Christmas Phrases and Vocabulary for better Holiday Conversations
It’s an exciting and special time of year. You’ll often hear the months of November and December referred to as “the holidays” as we bounce from Thanksgiving to Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and on into New Years celebrations.
It’s a busy time of year- often filled with gatherings of friends and family, shopping, giving and and some serious eating.
There are a lot of really common phrases and vocabulary associated with this time of year that you may not be familiar with. So in this lesson, you’ll learn 10 super common holiday phrases that you definitely want to know.
We will also focus on some tricky English sounds and work on incorporating linking and reductions to help these phrases flow more naturally.
Sound like a plan? Alright, Let’s dive in...
Here are links to several lessons I mention in this one that I think you'll find extra helpful:
Sound more Fluent and Natural with Linking
Perfecting the AH /a/ as in OLIVE Vowel
25 Super Common Words that Reduce in English
Perfecting the IH /I/ as in SILVER Sound
Practice phrases and sentences used in this lesson:
1) The more the merrier: Everyone is welcome. The more people who come the better an event will be.
Can Josh and Ella come for dinner on Christmas Eve?
Sure! The more the merrier!
2) Snowed in: To be unable to leave because of a snowstorm or blizzard.
We won’t be able to make it to the party tonight.
No worries, we’re going to cancel. Everybody’s snowed in.
3) To be or feel stuffed: To have a full feeling inside your body after eating a large meal.
Who’s ready for dessert?
Maybe later. I’m stuffed!
4) A stocking stuffer: A small gift or treat placed inside a Christmas stocking (a large sock) on Christmas Eve.
This little keychain is adorable. It’ll be a perfect stocking stuffer for my daughter!
5) Holiday Spirit: The positive feeling people often have during the holiday season
How’s your Christmas shopping going?
Not so great. I can’t seem to get into the holiday spirit this year.
6) Scrooge: A person who is cheep, unkind or has zero holiday spirit during the Christmas season. The term comes from the name of the main character in a famous book by Charles Dickens with several popular movie versions called A Christmas Carol.
For the love of Heaven. Turn off the Christmas music!
Don’t be such a Scrooge!
7) Bah humbug: The term “humbug” is an exclamation to describe something as hypocritical nonsense or gibberish. The expression “bah humbug” was popularized by the character Scrooge, who is not a fan of the holiday season and says “bah humbug” to associated festivities It's something people say when they feel grumpy and not into the holiday spirit.
Let’s put the lights on the tree!
Bah humbug! The football game’s on!
8) It’s the thought that counts: You may hear this phrase in reference to a gift that likely won’t become a cherished possession. It means that good or kind intentions are the most important thing. Even if people do things for you or give you things that you don’t actually want, it’s the thought behind the gesture that counts.
Thank you for the lovely sweater, Grandma (it’s the thought that counts).
9) Ring in the new year: To mark the end of the previous year and the start of the new, typically at some type of party or celebration.
What are you doing to ring in the New Year?
10) Wish list: A list of things you’d love to have or do. A lot of children will be working on their “wish list” around the holidays because it’s a time of gift giving and special experiences for many cultures.
What’s on your wish list this year?
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