Test your teacher

Hi students,
Here you have the anonymous questionnaire that you can use to test me as a teacher. Please, do it and be honest. I would appreciate your answers to change in the future :




In any case, I'll be around if you have any questions for the PAU exams or anything in general. Here you have two links to practise :
https://sites.google.com/site/grammaringwithenglish/ and http://www0.usal.es/webusal/node/28881.

April Fools' Day

"April Fools ! " Should you hear these words, it means two things : 1) it is April, 1st; 2) someone has just pulled a prank on you ! Why ? It's April Fools' Day. On this day, people pull prank and spread rumours and hoaxes. The media also invent some fake -flabbergasting - news and some people usually fall for them or buy them ! Yeah ! This is similar to Spain's Innocents' Day (28th December). This day goes back to the year 1957, where the BBC broadcast people picking spaghetti from plants. The audience thought it all was true and phoned the station to buy these plants ! Here you can watch it in the video : 

1. Now I will propose you a little game. I will enumerate five 'news items' and you will have to decide which one of them is TRUE ! Four of them will be hoaxes. Ready ?

a)  UFO lands in London

From : http://hoaxes.org/af_database/permalink/ufo_lands_near_london

b) Queen Elizabeth sent her first email in 1976

From : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-34185586

c) A new race of penguins that can fly have been discovered 

d) Big Ben will go digital in 2020

From : https://currentopinionsofnews.wordpress.com/2014/02/16/big-ben-to-go-digital/

e) Mummified fairy discovered ! 

From : https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lebanoncircle/the-derbyshire-mummified-fairy-ooak-kit-and-dvd-wo

Answers: Only one of the news is true. Which one ? Well, letter b, indeed, surprising though it may sound ! If you want to see some of the most famous hoaxes of all time, click on this link.

2. Now let's learn some vocabulary for this day, related to tricks :

- Tell jokes / crack jokes = 'contar chistes'

- Trick someone / deceive someone / fool someone = engañar a alguien

- Play tricks on someone / pull pranks on someone = gastarle bromas a alguien

- Fall into a trap = 'caer en la trampa'

- Take the bait = 'picar el anzuelo'

- I don't buy it / I haven't fallen for it = 'no me lo trago' / 'no me lo creo'.

- He is a prankster / joker / jester / quipster = 'Él es un bromista.'

- April Fool ! = '¡ Inocente !' 

- April Fool pranks = 'inocentadas.'

- Spread a hoax = 'extender un rumor.'

3. To finish with, if you are much of a prankster, here you have a compilation of some interesting pranks of April Fool's Day. 

4. This video will prompt you to pull pranks on others. I hope you never put these "inspiring" ideas into practice.

I hope you have learnt a lot about April Fools' Day. Which is your favourite prank ? Post it on a comment ! 

You can now sign up for the language school !

If  you are 16 along this year, then you can sign up for the language school of your city or village (be it Santa Marta or Salamanca). English is the most important language for your future and it will help to get a job, so why not study it after school ? Here you have the link to sign up for it : http://eoisalamanca.centros.educa.jcyl.es/sitio/index.cgi?wid_seccion=53.
Here you have a video about what you can find at the language school in Salamanca. Enjoy.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B16B91ITo8GCMWluNWdQZ0d1eThTMEVLa3ZPcTRLNDRLWFgw/view?usp=sharing

Here you have the brochure of the language school : 
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1dsdmrLIMGY7HZn0sNtBHP1odpUm1KGwAF-9n1WXaNFRLtiLYZAet5GLX8uidWdidilH8kZVZUQ-ybKwn

The Language School in SAnta Marta organizes an 'open house' for anyone interested. The details of this event are in this link : https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4SuuoOWoc2_c3E3cWM0SmptQnh4Y0RBQmxwYTVjeGpjS3Fn/view?usp=sharing

Easter videos and exercises !

Did you read my post about Easter ? Now that Easter is coming to an end, I thought it would be a good idea to prepare a compilation of some videos of Easter. You will be able to see the different traditions and customs mentioned in my post. In these funny videos that you can also test your listening comprehension :


Did you like the video ? It was really easy ! Not let's talk about British all over the world :

Here you have another interesting video !


And the last one : 

Did you like my compilation of videos ? Did you do the exercises ? I hope so ! Easter is over, which means Easter holidays are about to finish and we have to come back to ... school ! 

Easter is not only a Spanish tradition

Hello there,

Holidays at last ! It's been a long term for me but  I am finally on holidays : on Easter holidays ! There is a wide misconception that Easter is not "celebrated" in the English-speaking world. I agree that Spanish celebrations of Easter outnumber those in the English culture, but Easter traditions in the English-speaking countries are also important. Let's summarize some of the most important ones : 

1. Easter eggs : At Easter, it is customary to buy, give or exchange Easter eggs. Why ? The eggs represent Jesus Christ and when they are broken that represents his resurrection (the breaking of Jesus's tomb). In a wider sense, eggs are a symbol of rebirth and fertility.  There are eggs of various types nowadays, but chocolate eggs seem to have flooded the market. There are also traditional boiled eggs dyed with a lot of decoration. Hard-boiled eggs are very popular at Easter and some people even paint them and dye them :

From : http://headingforenglish.blogspot.com.es/2015/03/easter-eggs.html

Eggs were really popular because during Lent, neither meat nor eggs should be eaten. It was during Easter after Lent that people could 'feast' on eggs. 

2. Easter games 

Easter eggs are the protagonist of some really entertaining traditions :

- Egg tapping or egg knocking : In this fun game, you have to try to break another contestant's egg by tapping or knocking it with your eggs, but without breaking your egg. Yes, you hard-boile your eggs, you decorate them only to use them to break other people's eggs. Ironical ! 

From : http://blog.haven.com/2015/03/28/five-different-easter-traditions-to-try-out-with-your-kids/ 

- Easter hunt : This outdoor game is ideal for small children. Adults hide some eggs outside for children to look for them. These eggs are usually filled with chocolate or with other candies. So, in other words, it is like a treasure scavenger hunt but with eggs ! 

From : http://www.brooklinoptimist.org/optimist/programs/easter-egg-hunt.html

- Easter egg roll : It is a race where children must push the eggs with a spoon. It is usually held on Easter Monday in the White House Lawns. 

From : http://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/holidays-other/easter6.htm

- Easter bunny : It is a bunny that brings Easter eggs to children. Much like an Easter Santa Claus.

From : http://cmrrevents.com/wordpress/easter-trains/

3. Easter foods : There are a lot of different typical Easter foods, namely : 

    

Hot cross bun                               Chocolate Easter bunny

 

Simnel cake                                           Jelly beans

4. Important dates :

- Lent : Six weeks before Easter Sunday. During this time, people must refrain from eating one food of their liking and be disciplined (which includes being a good Christian, read the Holy Scriptures...). The first day of Lent is Ash Wednesday.

- Palm Sunday : On the Sunday before Easter. This day is celebrated with a traditional mass, and a parade where people carry palm branches to welcome Jusus Christ

- Maundy Thursday

It is the day preceding Good Friday. This day welcomes the Holy Week. In the past, the monarchs used to wash the feet of the poor in Westminster Abbey. This also served to commemorate the Last Supper. Nowadays, the Queen gives money to a group of old people very famous or important for the community.

- Good Friday : To commemorate Jesus Christ's crucifixion. 

- Easter Sunday : To celebrate Jesus's resurrection. Easter egg hunts are usually held on this date. 

5. Morris dance : It is a typically English dance to scare the spirits of winter away. 

6. Mass : Of course, churches organize quite a lot of Easter services at Easter, much like in Spain. 

Did you enjoy Easter in the UK and the USA. They have some really interesting traditions. What is your best ? Post a comment. 

Saint Patrick's Day

Tomorrow is a very important day in the United Kingdom and especially in Ireland. It is Saint Patrick's Day. Today in class you have learnt a lot about this day. Here I share with you the video that we watched in class.

And now I share with you some of the interesting facts and vocabulary that we have seen today :

- Ireland is divided into two parts : Northern Ireland (whose capital is Belfast) and southern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland or Eire (whose capital is Dublin). 

- Saint Patrick (Maewyn Succat) is the patron saint of Ireland. He was born in England and then he Christianized Ireland. He explained the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) with the well-known shamrock. 

From : http://www.markmillerhumorist.com/least-known-facts-st-patrick.html

- There will be a big parade in Dublin tomorrow,  but not only there, New York's parade is also famous and Saint Patrick is celebrated all over the globe. In Chicago, for example, you can see the river completely coloured in green !

- Remember to wear something green if you don't want to get pinched by others ! 

- The national symbol of Ireland is the harp.

From : http://www.abitofhome.ca/ireland-harp-magnet.html

- Leprechauns are very popular. They are goblin-like figures who love gold and always carry a pot of gold around. If captured by men, they can grant them three wishes. 

From : http://www.123rf.com/photo_10711921_lucky-leprechaun-with-shamrock-and-treasure.html

- The typical beer in Ireland is Guinness. It is delicious black beer brewed in the Guinness Warehouse in Dublin. You can drink a pint with a shamrock designed in its foam... Delicious ! Remember, Arthur Guinness only pays 49 pounds as a yearly rent. 

From : https://diydilettante.wordpress.com/2011/03/17/the-genius-of-guinness/

- If you want the gift of gab (eloquence), you must kiss Blarney Stone located in Blarney's castle in Cork ! It's a bit disgusting, though. 

- Ireland is nicknamed as the emerald island because of its green colour due to abundant rainfall (that will later result in lush greenery). 

World Peace Day : vocabulary

Dear students,
If you want to learn some vocabulary about The World Peace Day, here yo uhave the link to my personal blog. I recommend you visit this site. Have a nice weekend ! 

World Peace Day

As you know, on the thirtieth f January, the World Peace Day is celebrated all around the world. Here you have some interesting songs that you can listen to and sing for this day. The songs are ordered according to your level : the first one is for students of 1º ESO, the second one for students of 3º and 4º ESO, and the last one for students of Bachillerato. I include some gap-filling exercises. Listen to the video and try to fill in the gaps. Then down below you have the links to the lyrics of the three songs. 

Level 1: What a wonderful World by Armstrong

I see ______ (1) are green, red ________ (2) too

I see them bloom for me and you

And I think to myself what a wonderful world.

I see ________(3) are blue and _________ (4) are white

The bright blessed day, the dark sacred ________ (5)

And I think to myself what a wonderful world.

The colours of the __________ (6) so pretty in the sky

Are also on the faces of people going by.

I see _________ (7) shaking hands saying how do you do

But they're really saying I ________ (8) you.

I hear ________ (9)  cry, and I watched them grow

They'll learn much more than I'll ever _______ (10)

And I think to myself what a wonderful world.

Yes, I think to myself what a wonderful world.

              Level 2 Imagine by John Lennon

Imagine there's no heaven

It's  ________ (1) if you try 

No hell below us 

Above us only __________(2)

Imagine all the people 

Living for _________ (3)

Imagine there's no___________ (4)

It isn't hard to do 

Nothing to kill or _______ (5) for 

And no __________ (6) too 

Imagine all the people 

Living life in _________ (7)

You may say I'm a_________ (8)

But I'm not the only one 

I hope someday you'll join us 

And the _____ (9) will be as one 

Imagine no __________ (10)

I wonder if you can 

No need for greed or ________ (11)

A _________ (12) of man 

Imagine all the people 

_________ (13) all the world 

You may say that I'm a ________ 

But I'm not the only one 

I hope someday you'll______ us 

And the _________ will live as one.

Level 3 : "Heal the world"(Michael Jackson)

There's a place in your _______ (1)
and I know that it is ________(2)
and this place could
be much brighter than tomorrow
and if you really try
you'll find there's no need to _____ (3)
in this place you'll feel
there's no hurt or sorrow.

There are ways to get there
if you care enough for the ________ (4)
make a little space make a better place...

Heal the world, make it a better place
for you and for me, and the entire human

______ (5) . There are people dying
if you care enough for the ______
make a better place for you and for me.

(Chorus)

If you want to know why
there's a love that cannot lie
love is ________ (6), it only cares for
joyful giving. If we try
we shall see in this bliss
we cannot feel fear or dread
we stop _________ (7) and start living
Then it feels that always love's enough for
us growing so make a better world
make a better world...
Chorus
And the dream we were conceived in
will reveal a joyful _______ (8)
and the world we once believed in
will shine again in grace then why do we keep
strangling life wound this earth

crucify its soul though it's plain to _______ (9)

this world is heavenly, be god's glow

We could fly so high,
let our spirits never _______ (10) in my heart
I feel you are all my ________ (11)
create a world with no fear, together we'll cry
happy tears see the _______ (12) turn their swords
into plowshares

We could really get there
if you cared enough for the ______
make a little space to make a better place...
Chorus x3
for you and for me (repeated x10)

Heal the world we live in, save it for our children (x4).

Here you have the answers to Imagine and the answers to What a Wonderful World and the answers to Heal the World.

Christmas hangover. The best videos about Christmas

Hello fellow bloggers,
Lately my blog seems more like the Quirks of Christmas rather than the Quirks of English, so I promise this will be but my last post about Christmas. Last week I wrote several blog entries (one about Christmas carols that included some exercises and videos; and another about Christmas vocabulary (I think it is pretty clear that I love the Christmas season). This time I would like to compile the funniest videos about Christmas. 

1. Do you like my decorations ?
As I mentioned in my post about the different Christmas traditions, one typically American tradition is to go to a farm to cut down your own real Christmas tree (or have it cut down). This video perfectly reflects that tradition in a funny, engaging and surprisingly humorous way. It also includes a pun with the word 'saw'. Simply hilarious. 

2. I gave my children a horrible Christmas present 

Jimmy Kimmel has a very famous late-show program in America. He likes pulling pranks and asking others to pull pranks too. One of his most famous and well-known pranks is to ask parents to tell their children that they ate all their Halloween candy. However, at Christmas, he also asks parents to give their children terrible presents. Watch the children's reaction. It's priceless ! :

3. The singing Christmas hedgehogs

This is an interactive video about some cute hedgehogs eager to sing a Christmas carol, but... you know... accidents always happen. Enjoy : 

4. Christmas clumsiness compilation 
This video shows a lot of clumsy people doing their best at Christmas...

5. The scary snowman
A spooky snowman terrifying pedestrian as they go past the street...

6. Christmas lights : Gangham Style 
Some people at Christmas go crazy and decorate their houses with tons and tons of lights. By contrast, other people go even crazier and use the lights to reproduce the song : Gangham Style...

7. Christmas pranks
A compilation of some very funny Christmas pranks. 

8. Santa's adventure to catch some Christmas cookies 
This Santa is a decoration on a Christmas tree trying by all means to eat some delicious Christmas cookies. But how will he go down the tree in the first place ?

9. John Lewis's advertisement

In this lovely ad, a young child eagerly awaits Christmas to get a special present...Really touching !

Did you like my selection of videos ? Would you like to share some more videos with me ? Well, Christmas is almost over. The Three Wise Men are about pop up with your presents. Have you been good or naughty ? We'll see, hehe. Remember, on the Twelfth Night (5th January), it is believed that you must remove all your Christmas decorations and ornaments to avoid bad luck and start the year on the right foot. I hope this Christmas has been fun and welcoming for you all. 
See you on Friday.
Enjoy the rest of the holidays.

Top 10 Christmas carols according to... me !

How is your Christmas season going ? Are you eating tons and tons of food and arguing with your family ? I hope so ! Those are the best Christmas traditions ! Now I am writing posts about Christmas. In my last post, you could get to know about the different Christmas traditions in the US, the UK and Spain. Now, to sugar-coat your Christmas, I thought to write a blog about the best Christmas carols for me. I hope you appreciate it and sing them with your family :

10. Silent night : In the past, Christmas carols had a slow pace and a solemn rhythm. This is why I like this song. Enjoy it :

9. Jingle Bells : One of the most traditional ones. Its joy music makes us hum it and hum it again : 

8. White Christmas : This Christmas carol reminds me of the snow. This year, it does not make any sense, though. Anyway, enjoy it :

7. So This is Christmas (John Lennon): This carol sung by John Lennon oozes Christmas happiness and peace. 

6. Last Chritsmas I Gave You My Heart : Another yet very famous modern carol. 

5. Text me Merry Christmas : A modern Christmas carol about what Christmas is unfortunately becoming. Children and teenagers hooked on their mobile phones instead of enjoying Christmas fully. In this link, you can sing it ans dee a good animation

4. Santa Claus is Coming to Town :  A short, catchy town about one of our favourite present-bringer characters. 

3. Merry Christmas (I don't Want to Fight Tonight) by the Ramones : At least, some rock in this list ! Listen to the song in video one and become familiar with the rhythm. Then sing it using video 2. 

2. All I Want for Christmas is You : Who on Earth doesn't know this song ? It has everything a good Christmas carol must have. On top of that, it is sung by Mariah Carey.  

1. Christmas in Killarney : Top 1 in my list, an Irish carol. Why do I like it ? Well, it is different from all the rest of carols and it reminds me of my stay in Ireland. Plus, if you sing it too much you end up like the folks in the second video. Don't miss thesecond video, please ! 

BONUS : Here you have some other famous Chrismas carols which, despite not being in my list, are also jolly and singable. 

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer :

Silver Bells 

Oh, Christmas Tree 

12 days of Christmas : A good carol to exercise your memory. Let's listen to it :

I Believe in Father Christmas 

Christmas is All Around

We Wish You a Merry Christmas 

Did you enjoy my selection of carols ? Do you agree with my ranking ? You know, it's Christmas, so know what you have to do is to sing them over and over again. Just like the last Christmas carol in my bonus says, merry Christmas and a happy New Year ! 

Christmas in the UK, the US and Spain : similarities and differences

Can you hear the bells and see the lights ? Yes, finally Christmas has arrived in town. What a better opportunity to write about the Christmas traditions in different countries ? Let's begin :

1. Christmas dinner :

a) The UK : the typical dinner consists of roast turkey (or goose) with gravy, cranberry sauce and stuffing or dressing, brussel sprouts, roast potatoes, sausages wrapped in bacon, among other things

b) United States :  In America, people usually have roast turkey (or roast goose, or baked ham), gravy, cranberry sauce, stuffing or dressing made of bread, yams or sweet potato and green beans. 

c) Spain : In Spain, people usually have cold cuts (or cold meats) as a starter. Others prefer some hot seafood soup. After this, people will have some langoustines with mayonnaise. Then, roast pork or lamb casserole are popular. Some people prefer fish. 

2. After dinner :

In the United States, Christmas treats are popular after dinner. People usually have fruit cake, pumpkin pie or Pecan pie as well. In the UK, the Christmas pudding is a common 'dessert' filled with nuts and alcohol,  whereas in Spain we have different types of sweets and pastries, including nougat, sugared almonds (peladillas), shortbreads (polvorones), and marzipans. We also have nuts. 

                 America                                                 England

       

          Spain

In the UK, before the dinner, families will come together to crack their Christmas crackers. Christmas crackers are filled with a paper hat that must be worn after the dinner and a bad joke. 

3. Drinks

Eggnog is a very popular drink both in the UK and America. It is a drink consisting of milk, cream, whipped eggs, sugar and spirits. It is usually homemade but you can buy cartons in supermarkets and stores. 
In the UK, and in other countries such as Germany, they have a very curious drink, mulled wine (it's hot  wine with spices). 

In Spain, we tend to drink champagne or sparkling wine or other spirits.

 

     Eggnog (UK/USA)                        Champagne / sparkling wine (Spain)

            Mulled wine (the UK)                                                 

4. Presents : 

In the UK, it is Father Christmas who brings children some presents on Christmas Eve. Children usually write letters to Father Christmas but they do not send them. They toss them into the fireplace. 

Father Christmas and his elves will prepare the presents and then he will transport them in his sleigh pulled by reindeer. Father Christmas will get into the houses through the chimney and will deposit the presents under the Christmas tree. In addition, he will fill in the stockings next to your bed with small presents. What do children leave for Father Christmas ? Well, some brandy (because he is thirsty) and mince pie.

 

In the United States, it is Santa Claus (Santa or Saint Nick) the person in charge of the Christmas gifts. Here children usually write the letters and post them or email them to the North Pole. In the past, Santa Claus was dressed in green. It was the Coca-Cola advertisement that changed him into red. 

Santa will place the presents under the Christmas tree (next to other presents bought by the rest of the members in the family) and will fill in the stockings placed by the fireplace with presents. What do people children leave for Santa Claus ? Some milk and cookies, of course. 

 

In Spain, it is the Three Wise Men (or the Magi): Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar, the Kings of Orient, who bring the presents to the children. They do not use a sleigh to transport them. They transport them in camels. They will place them under the Christmas tree (next to the people's shoes). We have no stockings.In Spain, Santa has become popular as well. Some children open their presents twice: on the twenty-fifth of December (Santa Claus), and on the Twelfth Night after Christmas, 5th January (The Three Wise Men). The Three Wise Men are starving, so people often leave them some milk and cookies and some sweets and some  water for the camels. 

  

However, there are some similarities: in the three countries, the presents are left under the Christmas tree and naughty children receive a piece of coal (although in Spain, the Three Wise Men sometimes use sweet coal instead of a real piece of coal:

5. Decorations : 

In all these countries, the houses, the streets and the stores are decorated. What are the typical Christmas decorations ? Well, the Christmas lights, bells, snowmen, snowflakes, angels, wreathes of holly on the doors and some mistletoe over the doorway (you know two people under the mistletoe must kiss, right ?). However, there are some differences between Spain and the English-speaking countries. Normally, in the UK and the United States, people like buying real trees or even going to cut-your-own-tree farms. They will cut part of a pine tree and take them home. Some shopping centres will often have enormous Christmas trees. In addition, people's houses usually glisten with so many Christmas lights, more than in Spain.  However, in Spain, people often buy fake plastic trees. I guess we are less original, aren't we ? 

 

Nevertheless, in Spain we have quite original ornaments : nativity scenes. Houses are often decorated with nativity scenes of all types, with a lot of realistic figures depicting the birth of baby Jesus. You can also see nativity scenes in squares, museums, churches... It's an elements that clearly defines our Christmas.  

 

In the UK, people are superstitious : they must remove the tree and all decorations before the Twelfth Night (5th January), while in America some Christmas decorations may remain until...summer ! 

6. TV

- In the UK, people usually watch Christmas movies or special Christmas episodes of TV series. One of the most popular TV series during Christmas is Downton Abbey and this Christmas, people will surely watch the Christmas special of Sherlock.

- In America, Christmas movies are very popular, in special, Frosty the Snowman or A Christmas Carol. People also watch American football on TV (yes, football never comes to an end, I imagine).

- In Spain, however, things are different. Viewers prefer variety shows with music, jokes and comedy. One of the most popular programmes is the Christmas special of La Hora de José Mota. We also like to celebrate the end of the year. Every New Year's Eve, to say goodbye to the year, we watch TV with our favourite presenters and at midnight, we eat twelve grapes : one grape for each chime of the clock in Puerta del Sol, in Madrid. If we eat the twelve grapes, it will mean we will be lucky that year. 

 

7. Important dates

a) In the UK: 24th December (Christmas Eve): It's the day when families come together, they have dinner and all the presents are put under the tree. At night, Father Christmas will leave presents under the tree and inside the stockings. The presents will be opened on Christmas Day (25th December). The next day, it is Boxing Day (26th December). It is a bank holiday and shops and stores offer dramatic discounts, so most people spend this day shopping ! The last day of the year, New Year's Eve, is also important. There is an impressive fireworks display. The next day, New Year's Day is the beginning of the year. Finally, The Twelfth Night (5th January) is the day to remove all Christmas decorations to avoid bad luck.

b) In the United States, the dates aremore or less the same as in England, but they don't celebrate Boxing Day and they are not superstitious, so they don't feel the need to remove all the Christmas decorations on the Twelfth Night. 

c) In Spain : There are a lot of important dates at Christmas in Spain. First of all, on Christmas Eve, families come together and have a big dinner. On Christmas Day, families will have lunch together and in some houses they will receive Santa's presents. Then, 28th December is The Innocent's Day. This day is similar to April's Fools Day. People will pull pranks on other people and newspapers will publish some fake news. On New Year's Eve, families will have dinner together again. At midnight, people will eat twelve grapes, one for each chime of the clock. After this, families usually have a toast to celebrate this new year. Then, youngster will go clubbing to celebrate the first day of the year. There are special parties organized by discos where you can dance and eat everything you want. They are called 'cotillones'. People must dress smartly, pay a ticket, and they will spend the whole night at a disco, dancing, eating and drinking. On New Year's Day, some families come together again to have lunch. On January, 5th, the Twelfth Night, there is a big parade where the Three Wise Men say hello to all the children before going to all the children's houses. The Three Wise Men and their assistants throw sweets from the carriages for the children to catch them. At night, the Three Wise Men visit all the houses to leave children some presents.

On January, 6th, more known in Spain as The Day of the Three Wise Men, the children will open their presents (left next to their shoes). That day, families come together to eat a traditional cake filled with cream "Roscón de Reyes". This sweet is also filled with two things : one surprise and one bean. The person finding the bean must pay the whole cake. Yummy yummy !

8. Other traditions. 

In the United States and England, people will go door to door singing carols, the tradition of carolling. In the past, children did this in Spain but in exchange for money or sweets. However is a traditions that is being lost here. 

So, what is your favourite Christmas tradition ? Where would you like to spend your Christmas ? No matter the tradition, remember, the most important thing is to miss your families and have a nice time. To finish this long post I include a video showing the differences between British and American Christmases.  I hope you like it ! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year for you all !