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Holiday Blues

Holiday Blues

Date: Dec 15 2020

Themes: Health, Holidays

Grammar: Simple Present Tense

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Family. Presents. Food. Decorations. Presents. Oh, and did we mention presents? For all these reasons and more, Christmas is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year. But not everyone feels merry during the holidays. In fact, many people get depressed or feel blue at this time.

Some people feel sad at Christmas because they can’t afford to buy their friends and family members all the gifts they want. Or they feel let down when the holidays don’t live up to their hopes and expectations. Others feel extra lonely over the holidays if they don’t have anyone to share them with. And some people get depressed by how commercial the holidays have become.

Listen to Marni try to cheer up Devan before the holidays are finished.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Devan

Devan

Marni

Marni

Devan:  God, I hate the holidays.

Marni:  You don’t like Christmas?

Devan:  No, I’m kind of like Charlie Brown. You know, I hate all the commercialism of the holidays. It’s so far removed from what it’s supposed to be about. It’s all just about money and consuming.

Marni:  Yeah, you have a point. But I still love it. I still love…I don’t know, I just like the spirit of it all. Like I love being downtown and having all the lights and seeing people decorate their homes. You know, I’m just such a sucker for buying a Christmas tree…Or, you know, lighting a menorah. Whatever. I love all traditions.

Devan:  I see what you’re saying, and I think that there is something to be said about, you know…family coming together, and all the lights, and all that stuff. But it just feels like if that’s what it could really be about, about being with your family, then I’d be all about it. But it seems like all people care about is presents and buying.

Marni:  So, it sounds like, for you…Is there just this huge build-up and then you’re always let down?

Devan:  Yeah, I’m always just kind of let down by it.

Marni:  Well, you know, I think what you need to do is just drink a lot of eggnog, get your stockings out, and just, you know, get cheer going on, and…

Devan:  Maybe this year you’ll help me get in the spirit.

Marni:  I’ll try my hardest.

 

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Discussion

Devan doesn’t like Christmas because she thinks it’s all about spending money and buying presents. Marni agrees that the holidays can be a little too commercial sometimes, but she loves the special feelings of joy and celebration that come with them.

If the holidays only involved beautiful decorations and being with family, Devan would like them better. Also, she thinks the expectations surrounding Christmas are too high. Marni offers to help Devan get in the spirit. Maybe if she drinks enough eggnog, she’ll have a better time this year.

Do you ever feel blue during the holidays? Are holidays very commercial in your country?

 

Comments

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Kas-ye

Kas-ye

Yemen

i loev holiday too.

this s spical day for my sailf.

12:19 PM Dec 27 2008 |

melody_

melody_

China

Merry Christmas ! Thougth it's late.

12:15 PM Dec 27 2008 |

angelemilly

China

Holiday is such a thing that make happy people more happy and lonely people more lonely!

But happy is still something searched by ourselves .Just be oppotilism and adjustment ,and then everything will be OK!

Come on ~

10:43 AM Dec 27 2008 |

hebamajed

hebamajed

Egypt

In my opinion the idea of having aholiday it`s about  relaxing and also to spend a good time with ur family and friends too, sharing the same feeling of happenes of being toghther , but also i think we don`t have overstates in these holidays coz it`s all about  how we love each other .

07:08 AM Dec 27 2008 |

xixixixi8

China

but i like it , because i donot like my job, so i like holiday , i donot think it feel blues!

06:22 AM Dec 27 2008 |

Naomi1010

Naomi1010

Taiwan

Everyone enjoys having holidays but consuming for holidays seems to become a must-to-do thing because of the commercialism. Anyway, it’s supposed to a period of time to just be with family and have fun together. :)

05:00 AM Dec 27 2008 |

liushuixun

China

Usualiy I don't have holiday blue and I like holidays. Because it is time to have a family reuion, meet friends, share your stories with your loved one, and the best  thing is holiday time no need to get up early for work.I enjoy it very much. 

04:18 AM Dec 27 2008 |

lukeyy

lukeyy

China

Everybody likes holiday.

03:42 AM Dec 27 2008 |

Yohann

Yohann

China

I also felt blue in the holidays when I was young,for I was often lonley and had no interesting things to do.now I am far from my parents,living with my wife at another province,I am eager to go back to my hometown.I am not concerned about the poor condition of my parents,I just want to get together with them.in fact,the cost of traveling and buying may come to two- month-salary of mine.SO i decide to give the money to my parents and I do not go back this year.I feel a bit blue!

01:42 AM Dec 27 2008 |

shirley841208

China

I LOVE THE HOLIDAYS VERY MUCH ,BECAUSE IT IS THE ONLY TIME THAT I can be together with my family member 。

01:35 AM Dec 27 2008 |

omar17

omar17

Saudi Arabia

 ...  actually this is my first time i see americans celebrate on Christmas. i had a long vacation and i decided to stay in the US rather than going to my home country. i learned    a lot of things that i never knew about Christmas.

Discovering american culture is very important     

08:52 PM Dec 26 2008 |

timce

timce

Serbia and Montenegro

I like Christmas very much and it never makes me feel blue. I enjoy every moment of it with my family!!!

05:57 PM Dec 26 2008 |

Tapita

Argentina

 

Even when Chritsmas is a meaningful celebration, sometimes I feel blue for it`s a time when  you may drag bad memories about the past into the light. But all in all, I enjoy Christmas since faith and hope are renewed and , being with your family or friends, makes it a nice lovely time. May this Christmas bring you abundant joy, peace and happiness!

05:46 PM Dec 26 2008 |

9marianna9

Slovakia

I feel blue for Christmas first time this year. I don´t know why! I didn´t enjoy. It´ horrible!!!Undecided I spend all time at home, because my friends are far away…

04:10 PM Dec 26 2008 |

DELB

DELB

China

Everything has two sides. Different feelings result from different minds. Happy is more important than money. So Merry Christmas! And new year new prospect.Laughing

03:52 PM Dec 26 2008 |

helen2569

helen2569

China

i think sometimes i also feel blue on the holidays.

09:39 AM Dec 26 2008 |

duyhai100

Viet Nam

I THINK 98% PEOPLE IN OVER THE WORLT LIKE CHRISTMAS HOLLIDAY.. AND I DO TOO..KHA KHA..

09:36 AM Dec 26 2008 |

miffoo

miffoo

Slovakia

I agree the holidays in this days is more commercialism but I love that spirit of Christmas and is it really good time for  meet friends and family. Laughing

09:34 AM Dec 26 2008 |

miffoo

miffoo

Slovakia

nice lesson

09:12 AM Dec 26 2008 |

HellenShen

HellenShen

China

Yeah, I agree that holidays are becoming more and more commercial, but it's a good time for most of people to relax themselves and meet friends, even though that it will let down some person with feeling of lonely or don't have much money to buy many presents. Everything has its advantage and disadvantage.

In fact, sometimes I feel blue on holidays, for I feel lonely, and my friend has bf or gf. But I still love holidays, I can have a good rest at least.

   

05:19 AM Dec 26 2008 |

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