TEACHER’S NOTES
WORKSHEETS, ACTIVITIE S & GA ME S A Christmas Letter
Activity Type Introduction
Vocabulary Game: gap- This Christmas game can be used to review Christmas vocabulary
fill (group work) and teach Christmas traditions. In the game, students race to
provide words in order to complete a Christmas letter.
Focus Procedure
Christmas vocabulary
Divide the students into teams of four. Give each team a set of
and traditions
cards. Tell the students to shuffle the cards and deal them out
evenly. Each student should have 14 cards. The students spread
out their cards face-up on the desk in front of them. Give each
Aim
team a number and draw a scoreboard on the board.
To practice Christmas
vocabulary and learn Explain that the students are going to play a game where
about Christmas a Christmas letter is read out and they race to complete it by
traditions. providing the words.
Start by reading the letter to the class using the word 'blank' for
each missing word. You may wish to read the complete sentence
Preparation to give it context or read up to the missing word to make it harder
Make one copy of the for the students.
worksheet for each
When a missing word comes up, students look at their cards to see
student. Also, make one
if they have a suitable Christmas word to complete the sentence.
copy of the cards for
There are decoy cards and some words are interchangeable when
each group of four and
a sentence contains the conjunction 'and'. The first student to
cut as indicated.
hold up the correct picture card and say the word scores a point
for their team. Don't write the correct answers on the board at
this stage. The team with the most points at the end of the game
Level
wins.
Pre-intermediate (A2)
Next, give each student a copy of the worksheet. Students put
all their team's cards together face up on the table and complete
Time the letter for themselves. When everyone has finished, check the
answers as a class (see the next page for answers).
45 minutes
Extension Activities:
Have the students write a reply to Sam. Telling Sam about festivals
they celebrate. The letters can then be read aloud or displayed
around the classroom.
The teams race to categorize the cards, e.g. days and dates,
people, objects, food, places, animals, etc. The first team to
categorize all the cards correctly each time wins.
Students play a pelmanism game where they take it in turns to
match the cards by category, e.g. dates, people, etc. When a
student turns over two matching cards, they keep the cards as a
trick. Alternatively, give each group two sets of cards and have
the students play a game of Snap.
(answer key on the next page)
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TEACHER’S NOTES
WORKSHEETS, ACTIVITIE S & GA ME S A Christmas Letter
Activity Type Answer key
Vocabulary Game: gap-
Dear Miko,
fill (group work)
I hope you are well. I'm writing to tell you about a wonderful
Focus (1) festival called (2) Christmas. This celebration lasts for
(3) 12 days. The two most popular days are the (4) 25th of
Christmas vocabulary
and traditions December which is called (5) Christmas Day, and the (6)
26th of December which is called (7) Boxing Day. Christians
celebrate Christmas because it is Jesus's (8) birthday. So, it's
Aim like a birthday (9) party.
To practice Christmas
vocabulary and learn Jesus was born in a (10) stable surrounded by (11) farm
about Christmas animals. His mother's name was (12) Mary, and his father's
traditions. name was (13) Joseph. It is said that on that holy night, Jesus
was visited by (14) three wise men, who brought him gifts of
Preparation (15) gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Make one copy of the Before Christmas, people put up Christmas (16) decorations
worksheet for each
in their home. People usually buy a Christmas (17) tree. They
student. Also, make one
copy of the cards for decorate it with (18) lights and (19) ornaments. People usually
each group of four and put a (20) star or an (21) angel on the top of the tree. Underneath
cut as indicated. the tree, they put (22) presents which they open on Christmas
Day.
Level
At Christmas time, children love to write Christmas letters to (23)
Pre-intermediate (A2) Santa Claus. In the letter, they write about what they would like
to get for Christmas. Children and some adults also like to send
Time Christmas (24) cards to each other.
45 minutes On Christmas Day, people also have a special dinner. People in
western countries usually eat (25) turkey. At Christmas, people
also eat sweet things like (26) chocolate and (27) candy.
Well, that's all for now. What festivals do you celebrate? Write
back soon and tell me about them.
Your friend,
Sam
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CHRISTMAS
WORKSHEETS, ACTIVITIE S & GA ME S A Christmas Letter
My name is Sam. I’m writing a letter to my friend Miko. She doesn’t know
about Christmas. Can you help me to complete the letter? You will need
your cards to do it. There are a lot of cards, so you need to be careful and
choose the correct one to fill in each gap.
Dear Miko,
I hope you are well. I'm writing to tell you about a wonderful (1) .................... called
(2) .................... This celebration lasts for (3) .................... days. The two most popular
days are the (4) .................... which is called (5) ...................., and the (6) ....................
which is called (7) .................... Christians celebrate Christmas because it is Jesus's
(8) .................... So, it's like a birthday (9) ....................
Jesus was born in a (10) .................... surrounded by (11) .................... His mother's
name was (12) ...................., and his father's name was (13) .................... It is said
that on that holy night, Jesus was visited by (14) ...................., who brought him gifts of
(15) ....................., frankincense, and myrrh.
Before Christmas, people put up Christmas (16) .................... in their home. People usually
buy a Christmas (17) .................... They decorate it with (18) .................... and
(19) .................... People usually put a (20) .................... or an (21) .................... on
the top of the tree. Underneath the tree, they put (22) .................... which they open on
Christmas Day.
At Christmas time, children love to write Christmas letters to (23) .................... In the letter,
they write about what they would like to get for Christmas. Children and some adults also like
to send Christmas (24) .................... to each other.
On Christmas Day, people also have a special dinner. People in western countries usually eat
(25) .................... At Christmas, people also eat sweet things like (26) .................... and
(27) ....................
Well, that's all for now. What festivals do you celebrate?
Write back soon and tell me about them.
Your friend,
Sam
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CHRISTMAS
WORKSHEETS, ACTIVITIE S & GA ME S A Christmas Letter
party Christmas 12 Easter
1st of April New Year's Day 25th of December wedding
26
Christmas Day 26th of December birthday New Year's Eve
31
holiday April Fool's Day festival 31st of December
Boxing Day 6 cake 1st of January
stable sheep house farm animals
Mary decorations Joseph candles
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CHRISTMAS
WORKSHEETS, ACTIVITIE S & GA ME S A Christmas Letter
gold Maggie tree a king
three wise men flower Dave silver
lights party poppers ornaments balloons
star bell bags angel
Santa Claus presents rabbit The Grinch
cards syrup doughnuts candy
turkey chocolate emails chicken
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