the digital story of nativity

A modern (and different) point of view on the birth of Christ (Thanks to your classmate Edu from Avanzado 1 at 11)

blizzards in Britain

http://www.guardian.co.uk/weather/gallery/2010/dec/18/uk-weather#/?picture=369889318&index=7

Xmas trivia

Santa Claus has many different names around the world including Father Christmas in the UK, Pere Noel in France, Kriss Kringle in Germany, La Befana in Italy, Julinesse in Denmark, Dedushka Moroz (meaning Grandfather Frost) in Russia and the Three Kings in Spain and Mexico.

The typical image we have of Santa Claus dressed in red clothes with white fur trim, is an amalgamation of cultural input over many years. Some people claim the image of Santa we know today is from Coca-cola advertising, but this simply isn't true. The standard Santa garb was well established by the 1920s and it wasn't until the 1930s that Coca-cola first used the Santa Claus design in their advertising.

The word Christmas comes from Cristes maesse, or "Christ's Mass." There is no set date for his birth in scripture and it wasn't celebrated on any particular day. However Christmas was first celebrated on the 25th of December in Rome in 336AD with an aim to replacing the popular pagan winter solstice celebrations

The first Christmas card was designed in 1843 by J.C. Horsley

The twelve days of Christmas are the days between Christmas Day and Epiphany (6th of January) and represent the length of time it took for the wise men from the East to visit the manger of Jesus after his birth.

Popular belief holds that 3 wise men visited Bethlehem from the east bearing gifts. However there is no mention in the bible about the number of wise men who visited. Three gifts were brought - gold, frankincense and myrrh, but names commonly attributed to the wise men - Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar were added some 500 years later.

The 26th of December is traditionally known as St Stephen's Day, but is more commonly known as Boxing Day. The reason it was called this is either alms boxes in church were opened and the money distributed to the poor, or alternatively it was named from the practice of servants receiving boxes of gifts from their employers on this day. Boxing day is NOT named after the practice of throwing out large numbers of boxes after Christmas!

English Puritan leader Oliver Cromwell banned Christmas between 1647 and 1660 because he believed such celebrations were immoral for the holiest day of the year.

The first postage stamp to commemorate Christmas was issued in Austria in 1937

Christmas trees become popular in the UK from 1841 when Prince Albert erected a tree in Windsor Castle following a German tradition. Fir trees have been decorated at Christmas time in Germany since the 8th century.

The Queen's Christmas speech was first televised in 1957.

The definition of a white Christmas in the UK is for a single snow flake (perhaps amongst a shower of mixed rain and snow) to be observed falling in the 24 hours of December 25th.

The Christmas tree displayed in Trafalgar square in London is an annual gift to the UK from Norway since 1947. The Norwegian spruce given is a token of appreciation of British friendship during World War II from the Norwegian people.

lennon's death

LENNON’S DEATH DECEMBER 8th 1980



1. How was he killed? Where was he killed?

2. What did the murderer say when he fired at him?
Mr Lennon John Hey, Beatle

3, How many shots did he make?
More than 8 At least 5 Only 3

4. Where did Lennon live?
In Manhattan In Central Park In Brooklyn

5. Who did he live with?

6. Complete the report:
“Apparently he stepped out of the (the make of a car):………………………………… and headed through the gates towards the vestibule when a man emerged and fired (a number): ………………….. times. According to the police sources, the man had been seen at the apartment house earlier and later in the (a period of the day); ………………………………….., when Lennon arrived, the man appeared to be rational. He called out (whose name):………………….. name then crouched, police style, and fired”.

7. How was Lennon taken to Roosevelt hospital?
In a police car In an ambulance In a taxi

8. Was he dead or alive when he got to the hospital?

9. Did the resuscitations and the transfusions that the doctors tried work?

10. According to the doctors he had multiple shots in his chest and (choose 2)
His left arm His right leg His face His back His heart

11. How many wounds were there in his body?
10 5 7

12. Did the doctor know the number of bullets?


KEY

1. How was he killed? Where was he killed?
He was shot in front of his apartment building

2. What did the murderer say when he fired at him?
Mr Lennon John Hey, Beatle

3, How many shots did he make?
8 At least 5 Only 3

4. Where did Lennon live?
In Manhattan In Central Park In Brooklyn

5. Who did he live with?
His wife Yoko Ono and his 5 year old son

6. Complete the report:
“Apparently he stepped out of the (the make of a car):………limousine………… and headed through the gates towards the vestibule when a man emerged and fired (a number): …………7….. times. According to the police sources, the man had been seen at the apartment house earlier and later in the (a period of the day); …………evening…….., when Lennon arrived, the man appeared to be rational. He called out (whose name):…Lennon’s……. name then crouched police style and fired”.

7. How was Lennon taken to Roosevelt hospital?
In a police car In an ambulance In a taxi

8. Was he dead or alive when he got to the hospital?
He was dead
9. Did the resuscitations and the transfusions that the doctors tried work?
No, they didn’t
10. According to the doctors he had multiple shots in his chest, and where else?
His left arm His right leg His face His back His heart
11. How many wounds were there in his body?
7
12. Did the doctor know the number of bullets? No he didn’t

xmas carol

Spot the mistakes

I'm thinking of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to love
Where the treetops listen,
and children glisten
To hear sleigh bells in the fog

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas letter I write
May your days be very and bright
And may all your Christmases be a lie

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas line I write
May your days be merry and fine
And may all your Christmases be mine

Controlled demolition of the Twin Towers on September 11

click on the link below and watch the video"9 11 Mysteries" about a possible explanation of what happend in New York on September 11

9 11 Mysteries

february 2010 reading and writing

february 2010 reading and writing