Santa Claus is coming to town!!

Tió

In a few days we are starting our Christmas celebrations. In Catalonia we have some curious celebrations, as having to hit a log (Tió) which after a few days having been fed, gives us some presents. Or we include a small character next to Baby Jesus who is... Well, he's called the 'Caganer'.

Caganer

Today we want to recommend you a website where you will have some English Christmas Carols. Try to learn some to sing with your family.

Sants Innocents, the Spanish April's Fools

If you are in a Spanish-speaking country today and play a joke on your friends and follow that up with a shout of "¡Tontos de abril!" chances are you'll get nothing but blank stares as a reaction. The minor holiday of April Fools' Day is little known in Spain and Spanish-speaking Latin America, but there is a rough equivalent, el Día de los Santos Inocentes, observed on Dec. 28. That means TODAY! The day is observed in much the same way as April Fools' Day. And when the prankster is ready to reveal the joke, the saying is "¡Inocente, inocente!"

The Day of the Innocents has a dark history from the Gospel of Matthew and the Massacre of the Innocents by Herod the Great, the Roman-appointed King of the Jews. Herod ordered all infants under 2 years old in Bethlehem to be killed because he was afraid that the baby Jesus was the newborn King of the Jews as had been foreseen. The infant Jesus turned out to be in Egypt with Mary and Joseph so Herod had been tricked. This day became a day to trick your friends. and thus followed the tradition of tricking friends on that day.

In Catalonia, on of the most common pranks is the one that consists on placing a "llufa" on someone's back. A "llufa" is a man-shaped pieced of paper which is stung on the back of an "innocent". 

Go out and practice it. Have fun!!

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving Day! 

Next Thursday, especially in the USA, people are going to celebrate Thanksgiving Day. The origins of this celebration are in the 17th Century. Nowadays, this holiday takes place the 4th Thursday of November. That allows lots of people to go home and spend the day with family and friends. 

Have a look at this website where you will find traditions, recipes, ideas for decorating, etc.

April Fools Day

Today is the day. Pay attention as today you may be hoaxed. In the United States, April 1st is a day set aside to play small, clever tricks on people. Click here to know about 15 famous hoaxes in history and have a look at the powerpoint below. In this link you will also learn about the history of this festivity. Don't be too tricky!!

April fool's day from Routhu Srilaya

On the 17th of March 2014 we are all celebrating the life and work of the most famous Paddy in the world | Saint Patrick, the Apostle of Ireland!! Saint Patrick is the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland. St Patrick is credited with bringing christianity to Ireland. Most of what is known about him comes from his two works; the Confessio, a spiritual autobiography, and his Epistola, a denunciation of British mistreatment of Irish christians. Saint Patrick described himself as a “most humble-minded man, pouring forth a continuous paean of thanks to his Maker for having chosen him as the instrument whereby multitudes who had worshipped idols and unclean things had become the people of God.”

 Many folk ask the question ‘Why is the Shamrock the National Flower of Ireland ?’ The reason is that St. Patrick used it to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagans. Saint Patrick is believed to have been born in the late fourth century, and is often confused with Palladius, a bishop who was sent by Pope Celestine in 431 to be the first bishop to the Irish believers in Christ. Saint Patrick is most known for driving the snakes from Ireland. It is true there are no snakes in Ireland, but there probably never have been – the island was separated from the rest of the continent at the end of the Ice Age. As in many old pagan religions, serpent symbols were common and often worshipped. Driving the snakes from Ireland was probably symbolic of putting an end to that pagan practice. While not the first to bring christianity to Ireland, it is Patrick who is said to have encountered the Druids at Tara and abolished their pagan rites.

The story holds that he converted the warrior chiefs and princes, baptizing them and thousands of their subjects in the “Holy Wells” that still bear this name. There are several accounts of Saint Patrick’s death. One says that Patrick died at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland, on March 17, 460 A.D. His jawbone was preserved in a silver shrine and was often requested in times of childbirth, epileptic fits, and as a preservative against the “evil eye.” Another account says that St. Patrick ended his days at Glastonbury, England and was buried there. The Chapel of St. Patrick still exists as part of Glastonbury Abbey. Today, many Catholic places of worship all around the world are named after St. Patrick, including cathedrals in New York and Dublin city.

Saint Patrick's day from Evapousa

Saint Patrick’s Day has come to be associated with everything Irish: anything green and gold, shamrocks and luck. Most importantly, to those who celebrate its intended meaning, St. Patrick’s Day is a traditional day for spiritual renewal and offering prayers for missionaries worldwide. So, why is it celebrated on March 17th? One theory is that that is the day that St. Patrick died. Since the holiday began in Ireland, it is believed that as the Irish spread out around the world, they took with them their history and celebrations. The biggest observance of all is, of course, in Ireland. With the exception of restaurants and pubs, almost all businesses close on March 17th.

 Being a religious holiday as well, many Irish attend mass, where March 17th is the traditional day for offering prayers for missionaries worldwide before the serious celebrating begins. In American cities with a large Irish population, St. Patrick’s Day is a very big deal. Big cities and small towns alike celebrate with parades, “wearing of the green,” music and songs, Irish food and drink, and activities for kids such as crafts, coloring and games.

 For more information visit this website.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Less than a week ahead...
We just thought we'd like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year in a different way. By this we don't mean we don't like Christmas carols, crackers or stockings by the fireplace, don't panic!! Anyway, enjoy it. See you again in a couple of weeks!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

British customs and traditions

2nd year students have learnt many things from Great Britain. One of them has been about unusual traditions and celebrations. To show those different customs, students have created glogster presentations. We hope you like them and you learn many things. One of them can be checked here. Also check the ones below.

One week to go!!!

Ghosts, witches and bats will be around us in a week. Meanwhile, try to keep calm and enjoy the time left.