Holiday - St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  In the United States, this is a day to wear green, party and think about all things Irish.  I have a video to share with you but it won't help your English practice because there are no words.  It's a group of young people doing Irish dancing.

However, it does have a connection to the US because there are schools that teach this type of dancing there and you can see performances at different festivals and events especially on St. Patrick's Day.  The US is a multicultural place, so you can enjoy and learn about many different countries.

More Valentine Fun

This is a vintage valentine's card from http://vintageholidaycrafts.com.  This is a type of small card that would be exchanged by children in school.  Many of these cards include puns like this one.

A pun is using words in a way to make an unexpected and funny meaning.   It often uses words that have multiple meanings.

This pun plays with the word popcorn which is the snack pictured.
Another meaning of pop is sudden or unexpected.
Corny means silly or unsophisticated.

Vintage means from the past.  It's a nice way to say something is old and collectible.

Happy Valentine's Day!

All around the world people are celebrating Valentine's Day.  It is a holiday to celebrate love.  In the United States everyone from children to adults celebrate this special day.  Even though it is a holiday in the United States schools, stores, and offices are still open.  Children have parties in school.  They eat heart shaped cookies, drink red punch and exchange valentine's with their classmates.  Adults celebrate by sharing a romantic date with their special someone.  Couples will often exchange gifts like cards, flowers and chocolates.

And here's my gift to you - the gift of learning with English Central!  Enjoy these videos on Valentine's day.

Happy Ground Hog Day!

It's cold.  It's snowy.  It's winter in the US.   By this time of year Americans living in the Northern part of the country, tired of shoveling snow and driving on icy roads, are asking,  "How much longer will this last?"  

Tomorrow they will have an answer.   Because tomorrow, February 2 is Ground Hog Day.  Folk lore says that on this day ground hogs, furry brown rodents that hibernate in the winter, will poke their heads out of their holes and decide if there will be more winter or an early spring.  If they see their shadow, they will run back into their hole and continue sleeping for 6 more weeks.  This means 6 more weeks of winter.  On the other hand, no shadow means an early spring.  

One ground hog in Pennsylvania has become the most famous ground hog of all for his weather predictions.  His name is Punxsutawney Phil.  Every year on February 2 thousands of people and TV crews come to the small town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to see Phil.  The celebration begins before sunrise with music, fun and fireworks at a park called Gobbler's Knob.  At sunrise, Phil's human handlers, dressed in tuxedos and top hats bring the ground hog out of his hole and interpret his weather prediction for the anxious crowd.  

Today we only need to turn on our TVs or computers to get an accurate weather forecast but there was a time when people used clues in nature for this information.  This tradition has now become a fun celebration. Read more about this unique American holiday at http://www.groundhog.org/  or watch a video and live stream of the celebration at  http://www.visitpa.com/groundhog-day-live-stream.

  

Martin Luther King Day

Happy New Year 2013!  I would like to say Welcome back to everyone including myself.  I took a vacation for the holidays and enjoyed some time back in the United States to visit family.  I hope you enjoyed the posts I did while traveling.  But now I am back in Vietnam and The Conversation Hour continues which means more posts here at Fastfood English.

So, let's start off the New Year by looking at an American Holiday in the month of January.  This past Monday was a federal holiday in the United States called Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  We celebrate MLK every year on the third Monday of January.   We remember Dr. King for his tireless work as a Civil Rights Activist.  He spoke about equal rights and fair treatment for Black Americans and led non violent protests against unjust laws.   in the 1950's and 60's, Dr. King brought attention to the problems of segregation and discrimination that Black Americans faced in the US.  His work led to positive changes in laws and attitudes.  

How do we celebrate Martin Luther King Day?  Because it is a federal holiday that means schools and offices are closed for the day.  Many people use the free day to participate in volunteer projects.  It's called a Day of Service.  Here is an English Central Video that explains more about it.

Your costume is Punny!

source: womansday.com

Let's take a break from all of this Election talk!  Halloween is coming up on October 31.  Kids in the United States will dress up in costumes and go trick or treating.  That means they will go to visit their neighbors, knock on their door and say, "Trick or Treat!"  The people at the house will give them candy or some other little treat. 

Some grown-ups also get dressed up in costume and go to Halloween Parties.  It's lots of fun and very creative to make your own costume.  

These cute little babies are dressed in a Punny costume.  It's a play on words.  Do you know what they are? Deviled Eggs!

Want to see more? Check out this link to Halloween Costumes. 

Everyday Celebrations

I can't believe we here are Fast Food English missed National Cheeseburger Day!  Americans love to make every day a celebration.  There are National days, weeks and months for all different things and ideas.   It's a good way to promote a product like cheeseburgers or bring awareness to an issue like National Safe at Home week that promotes making your house safe from accidents.   These are not National Holidays - schools and businesses are still open.  But they are a fun way to make everyday more interesting.  Never miss another chance to party like an American by checking the new National Day widget in the sidebar.