The Personal Holiday

The Personal Holiday

As you can remember from my first blog entry, holidays are events that are celebrated, and they are fixed dates in the calendar.  We have been looking at holidays and events that the majority of people recognize.  I believe, however, that people have personal holidays.  In other words, I have considered some holidays to be events that I have experienced in my life because it has affected me personally.  Every year I will remember and celebrate to an extent that experience.  Here is an example:

"I had a lot of great moments and experiences throughout my life.  However, graduating from college is, in my opinion, the best experience of my life.  I have worked hard for four straight years to get a my bachelor’s degree from Hartwick College.  As I was walking on my school’s Division One Soccer Field on May 24, 2014, I had chills throughout the entire ceremony, knowing that I accomplished something great in my life.

My fellow classmates and I met in our gymnasium early in the morning in our graduation robes.  Everyone was taking pictures to recapture the moment, and I was joining in on many celebratory hugs and “calming of the nerves” conversations with many of my friends.  Once it was almost time to line up, we all sat in our appropriate seats so that we can hear some last minute tips and details about the graduation ceremony.  After, we watched a slideshow presentation that all of the students put together recounting the many laughs and memorable moments we all had at Hartwick.  This were where I had chills for the first time during the day.  I saw many photos of me and my friends, and I started to recall all the great times I had at school.  All the academic and social memories I had at school started to fill my brain, and I got a little emotional because I knew this moment was bittersweet.  I knew I was excited to graduate and start my new chapters in my life.  However, I also knew that I did not want to leave the “college life."  

All of a sudden, we were summoned to line up at the gymnasium doors.  The next set of chills began to surface my body when I started hearing the bagpipes.  I watched past graduations, and I knew that it all starts with students marching behind the bagpipes.  However, this time was different, because the bagpipes were for my friends and me.  We started walking towards the big tent.  There were families and friends screaming for all of us.  Once I entered the tent, I saw my family cheering me on, and I passed through the lane filled of my professors who I still look up to this day.  Once we were all sitting, the ceremony started.  We listened to some beautiful music from our school choir and ensemble.  When the time approached, I was getting ready to line up to get my diploma from the college’s President.  The last set of chills that I remembered came at this moment.  One by one people before me was walking across the long stage, shaking the President’s hand and getting their diploma, and then taking multiple pictures on stage with the President.  Moments before my name was called, I said to myself, “Just be yourself, and don’t trip.”  My advice worked because when my name was called, I walked towards the President, hearing the cheer from my family and friends, and received my diploma.  The whole day will always be a memorable one and will always be considered the best experience of my life because of sharing this experience with the people I love."

I will always remember my college graduation on May 24, and I consider this event one of my personal holidays.  Next year it will be my two year anniversary of graduating from college, and in my opinion, it is a day of reflecting on the best four years on my life.  I think about where I am now personally and professionally.  It is also a time for me to think about the many people that are now graduating from college and going through the same process.  Holidays are not just a time to celebrate, but a time to personally remember the best times of your life and reflect on how these special days affected our lives today.

Vocabulary

affect- (verb) to make a difference on a person

capture- (verb) to take or record something

bittersweet- (adjective) good and bad at the same time

ceremony- (noun) a formal event

diploma- (noun) a paper that shows completion at an educational program or school

advice- (noun) a recommendation

Vocabulary Practice 

(Fill in the Blanks)

1. Students ____________ every moment by taking pictures at their graduation.

2. My friend received an award at the _________________.

3. My mom and dad always give me ___________ if I have a problem.

4. A war can _____________ many people.

5. Graduating college can be a _________________ experience.

6. When I finish school, I will obtain my _________________.

Let's Learn Grammar!

The prefix "re" gives the meaning of doing something again.  For example, I used the prefix to the verb "capture" in my blog entry to show meaning that students want to look at pictures at their graduation again in the future.

Try making verbs and put it in a sentence using the prefix "re".

December Holidays

December Holidays

Do you remember what was on my first blog entry?

Santa Claus introduced all of you to my blog Holiday Talk.  He is one of the many major symbols of the December Holidays.  This blog will not only talk about Christmas, but two other holidays that is celebrated and recognized in the month of December.

The first holiday that is recognize in December in Hanukkah.  This holiday is also called the Festival of Lights, and is celebrated by people who follow the Jewish faith.  The holiday is celebrated for 8 straight nights, where people remember the re-dedication of the Holy Temple.  They light 8 candles on a menorah.  Watch this video on the story of Hanukkah.

The next holiday is called Kwanzaa.  It is also celebrated in December.  It is a week long celebration and is part of the African culture.  On each night, they celebrate one of the seven core principles that symbolizes their beliefs: unity, collective work and responsibility, self-determination, purpose, cooperative economics, creativity, and faith.  Watch this video that shows the importance of Kwanzaa.

The last holiday is Christmas.  It is celebrated on December 25, but is recognized and observed for many weeks because it has become commercialized.  Religiously, it is a time to remember the Nativity of Jesus; however, most people follow the decoration aspect on this holiday.  They put up Christmas trees and decorate the outside of their houses with lights.  Also, children love this holiday because on Christmas morning, they wake up and see all the different gifts under the Christmas tree.  They believe that Santa Claus came and left gifts for them.  Watch this video on Christmas.

Vocabulary

symbol- (noun) a representation of something

faith- (noun) a strong belief in something

dedication- (noun) action of committing 

core- (noun) the central or most important aspect of an idea

cooperative- (adjective) working together

commercialize- (verb) to use an idea or something in a way to make money or profit

Vocabulary Practice

(Fill in the Blanks)

1. The Christmas Tree is a _______________ of the Christmas holiday.

2. Many stores ____________________ the Christmas holiday as a way to make money.

3. Kwanzaa has seven ________ principles.

4. I go to church as a way to practice my Catholic ___________.

5. People remember the re-__________________ of the Holy Temple on Hanukkah.

6. We have to be ________________ so that we can get a good grade on our group project.

Let's Learn Grammar!

The past tense is used to represent actions that happened in the past.  For example, read this sentence: "Santa Claus introduced all of you to my blog Holiday Talk."  The verb "introduced" is in the past tense because Santa Claus already completed the action, and it happened in the past.  Try to re-read this blog entry and find words that you think is in the past tense!

Thanksgiving...Let's Eat!!!

THANKSGIVING...LET'S EAT!!!

Thanksgiving is on November 26, 2015.  It has been considered one of the major holidays during the year.

To understand the history of Thanksgiving, take a look at this video.

Thanksgiving has been evolved throughout the years.  The first thanksgiving started in 1621 where the Pilgrims and Indians had their first harvest together.  After, the day has been dated as a national holiday by President Washington and has now been part of American Culture ever since.  

You can see the difference in traditions over time.  In my life, I always had the tradition of watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade every Thanksgiving morning, while I help my Mom and Dad prepare the huge dinner we were going to have later with my family.  After, we turn on another form of Thanksgiving entertainment.  The annual Thanksgiving football game is on.  Most importantly, we all reflect on how thankful we are for everything we have and the people get to spend time with on Thanksgiving.

  

Let's not forget about the food!  At my household, we always have our traditional Thanksgiving dinner: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top, green bean casserole, broccoli pie, turnips, and corn bread.  I always get full after eating because my eyes are bigger than my stomach.  

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Vocabulary

consider- (verb) to think about something

evolve- (verb) to develop or change throughout time

harvest- (noun) the gathering of crops(food)

culture- (noun) beliefs, traditions, and values of a group of people

huge- (adjective) another word for big

reflect- (verb) to personally think carefully about something

Practice 

(Fill in the blanks using the appropriate vocabulary word)

1.  Many people celebrate Thanksgiving in different ways based on their _____________.

2. Farmers have a _____________ when all the crops grow.

3. Thanksgiving is a time to ___________ on how thankful I am in my life.

4. Before making a decision, I have to _____________ all the options.

5. My mom is making a __________ turkey because we need to feed a lot of people.

6. The butterflies __________ from a cocoon.

Let's Learn Grammar!

When writing or speaking the English language, we sometimes use expressions, called idioms, that may sound funny, but we use them to explain a concept in a different way.  For example, reread this sentence from the reading: "I always get full after eating because my eyes are bigger than my stomach."  Obviously our eyes are not bigger than our stomachs; however, I wrote this sentence to explain that when I see all the food on the table on Thanksgiving, I think I can eat it all.

Here is a funny idiom: "when pigs fly".  We use this phrase when we don't believe something is going to happen.  Take a look at this sentence: "Oh sure, you will win the lottery when pigs fly!"  

Try writing a sentence using one of these two idioms.