New Year’s Around the World

A fun lesson for ESL students to learn vocabulary and expressions to talk about New Year’s around the world. Watch the ESL video, use the ESL storytelling flashcards to retell the story and do the exercises below.

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Discussion Warm Up

1. What do you like about the New Year?
2. Is New Year’s Eve a fun time for you? Why?
3. Do you do anything special on New Year’s day?

ESL Video about New Year’s Around the World

Watch the YouTube video and answer the following questions.

ESL Questions about New Year’s Around the World

1. When do people have parties during New Year’s in Canada and America?
2. What do people do at these parties?
3. How long do these parties usually last?
4. What do people usually do on New Year’s Day in Canada and America?
5. Is the New Year in Japan the same as in Canada and America?  
6. In Japan, do people usually have New Year’s Eve parties?
7. Why do people in Japan eat prawns during the New Year celebration?
8. Why do people in Japan get up early on New Year’s Day?
9. How long is the New Year holiday in Japan?
10. What else do people enjoy doing during the New Year holiday in Japan?

Matching

Match the words on the left with words or expressions on the right that are closest in meaning.

Words in Context – Fill-in-the-blanks

Use the words from the vocabulary box to complete the following sentences. You may need to modify the tense or word form.

1. There is so much  __________ turkey from last night’s dinner!  We will be eating turkey sandwiches for the next week!
2. It is a ___________ in India to put your hands together in front of you and say namaste when meeting someone for the first time.
3. We have to wait until the clock ________ three o’clock exactly before we can leave school.
4. I really don’t feel like doing anything today.  I think I will just ________ at home and play video games.
5. I’m sorry I’m late. I was sleeping so deeply that I didn’t hear my alarm clock _______!
6. The 4th of July is a ___________. in America.  There are parades, parties, and lots of fun activities!
7. If we are going to finish this work by tomorrow we are going to have to ________ until three or four in the morning!
8. The city of Kyoto in Japan is famous for its many traditional __________ and temples.
9. The party is so noisy!  If you want me to hear what you are saying you are going to have to _______!
10. The boy _________ his new puppy to his chest and said “I love you!”.

Listening Practice

Fill-in-the-blanks – Watch the video and complete the sentences.

Hello again!

Today I will talk about some New Years traditions around the world.

People around the world __________ this event in various ways.  Let’s look at how people celebrate the new year in a few different countries.

In America and Canada, people have parties on New Year’s Eve, the night of December 31st. They often eat a lot of food, drink alcohol, listen and dance to music.

The party usually lasts until well after ___________.

Children and adults alike stay up until midnight to watch the ball drop in Times Square.

Every year, a large shiny ball is slowly lowered as ________ count down to midnight. When the clock strikes 12, everyone shouts “Happy New Year!” People usually kiss and hug the person next to them, chink their glasses and blow party horns.

While New Years Eve is celebrated with parties in North America, New Year’s Day is usually a time to relax. A lot of people will _______ late and just stay home all day, watching football games, and eating leftovers.

The New Year celebration is very _________ in Japan!
Like Christmas in Canada and the US, New Years is a quiet time to spend with close family. There are usually no big parties.

Japanese people eat many special dishes called osetchi ryori during this holiday. Each dish has a _________ meaning. For example, people eat prawns for a long life and sweetened black beans for health in the new year. There are many other _________ dishes also.

Once the clock strikes midnight on the 31st, the bells at temples ring 108 times to celebrate the new year.

People will _________ go to bed early and get up before the first sunrise of the new year. It is important for a lot of Japanese people to see the first ________ on New Year’s Day.

The New Year holiday is three days long in Japan. From January first to the third.  During this time people will eat a lot of new year foods, visit ________ for good luck, and of course enjoy some New Year’s shopping!

Well, I’m sure there are many things that I missed.

What do you do on to celebrate and bring in the New Year?

What are some customs that people have in other countries for New Year’s?

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Reference: WE7