【明報專訊】Winter is coming silently. This means Christmas is around the corner. Let's see how Christmas is celebrated in different countries.
◆Spain – Tió de Nadal
Tió de Nadal in Catalan means ''Christmas log''. In the Catalonia (加泰隆尼亞) region of Spain, there is a tradition in which people decorate a log with a smiling face and legs. Children must take good care of the log by keeping it warm for weeks. On Christmas day, the tradition says that before beating the tió all the kids have to leave the room, asking for the tió to deliver presents.
◆Australia – A hot Christmas!
Australians celebrate Christmas in summer. They decorate their homes with colourful flowers which bloom in summer. Many Australian families hold beach parties or barbeque parties to celebrate. At beaches, Santa Claus greets children in shorts!
◆Finland – Avanto
Avanto— Finnish for ''a hole in the ice''. During Christmas when temperatures dip to as low as -37℃, Finnish people love running and jumping in the frozen lake in between sauna sessions. They believe that going ice swimming and the sauna can help them relax, both mentally and physically.
■Gear up
1. People celebrate Christmas in cold weather around the world. ( True / False )
2. What do children in Catalonia NOT do at Christmas?
A. Taking care of the Christmas log
B. Swimming in a hole in the ice
C. Asking for Christmas presents
(Answers on next text)
■Glossary
tradition (n) 傳統
bloom (v) 開花
dip (v) 下降
mentally (adv) 精神上
[Smarties' Power English 第265期]
;)
