Holidays in Sight


I'm really looking forward to escaping from Madrid for the holidays. I didn't go home for Christmas last year and I won't be home for Christmas Day this year either. I won't get home until Boxing Day (26th Dec). My parents have *put off Christmas lunch until 24 hours later. So hopefully, problem free travel permitting, I will arrive *just in time for the turkey.

I would love to go sooner but I don't finish classes until the 22nd and the 23rd is ridiculously expensive. I can't afford it.

I am going to spend most of my time with my parents. I hardly ever see them and I feel like being with them.

It'll be cold and dark so I guess I'll be spending most of my time indoors.

I haven't been home for New Year for 11 years. I was in London for the Millenium and have been eating grapes ever since then. This year I will be having a quiet night in with Mam and Dad.

I am fed up with partying. It's always the same and I need a change.

I am really looking forward to having some lie-ins and hopefully, I will return to Madrid fit for 2010.


What about you? What will you be doing for Christmas and New Year? What are you looking forward to doing ?

Phrasal Verbs:

"My parents have put off Christmas lunch until 24 hours later."

If you put something off, you postpone it until another date or time.

Examples:
  • You keep putting it off but you are going to have to meet him sooner or later.
  • I can't put off going to the dentist's any longer.
  • The meeting has been put off for a week

Idioms:

"I will arrive just in time for the turkey."

If you do something just in time, you do it immediately before it would be too late and avoid or take advantage of something.

Examples:
  • We arrived just in timeIt's starting to rain now.
  • You are just in time to see her before she leaves.
Other time expressions:


Comments

Sir Joseph said…
Hi Graham,

I´m full of memories and when Christmas holiday arrive I remember a lot of events, especially, from my infancy. I always looked forward Christmas holiday because I was student boarder and I went my home with my family in my village. Although I had to help my parents, after, I used to play football with my friends, all day, every day, as well as I used to play cards with my family at night. I could eat every thing at home because my parents gave me too much foods because they thought I couldn´t eat every thing in my College and they were right.

Now it´s different for me. I want to Christmas holiday arrive to get together whole family and speak about the past and the future, the situation of my offspring, politics, neighbours, the world and so on. I enjoy seeing how my grandchildren enjoy and how they grow up. I think that they have a good time on Christmas holiday and always. Such is life. Everyone circles around the existence. For this reason we have to take advantage all moments of life because they are opportunities that they never came back.

These days when last year ends and new year begins, sometimes, I feel sad and think about people who don´t have my luck. My memories for them because they can be suffering.

See you.
Graham said…
Evening José,

I can imagine how you longed for any holidays to arrive when you were at boarding school. I take it you didn't get to go home at weekends.

I've never been a huge fan of tinsel and Christmas lights. I find the whole thing overpowering.


I'm full of memories and when the Christmas holidays arrive, I remember a lot of events, especially, from my infancy / childhood. I always looked forward to the Christmas holidays because I was at boarding school and I went home to be with my family in my village. Although I had to help my parents, later, I used to / would play football with my friends, all day, every day, as well as playing cards with my family at night. I could eat everything at home; my parents gave me all the food that I wanted because they thought I wasn't being fed enough at school and they were right.

Now it´s different for me. I want the Christmas holidays to arrive to have all my family together and speak about the past and the future, the situation of my offspring and things such as politics, neighbours, the world and so on. I enjoy seeing my grandchildren having fun and how they grow up. I think that they have a good time at Christmas, just like they do every other day. Such is life (this is the wrong expression here - it is used to say that you accept a situation that you'd rather not e.g. I'm stuck being an English teacher. Oh well, such is life.) Everyone circles around the existence. For this reason, we have to make the most of every single moment in life because they are opportunities that never came back.

These days, when one year ends and a new year begins, I sometimes feel sad and think about people who aren't as lucky as me. I think of them because they may be suffering.