Lingua #4

Lingua
#4
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to our valued readers!
New Year is new beginnings, fresh starts, promises for a brighter future. You decide to improve your marks,
to become the top of the class, to enter University and the like.
NEW YEAR –NEW YOU!
YOUR NEW LIFE IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!
May this New Year
Bring you everlasting happiness and peace,
Success in whatever you do,
Prosperity to you and your family,
Fill your home with joy and spirit,
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
ACHIEVE YOUR WILDEST DREAMS!
By Assistant Editor Elaine Sokolova
WHY A MONKEY?
Everybody knows that 2016 is the year of the Red Monkey, but do you know the reason for this? Why does every new year
have its own animal symbol? For this, we should be grateful to the Chinese. The Chinese animal zodiac, or shengxiao
(/shnng-sshyaoww/ ‘born resembling’), is a repeating cycle of 12 years, with each year being represented by an animal
and its reputed attributes. Traditionally these zodiac animals were used to date the years.
The 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac
In order, the 12 animals are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig. People born in a
certain animal year are believed to have attributes of that animal, which could either help or hinder a relationship.
It’s BAD LUCK When Your Zodiac Year Comes
Around!
As the Chinese zodiac recurs every 12 years,
your animal year will come around when you
are 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, etc. According to
ancient Chinese superstition, in your birth sign
year, he will offend the God of Age, and will
have bad luck during that year. The best way to
avoid bad luck during this year is by wearing
something red given by an elder (relative),
such as socks, a neck cord, underwear, a
waistband, a bracelet, or an anklet.
Chinese Zodiac Years Have Two Different Starts!
There are two dates a Chinese zodiac year could be said to start on, and neither is January 1! China traditionally uses two
calendars: the solar calendar and the lunar calendar. The traditional solar calendar has 24 fifteen-day solar terms, and the
first, called ‘Start of Spring’, falls on February 4 (or 5). The lunar calendar has 12 or 13 months and starts on Chinese New
Year, which is somewhere in the period January 21 to February 20. Most Chinese people use lunar New Year as the start of
the zodiac year. But for fortune telling and astrology, people believe ‘Start of Spring’ is the beginning of the zodiac year.
Chinese Zodiac Origins — Why 12 Animals?
The 12 animals were chosen deliberately, after many revisions. The zodiac animals are either closely related to ancient
Chinese people’s daily lives, or have lucky meanings.
Weihnachten in Deutschland
Weihnachten ist das beliebteste Fest in Deutschland. Es ist das Fest der Familie, des Friedens und des Lichtes. Auf dem
Kalender steht Weihnachten unter dem 25. Und 26. Dezember. Aber im Grunde weihnachtet es schon Anfang November.
Die Schaufenster sind mit Zweigen, bunten Kugeln und Kerzen geschmueckt. Ende November wird in den Staedten der
Weihnachtsmarkt eroeffnet. Rund um einen Weihnachtsbaum stehen Buden und Verkaufsstaenden, wo manches
angeboten wird, was das Herz begehrt. Weinachten ist Anlass zum gegenseitigen Beschenken. Ueberall klingelt, riecht
nach Weihnachten. Da beginnt die Adventszeit.
Adventszeit
Das Wort “ Advent kommt aus dem Lateinischen und bedeutet “ Ankuft, Erwartung”. Die Adventszeit ist die Erwartungsund Vorbereitungszeit auf die Geburt Christi und beginnt mit dem ersten Adventssonntag, der auf den Sonntag
zwischen dem 27. und 3. Dezember des jeweiligen Jahres faellt. Man kauft einen Adventskranz mit 4 Kerzen. An jedem
Adwentssonntag zuendet man eine Kerze an. Am 4. Sonntag vor Weinachten brennen alle vier Kerzen. Um die
Erwartungszeit zu kuerzen hat man einen Adventskalender erfunden. Jeden Tag oeffnet das Kind ein Tuerchen seines
Adventskalender und findet dort eine Praline, eine Schokolade oder ein kleines Spielzeug.
Nikolaustag
Das bekannteste Fest im Advent ist der Nikolaustag. Den feiert man am 6. Dezember. Die Kinder erwarten dieses Fest mit
Freude aber auch mit Angst. Am Vorabend des Nikolausfestes stellen Kinder ihre geputzten Schuhe vor die Tuer oder
haengen Socken und Struempfe am Fenster auf. Wenn die Kinder gut und brav waren, bekommen sie am Morgen kleine
Geschenke und Suessigkeiten vom Sankt Nikolaus. Man kann auch eine Rute finden, wenn das Kind nicht brav war.
Nikolaus war Bischof von Myra im 4. Jahrhundert. Er half vielen Kindern und Menschen. Die Eltern und andere Menschen
denken daran, dass Nikolaus der Freund aller Kinder ist. Sie haben nicht vergessen, wie er lieb zu allen Menschen vor
allem zu den Kindern war, wie er half, wo er konnte. Wenn die Kinder schlafen, legen die Eltern kleine Geschenke in
Schuhe und Struempfe ihrer Kinder.
Heiligabend
Am Heiligabend, das ist am 24. Dezember kommt die ganze Familie zusammen. Morgens wird der Weihnachtsbaum
geschmueckt. Abends geht man zur Gottesdienst. Nachdem man nach Hause gekommen ist, singt man
Weihnachtslieder, zum Beispiel “Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht.” Die Kinder freuen sich auf die Bescherung und suchen ihre
Geschenke unter dem Weihnachtsbaum. Am Weihnachtstag, am 25.Dezember, kommen Verwandte zu Besuch. Alle essen
die Weihnachtsgans, das ist traditionelles Weihnachtsessen. Alle sagen einander “ Frohe Weihnachten”
Silvester
Der letzte Tag des Jahres ist dem Andenken des heiligen Papstes Silvester I. gewidmet, der am 31. Dezember 335 starb. In
seine Amtzeit fielen Entscheidungen von grosser Bedeutung. Die Bekehrung des Keisers Konstantin. Konstantin verlegte
seine Residenz von Rom nach Byzanz(Konstantinopol) Das bedeutete das Ende der griechischen Antike und den Beginn
unserer europaeischen Geschichte. Dieser Tag, der 31. Dezember, gilt als Wendepunkt vom Alten zum Neuen. Um
Mitternacht sollen die Glaeser gefullt werden. Man prostet sich zu und wuenscht sich” ein gutes neues Jahr”. Dann geht
man hinaus auf die Strasse und veranstaltet Feuerwerke. Das Feuerwerk geht auf eine alte Tradition zuruck, durch Laerm
boese Geister abzuwehren.
"Les origines et traditions de Noël"
La Veillée de Noel
Cette tradition ancienne n’a rien perdu de son charme. La veillée a lieu le 24 décembre, veille de Noël, juste avant la messe de
minuit. La famille se réunit autour du sapin ou de la flambée : la fameuse bûche de Noël que l’on fait brûler dans la cheminée. La
veillée de Noël est aussi l’occasion de chanter, de rire et de partager ensemble un premier repas de fête, très léger. Voilà le
programme d’une veillée de Noël traditionnelle même si, d’une région à l’autre, les coutumes peuvent changer.
La bûche de Noël
Pas de réveillon de Noël sans bûche ! Que vous la cuisiniez ou que vous l’achetiez, savez-vous que la bûche de Noël n’a pas
toujours été un gâteau ? Il s’agissait, à l’origine, d’une grosse pièce de bois que l’on faisait flamber au foyer et devant laquelle on
se réchauffait en attendant Noël. Pour en savoir plus, découvrez les traditions liées aux différentes régions.
Le plus ancien de la famille arrosait alors ce bois, soit de lait, soit de miel, en souvenir de l'Eden, dont l'avènement de Jésus est
venu réparer la perte, soit de vin, en souvenir de la vigne cultivée par Noé, lors de la première rénovation du monde. Le plus jeune
enfant de la maison prononçait, à genoux, ces paroles que son père lui avait apprises :
" O feu, réchauffe pendant l'hiver les pieds frileux des petits orphelins et des vieillards infirmes, répands ta clarté et ta chaleur chez
les pauvres et ne dévore jamais l'étable du laboureur ni le bateau du marin. "
L'origine de Noël
C’est d’abord le solstice d’hiver que l’on célébrait, le 25 décembre, dans l’espoir de voir la nature renaître et les journées rallonger.
Puis les Chrétiens fêtèrent à cette même date la naissance du Christ : Noël était né.
Saint Nicolas ancêtre du Père Noël
Le saint-patron protecteur des enfants, Saint-Nicolas, apporte déjà des cadeaux aux petits le 6 décembre, jour de sa fête. Et c’est
lui qui est à l’origine de la légende du père Noël !
Qui est le Père Noël
C’est un mélange du Saint-Nicolas de l’Est et du Santa Claus américain, en passant par une publicité Coca-Cola et une chanson de
Tino Rossi, qui a créé le père Noël tel qu’on le connaît aujourd’hui.
Les symboles de Noël
Et pour vous, qu’est-ce qui fait l’ambiance de Noël ? Le sapin, la couronne et les décorations ? Le calendrier de l’Avent, le houx et
toutes les traditions ? Le père Noël, les cadeaux et les enfants émerveillés ? La crèche, les rois mages et la messe de minuit ? Les
chants de Noël et le repas de fête en famille ? Chaque’un change soi-meme.
Le sapin de Noël
La tradition de l’arbre de Noël est née au XVIe siècle en Alsace. Apparat hérité de la fête païenne du solstice d'hiver, il représente
pour les chrétiens la marque de la vie et du Paradis, symbolisé par sa verdure qui perdure tout au long de l'année. c'est
habituellement au pied de l'arbre de Noël décoré que sont déposé les cadeaux.
La crèche
De petites figurines pour recréer la scène de la naissance du Christ.
Chants de Noël
« Douce Nuit », « Il est né le divin enfant » ou encore « Mon beau sapin »
The Origins of Santa
The origins of our Christmas traditions are the most fascinating of any holiday. All our favorite activities can be traced back to
specific points in history, and knowing how these things came about just makes celebrating Christmas that much more
wonderful.
For instance:
• In 2010, Santa Claus is celebrating his 1,730th birthday! The original Nicholas was born in 280 A.D. in the small country of Lycia,
which is now part of modern-day Turkey.
• Nicholas became first a priest and then a bishop in the early Christian church. The very first paintings of him show Nicholas
wearing the ceremonial robes of a Christian bishop – red trimmed with white. When we see “Santa’s suit” today, we’re seeing
those same colors.
• Nicholas became famous for gift-giving, usually to the poor. In the early fourth century a legend began to spread about
Nicholas coming at night to the home of three poor girls who did not have dowries and therefore could not marry their fiancés.
While the girls slept, Nicholas left gold coins in their stockings, which were drying by the fire. That’s how our tradition of Santa
filling stockings got its start.
• Santa is known my many names all over the world. He became “Santa Claus” in America because many of the first English
colonists to arrive to not celebrate Christmas; as Puritans they felt the holiday was disrespectful to Jesus. But their children saw
the children of Dutch settlers receiving gifts from someone called “St. Nicholas.” They thought the gift-giver’s name was “Sinter
Klass” and anglicized it further to “Santa Claus.”
• Many people think Santa’s reindeer were introduced to the holiday in Clement Moore’s wonderful poem “A Visit from St.
Nicholas,” which most of us now call “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Moore wrote about Santa and the eight reindeer in
1822. But in 1809 another great American author named Washington Irving wrote a book titled Diedrich Knickerbocker, and in it
he wrote about St. Nicholas delivering presents to children “by flying over the treetops in a wagon.” Clement Moore simply
expanded on that previous description.
• The first department store Santa appeared in 1841 at J.W. Parkinson’s Dry Goods store in Philadelphia. This Santa tried to slide
down a chimney to impress the children who were watching, but he got stuck halfway down.
• In 1890 department store Santas began appearing all over America, especially on the East Coast around Boston. They were so
popular that parents in other cities joined together and hired passenger trains to take their families to see these Santas.
• About this same time, Ralph E. Morris of the New England Telephone Company looked at switchboard lights and proposed that
strings of them be hung on Christmas trees- they would be safer than candles.
• Our modern-day image of Santa as a stout man is based on Coca-Cola ads from the 1930s. Artist Hans Sundblom used as his
model a retired salesman named Les Prentice.
January 2016 Daily Holidays, Special and Wacky Days:
Make your January unforgettable, have a celebration every day!
Squirrel Appreciation Day
Squirrel Appreciation Day is an opportunity to enjoy and appreciate your tree climbing, nut gathering neighborhood
squirrels. It's held in mid-winter when food sources are scarce for squirrels and other wildlife. Sure, squirrels spent all
fall gathering and "squirreling " away food. But, their supplies may not be enough. And, the variety of food is limited.
So, give them an extra special treat today to supplement their winter diets.
National Pie Day
National Pie Day is a special day that is set aside to bake and cook all of your favorite pies. On this day, you are also
encouraged to bake a few new pie recipes. And most importantly, it's a day to eat pies!
A great way to celebrate National Pie Day is to bake some pies and give them away to friends, neighbors, and
relatives. You never know, you may be starting a tradition of pie giving between your friends and family.
Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day
Feeling a little stressed lately.? Then, this special day is made for you! It's Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day.
As anyone who has ever come in contact with it knows, bubble wrap is not just a protective wrapping for things. It is
also a wonderful stress reliever! Just squeeze the bubbles in the Bubble wrap, and feel the stress disappear with
each POP...POP...POP. So, grab a piece of bubble wrap today, and go to town!
Fun at Work Day
Fun at Work Day is a day to have fun at work for once. Ideally, work should be fun. But normally, work is not intended
to have fun. It's intended to get work done. You're a very lucky person, if you if you can get work done and have fun
doing it. The lucky souls in this situation, love their job.
National Puzzle Day
Don't be puzzled by today. National Puzzle Day honors puzzles of all size, shape and form. Crossword puzzles are
by far the most common. Sudoku, a number puzzle, is the most recent puzzle rage. There's easy puzzles, and there's
puzzles for experts. They fit the needs of every person, and every skill level.
National Popcorn Day
The origins of this holiday are unknown. We have not found any information or documentation to confirm this is a true
"National" day. But, don't let that pop (burst) your bubble, err pop your corn that is. It's a day to celebrate healthy
(until you load it with salt and butter), and addicting popcorn.
This issue was created by: Editor-in-chief Alekseeva Margaret, Assistant Editor Elaine Sokolova, Leonova Irina,
Shkundina Tatiana, Staff writers of the 5th, 6th, 9th, 10th grades.
Special Thanks to Sergey Bannyy and Ivan Arteev.