Everything You Need to Know for Talking about Holidays in English

This lesson has been updated from its original post on December 23, 2015.

December is the month of holiday parties, cakes, and cookies, decorating trees, lighting candles, drinking hot chocolate, wrapping gifts, spending time with loved ones, and reflecting on the year. And that always means talking about holidays in English.

Are you ready for conversations with friends, neighbors, and coworkers about your holiday traditions?

Learn everything you need to know so you can focus on enjoying the conversation instead of feeling nervous about what to say!

With this lesson you’ll learn about:

• December holidays celebrated in the United States
• Holiday greetings and well wishes for friends, family, and co-workers
• Conversation starters about the holidays

And, if you love holiday baking as much as I do, be sure to check out this special lesson from my kitchen: English for the Holidays: Baking and Cooking Vocabulary.

Talk about December Holidays in English

Because the population in the United States is so diverse, there are many holidays celebrated in December. Here are a few of the most important:

Christmas

Christmas celebrates the birthday of Jesus Christ and is celebrated by Christians on December 25. The holiday is also very cultural in the United States, celebrated by both religious and nonreligious families. The day before Christmas, December 24, is known as Christmas Eve. This is also a very special day for many families. Many religious families will go to church during the evening hours or at midnight to celebrate Christmas.

Hanukkah

Hanukkah is an 8-day Jewish festival (also known as the festival of lights) celebrated in the month of December but based on the Jewish lunar calendar, as a result, the dates change from year to year.

Mawlid Un Nabi

Mawlid Un Nabi is occasionally celebrated in December (depending on the calendar year) by some countries as the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. The date changes every year because it is based on the Islamic lunar calendar.

Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa is a weeklong celebration of African culture and heritage among some African-Americans. It is celebrated by a small percentage of persons in the United States and takes place from December 26 – January 1.

Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice, on December 21 or 22, marks the shortest day of the year for the northern hemisphere (it is the longest day of the year for the southern hemisphere). Many different cultures have various celebrations or rituals for this day.

New Year

And – of course – New Year is on January 1. It is considered the first day of the year according to the Gregorian Calendar.

Note: Of all the holidays, Christmas and New Year’s Day are the only federally recognized holidays in the United States. A federal holiday means government and public offices are closed and most businesses are closed as well.

“December is the month of holiday parties, cakes, and cookies, decorating trees, lighting candles, drinking hot chocolate, wrapping gifts, spending time with loved ones, and reflecting on the year.”

Common English Greetings for the Holidays

Not sure what to write on a card or how to wish your colleagues a happy holiday? 

Use the following expressions in emails, cards or in spoken form (unless noted specifically). These are perfect to use with English-speaking friends and colleagues as you get closer to the end of the year or the holiday season at the end of the month.

Specific Holiday Greetings

Use the following well wishes or greetings for specific holidays during the month of December and for the New Year.

Merry Christmas!

This is best used for those who celebrate the holiday. In informal writing and sometimes on Christmas cards, you may sometimes see this as Merry Xmas.

Happy Hanukkah!

Used for those who celebrate the holiday.

Joyous Kwanzaa!

Used for those who celebrate the holiday and often seen on greeting cards.

Happy New Year!

A very common greeting used the days before and the day of (January 1) New Year’s Day.

Note: Immediately after the New Year, it is still common to say ‘Happy New Year’ the first time you see your colleagues or friends during the first days of January.

Conversation Starters for Talking about the Holidays in English

Use these questions to start conversations with your English-speaking colleagues and friends about their holiday plans.

• What are your holiday plans?
• Are you traveling for the holidays (or are you staying home for the holidays)?
• What are you up to for the holidays? (What are you up to = what are your plans)
• Are you staying home or going away for the holidays?
• Any New Year’s plans?
• How does your family celebrate [insert holiday]?
• Do you have any favorite holiday traditions?
• Are there any special foods that you make at this time of year?
• How are you going to bring in the New Year? (bring in the New Year = to stay up until midnight to celebrate the new year)

Curious how your friends spent the holidays after everyone returns to work? Use these questions to find out.

• How were your holidays?
• Did you do anything special/exciting for the holidays?
• Did you make any New Year’s resolutions?
• How did you bring in the New Year?
• What did you do / where did you go for the holidays?

After you’ve watched the video and reviewed the lesson, I’d love to hear from you!

Do you have any special traditions for this time of year? How do celebrate the holidays or the New Year?

Share your holiday traditions in the comments section below.

I’d also love to know if there are any common expressions that you use during this holiday time. Would you share some of the traditional expressions in the comments below?

Have a lovely Confident English Wednesday and enjoy talking to your friends about their holiday plans in English!

~ Annemarie