if you have time over Xmas....
Use the labels to find anything related to Christmas:
In Blog 3 you will find stories about the Christmas cracker, the Gordo and an unusual Christmas song.
In Blog 1 you can listen to John Lennon and Bing Crosby sing a seasonal song.
Right here in Blog 2 you can find posts about lottery superstitions and read Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol.
Use the archives to find stories from Decembers past:
In December 2007 you can read the story about how the Spanish tip generously.
In December 2008 you can find a cure for hangovers.
In December 2009 you are given a year's notice on the introduction of the smoking ban.
Remember to at least write "I have read it" after reading very post!!!!
Comments
I have read a post what you wrote in 2010, but not only that, this post remits me to another post what you wrote in 2007. It’s unbelievable. Then, I was young and you were a little child. It’s about the Spanish tip generously. In this story, Mr. Solbes, I don’t almost remember who was he, said that Spaniards hadn’t got to grip with the value of the euro and so they often gave tip too much. The euro’s introduction was in 2002 and the Economy Minister said that people hadn’t taken on board its value. According to Mr. Solbes, Spaniards confused the value of the product and gave 50% of its value as trip. For instance, if you bought a flat and paid a 1.000.000 €, you gave a trip of 500.000 €. ¡Poor people!
I agree with the Minister, can’t you give a trip of half of the value of the product because inflation increases and can’t we go on holiday if inflation rises, no by another thing.
In my opinion, shouldn’t have to have trip because it’s a way to get favor. The rich man has got advantage over the rest of men. Only, in the case that trip is part of the salary, should exist trip, for example, in USA, but American people are bit odd.
At the end of the day, when I do a report, nobody gives me trip. Isn’t illegal?
See you.
Tracing back of traditions is always very beautiful. Ancient Scottish customs are nice. After read this post, I’m surprised that the Scottish were afraid Vikings. I thought that the Scottish get on with Vikings and badly with the Danish and the French. “First footing” meant dark, black bun and so on and it gave good luck, on the contrary, blond of Vikings gave bad luck. I wonder whether there wasn’t a black man at home, that family of that home wouldn’t give good luck to other homes that the black man could visit?
If I understand well, Hogmanay started in 1950 due to the Protestant Reformation and before only there were presents for the children. The tradition before midnight of cleaning the house on 31st December reminds me that in several countries the children paint their face with colour black like in Scotland when they took out with the ashes from the coal fires. I can’t imagine giant fireballs that they required 60 men to carry them with long metal poles, but it must be spectacular.
I glad that ignite animal hide and toss blazing tar barrels down the hill were already as tradition of yesteryear, if I understand well.
There are many words that I don’t understand such as Guid, hogg, Hoggot-pott and so on which I suppose that they are Scottish words. I would like to know the meaning of the French word “Aguillaneuf”, because it seems to another Spanish word that is “Aguinaldo”, I don’t know if you have tools to know it, but you are a clever man.
Anyone, Auld Lang Syne.
I remember the story about the Spanish being confused about tipping. It can't have been because of the Euro. People had years to get used to the currency.
I just think that people here are a bit tight when it comes to tipping.
I have read a post that you wrote in 2010, but not only that, this post sends me to another post which you wrote in 2007. It’s unbelievable. Then, I was young and you were a little child. It’s about the Spanish tipping generously.
In this story, Mr. Solbes (I almost don't remember who he was) said that Spaniards hadn’t got to grip with the value of the euro and so they often tipped too much. The introduction of the Euro was in 2002 and the Economy Minister said that people hadn’t taken on board its value. According to Mr. Solbes, Spaniards confused the value of the product and gave 50% of its value as trip. For instance, if you bought a flat and paid a 1.000.000 €, you would give a trip of 500.000 €. ¡Poor people!
I agree with the Minister, can’t you give a trip of half of the value of the product because inflation increases and can’t we go on holiday if inflation rises, no by another thing.
In my opinion, people shouldn’t have to leave tips because it’s a way to get favor. The rich man has got an advantage over the rest of men. Only, in the case that tipping is part of the salary, should it exist , for example, in USA, but American people are a bit odd.
At the end of the day, when I do a report, nobody gives me tip. Isn’t it illegal?
I am glad that as you improve your English, you also acquire knowledge of the culture and traditions of Scotland. Go to the top of the class!
The tracing back of traditions is always very beautiful. Ancient Scottish customs are nice. After reading this post, I’m surprised that the Scottish were afraid of the Vikings. I thought that the Scottish got on with the Vikings and badly with the Danish and the French. (Anyone But England ...)
“First footing” (= visiting neighbours' homes on Hogmanay), a tall, dark, handsome starnger, black bun (= a kind of Scottish cake and so on and it gave good luck, on the contrary, blond of Vikings gave bad luck.
I wonder if a dark, handsome man didn't come to your home, the family of that home wouldn’t give good luck to other homes that the man could visit?
If I understand well, Hogmanay started in 1950 due to the Protestant Reformation and before that there were only presents for the children. The tradition before midnight of cleaning the house on 31st December reminds me that in several countries the children paint their face with colour black like in Scotland when they took out the ashes from the coal fires. I can’t imagine giant fireballs that required 60 men to carry them with long metal poles, but it must be spectacular.
I think Hogmanay started long before 1950. I do know that it was much more important than Christmas Day (once apparently not a public holiday).
I am glad that igniting animal hide and tossing blazing tar barrels down the hill are now a tradition of yesteryear, if I understand well.
There are many words that I don’t understand such as Guid, hogg, Hoggot-pott and so on which I suppose are Scottish words. I would like to know the meaning of the French word “Aguillaneuf”, because it seems like a Spanish word that is “Aguinaldo”, I don’t know if you have tools to know it, but you are a clever man.