answer the full answer to the question;
Enrich children's vocabulary;
Develop phonemic hearing, worldview, attention, memory, creative imagination, logical thinking and creativity;
To consolidate children's knowledge of Christmas traditions in England;
Raise interest in the culture of another country.

Equipment:

Easels, animal masks, pictures of rhyming words, a letter with text, symbols for glasses, gifts for promotion.

Preliminary work:

Acquaintance with the traditions and customs of the country of the language being studied, familiarity with traditional English games, learning rhymes, poems and songs in English, dramatization of fairy tales and games in English.

Move.

The music is "We wish you a Merry Christmas"

Children enter the hall to the music and stand around the teacher, who greets them with the following words:

Leading:

Hello boys and girls.

Children:

Hello Lilia Alexandrovna!

Leading:

Guys, let's greet our guests in English.

The poem "Good evening".

Children:

Good evening, good evening.
good evening to you!
good evening, good evening,
I'm glad to see you!

Leading:

Children, look how smart the hall is today, and what holiday will we celebrate with you?

Children:

New Year's and Christmas!

Leading:

Today we have an unusual activity. Today we are celebrating a holiday called Christmas! The fact is that in England Christmas is celebrated on December 25th. On this day, most families go to church, and after it they gather at the festive table. So today we will meet our English Christmas holiday, or as the English call it Christmas. Guys sit down. Timosha, read a poem!

1. Child

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Leading:

Guys, look at the screen. I think I hear something!

Video about Santa Claus.

Leading:

And now, dear parents, our children would like to greet you with the song “I say hello!” Let's remember the song - a greeting for our guests and for you and me.

Song

"I say hello!"

Say hello hello!

Clap your hands - clap, clap, clap.

Touch your knees - tap, tap, tap.

Shake your hands - shake, shake, shake.

Stamp your feet - stamp, stamp, stamp.

Say hello - Hello! Say hello - Hello!

Say hello - Hello! Say hello hello!

Leading:

Well done guys, let's applaud each other!

Children, who came to our holiday today? Let's remember and call it in English (mother, father, sister, brother, grandmother, grandfather).

Guys, and now I invite you to sing the song The words of the song "Family".

Father fmger, father fmger, where are you?

Here I am, here I am. How do you do.

Mother fmger, mother fmger, where are you?

Brother fmger, brother fmger, where are you?

Here I am, here 1 am. How do you do.

Sister fmger, sister fmger, where are you?

Here I am, here 1 am. How do you do.

Baby fmger, baby fmger, where are you?

Here I am, here 1 am. How do you do.

Presenter: (turn on the sounds of snow and blizzards).

close your eyes! 1,2,3 - open your eyes! Guys, you don't see anything and don't
do you hear? Someone is rushing towards us.

The Snowman is coming!

Leading:

Guys, who came to us?

Snowman! How would that be in English? Children:

And snowman!

Leading:

Let's say hello to him!

Hello!

Snowman:

Hello!

Leading:

How are you?
Snowman (reads a poem).

"I am a snowman"!

I "m a little snowman, short and fat

Here is my broomstick, here is my hat.

Leading:

I am o.k. Guys, let's play the game "Snowman" with you, together with
snowman!

Snowman game. (to the tune of "There was a good beetle in the world").

Once there was a snowman, snowman,

snowman.

Once there was a snowman tall,

tall, tall.

In the sun he melted, melted, melted.

In the sun he melted small, small, small.

Leading:

And now we will play the game "Hot ball".

I will pass the ball and ask you, and you must quickly answer my questions:

What is your name?

My name is Masha! (Children).

Nice to meet you! (Snowman).

Who are you?

I "m a boy (girl)!

What is your name?

How old are you?

Presenter: Snowman, a we guys love to play and dance. And we know very fun game I have..."

Snowman, and the guys and I love to play and dance. And we know a very funny game "I have ...".

While playing music, you run as soon as the music to stop, you must also stop and take a picture!

While we play music, you run, as soon as the music stops, you must also stop and take a picture!

Children take pictures to the melody and answer what they have in English.

The facilitator asks the question: Who do you have? You can complicate the question (name another animal).

(The game is played with children of 1 and 2 years of study).

Presenter: The children sit on chairs. Our girls will read us a poem.

Reading verses:

New Year

And Happy New Year!

The day is so clear

The snow is so white

The sky is so bright.

santa claus

Come to our house!

New Year is near.

Come quickly here!

New Year Day

New Year Day, happy day!

We are glad and very gay.

We all dance and sing and say:

"Welcome! Welcome! New Year's Day!"

Presenter: well done girls. Guys, we didn't sing a song about Santa Claus. Make a circle!

The song "S.a.n.t.a."

Red hat, white beard.

Twinkle in his eyes.

S.a.n.t.a is his name - O!

Presenter: Boys, Girls, listen, I hear something. Boys and girls, listen, I hear something. Who do you think it is?(Santa is speaking.)Ouch. It seems to me that he is very close, but let's go out and see where he is?(We leave the hall at this time gifts are placed under the Christmas tree).

Presenter: Oh, parents, have you seen Santa Claus? Parents (Saw! He rode on a sleigh, very fast)! And left you a video letter! Let's take a look at it!Video from Santa Claus. (Children sit on chairs).Oh, guys, and Santa left us a bag and it is with gifts!(Presenting gifts).

learn English words on the topic "New Year" and read the text about how the New Year is celebrated in different countries.

New Year Vocabulary. English words on the topic "New Year"

Happy New Year - Happy New Year!
on New Year's Day (Eve) - New Year's Eve
New Year's tree - Christmas tree
Christmas tree - Christmas tree
in the morning - in the morning
late at night - late at night
when the clock strikes 12 - when the clock strikes 12
New Year's Party - New Year's party
Snow Maiden - Snow Maiden
Jack Frost - Santa Claus
Father Christmas - Santa Claus (who comes at Christmas)
to see (welcome) New Year in - celebrate the New Year
to look forward to New Year - look forward to the New Year
colored lights - flashlights
glass balls, toys - balls, New Year's toys
a tinsel - garland
to hang up - hang up
to be hung with - hung with
a candle - a candle
to light (lit) - light
to decorate with - decorate
special decorations - special decorations
to celebrate (all over the country) - celebrate all over the country
to congratulate - congratulate
to wish each other - wish each other
a wish - desire
to make a wish - make a wish
to come true - come true
to tell fortune - predict fate
to explode crackers - clap crackers
to make fireworks - make fireworks
to send greeting cards - send greeting cards
a holiday meal - festive dinner
a treat - a treat
merry - cheerful
midnight - midnight
a guest
to invite - invite
to visit smb; to go to see - go to visit
popular - popular
popular gifts - regular gifts (a box of chocolate, flowers, books, records, a photo album, A CD, computer games, perfume)
hand-made gifts - homemade gifts
to prepare - prepare (s)
to put up - put, install
to put up a New Year Tree - put up a Christmas tree
to represent - represent, symbolize
to listen to the speech of the president - listen to the president's speech
relative - relative
to stay up late - stay up late

These English Words (New Year Vocabulary) will help you talk about how you are going to celebrate the New Year. And here is a short text in English about the New Year.

Text "New Year Celebrations"

Every country has its national holidays, but there are also holidays that are common for many countries. New Year's Day is the first holiday of each New Year. In Russia it is the most popular holiday, but in the West people pay more attention to Christmas.

New Year is always connected with our new hopes and dreams. Everyone hopes that next new year will be better than the last one. As usual people make New Year Resolutions, they promise to start doing morning exercises, to eat healthier food. Unfortunately people don't always keep them.

The celebration of this holiday begins on New Year's Eve, that is, on the 31st of December. At home people stay up until midnight and much later. They light colored lamps on New Year Tree and have late dinner with champagne. Sometimes they just watch TV or go out for a late walk. Everybody gets presents.

In Scotland New Year's Eve is called Hogmanay. Also the Scottish have the custom of First-Footing.

Most differences in celebrating New Year are connected with a meal or special food. For example, in Switzerland special bread, rich in butter, eggs and raisin is baked and a roasted goose is cooked. In Spain there is a custom to eat 12 grapes at midnight. In Greece some people play cards believing that they will be lucky the whole year if they win. In Russia the traditional dish for the holiday is “Russian salad” (olivier).