An ESOL Resource from University Settlement's Adult Literacy Program
Author: US Adult Literacy
We offer free 10-month long ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Language) classes in Lower East Side of Manhattan. We help immigrant New Yorkers by providing them with intensive English language classes, and counseling. We're located at 175 Eldridge, Street, New York, NY. This is a blog for our students so they can get more practice in English language, and learn about life in New York City.
Happy Holidays from our W1, W101, W2, and W3 weekend classes! We had a wonderful time on Sunday. We celebrated the holidays with delicious food, wonderful performances, and quality time with our friends and classmates.🎅 🎄
We had some tasty treats from all around the world 🥙 🍰 🥟
No party is complete without a game of Kahoot! The prize…….?
…… first in line for the food!
From singing holiday songs, to sharing things everyone was thankful for, the joy of the season was there for everyone.
Check out the performance below:
James’ W1 class performed “Jingle Bells”
Lynne’s W101 class performed ‘Walking in a Winter Wonderland”
Erica’s W2 class performed a holiday poem
Nate’s W3 class performed the Wham! classic, “Last Christmas”
Thanksgiving Luncheon at the Senior Center at 189 Allen Street
On Wednesday, November 25th, students from our CCR-P class volunteered to serve Thanksgiving lunch to seniors at University Settlement’s Senior Center, located at 189 Allen Street. Our students helped prepare the dining area, greeted seniors as they arrived, and served a hot holiday meal to more than 100 community members. They worked alongside staff and other volunteers to create a warm, festive atmosphere, and many seniors expressed their appreciation for the kindness and support. It was a meaningful opportunity for our class to give back to the community and to experience the spirit of Thanksgiving in action.
Winter is a special season. The days are shorter, the nights are longer, and in many places, it is cold and snowy. Around the world, people celebrate different winter holidays with family, friends, food, and traditions. Let’s look at some of the most popular winter holidays.
Christmas
Christmas is celebrated on December 25th in many countries. People decorate a Christmas tree, hang lights, and give gifts. Families often eat a big meal together. In some traditions, children wait for Santa Claus to bring presents. Popular Christmas colors are red, green, and gold.
Hanukkah
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that usually happens in December. It lasts for eight nights. Families light a special candleholder called a menorah. They eat foods fried in oil, like latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts). Children often play with a small toy called a dreidel.
Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa is celebrated in the United States from December 26th to January 1st. It honors African traditions and culture. Families light candles in a holder called a kinara. Each day represents a different value, such as unity, creativity, or faith. Music, dancing, and storytelling are also part of Kwanzaa.
New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day
All around the world, people celebrate the New Year on December 31st and January 1st. Many people stay up until midnight to welcome the new year. Fireworks, parties, and special foods are common. People also make resolutions—promises to themselves about things they want to do in the new year.
Vocabulary to Remember
Tradition – something people do again and again over many years
Celebrate – to enjoy a holiday or special event
Candle – a stick of wax with fire at the top for light
Meal – food eaten together at one time
Resolution – a plan or promise for the future
✨ Winter holidays bring light, joy, and warmth during the cold season. Even though traditions are different, the message is often the same: spending time with loved ones and sharing happiness.
Traditionally(adverb) – in a way that is based on tradition or long-established customs.
Marks(verb) – to indicate or show something; to make a visible sign or impression.
DoorBusters (Noun, plural) – Special promotional sales, often with deep discounts, designed to attract large numbers of customers, particularly during big sales events like Black Friday.
Deals (Noun, plural) – Agreements or transactions, especially those involving discounts or special offers in shopping.
Mayhem (Noun) – Chaos, disorder, or violence, often involving confusion and destruction.
To mirror (Verb) – To reflect or resemble something closely.
Brick-and-mortar (Adjective) – Referring to traditional physical businesses (such as stores or offices) as opposed to online or digital businesses.
Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving, which traditionallymarks the start of the Christmas shopping season in the United States – it’s also one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
Around 2003, many stores began opening as early as 5 a.m. with “doorbuster” deals – deep discounts on select items.
Its these huge discounts that cause the mayhem with people fighting over cheap TV’s and other discounted items.
In the early 2000’s stores extended their hours even earlier, opening on Thanksgiving night – staying open through Black Friday. These sales were often called “Black Thursday”. However, these sales were somewhat of a failure, and stores slowly began returning to closing on Thanksgiving, opening instead on Black Friday.
As the internet became more popular, many people started shopping online and in 2005, Cyber Monday was born. It was intended to mirror the brick-and-mortar sales stores offered on Black Friday. Black Friday became so popular that in 2015, Amazon even held a Black Friday sale in July!
Whether you’re looking for a new TV, a computer, or a pair of socks, it’s guaranteed you will be able to find a deal somewhere, either online or in person on Black Friday or Cyber Monday!
