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Lesson 209 of 240

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Festivals and traditions in English

It is Thanksgiving week at the Blue Plate. Dee pours coffee and wishes the whole counter a good holiday.

Danny brings extra pie from the truck. Murray sits on two stools and talks about Halloween and dinner plans.

Nobody talks about politics. The jukebox clicks toward B7, then stays quiet, like a private joke.

By the end, you'll greet people on US holidays and ask how they celebrate.

By the end of this lesson

Greet people at US holidays and talk about traditions.

  • Happy Thanksgiving.a warm wish on the late-November US holiday
  • Happy Fourth of July.a warm wish on the US summer holiday
  • Happy holidays.a warm wish in the winter holiday season
  • Are you doing anything for Halloween?What are your plans on October 31?
  • How do you usually celebrate?What do you normally do for this holiday?
  • We're having people over for dinner.Guests are coming to our home for a meal.

Scene — extra pie on Thanksgiving

Late November at the Blue Plate. Paper leaves sit on the counter. Dee holds the coffee pot and looks down the row of stools.

Danny comes in with extra pie. Murray is already there on two stools, coffee unfinished. The jukebox by the door is quiet.

Dee holds the coffee pot while Murray sits across two stools with unfinished coffee.

Learn — holiday wishes and plans

Six lines cover holiday wishes and simple plans.

You'll greet people, ask about Halloween, and say when guests come for dinner.

  1. Dee and Ana exchange a warm late-November holiday greeting at the counter.

    Happy Thanksgiving.

    a warm wish on the late-November US holiday

    When to use it: Say this in late November on this US holiday.

    Thanksgiving names that late-November US holiday.

    Say it: Stress is on Thanks.

  2. Murray raises his unfinished coffee in a friendly toast.

    Happy Fourth of July.

    a warm wish on the US summer holiday

    When to use it: Say this on the US summer holiday in early July.

    Fourth of July is the name of that summer holiday.

    Say it: of is a small, weak word.

  3. Dee lifts the coffee pot toward the row of stools in a broad seasonal greeting.

    Happy holidays.

    a warm wish in the winter holiday season

    When to use it: Say this in winter when people celebrate different days.

    This covers the whole winter season, not only one day.

  4. Murray asks Ana about the traditions she follows for the holiday.

    Are you doing anything for Halloween?

    What are your plans on October 31?

    When to use it: Ask this in October about someone's plans that night.

    Doing anything is a casual way to ask about plans.

    Say it: Stress is on the last part of Halloween.

  5. Ana explains that guests are coming to her home for a holiday meal as Murray listens.

    How do you usually celebrate?

    What do you normally do for this holiday?

    When to use it: Ask this to learn a person's holiday tradition.

    Usually means most years, not only this one time.

    Say it: Stress is on the first part of usually.

  6. Danny enters with extra pie as Dee welcomes him into the diner.

    We're having people over for dinner.

    Guests are coming to our home for a meal.

    When to use it: Say this when guests will eat at your home.

    Having people over uses the -ing form for a home plan.

    Say it: We're is one piece.

Story — keep it light

Watch Thanksgiving at the counter. Dee keeps the talk on pie and plans, not politics.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned.

  1. Late November. Steam rises. Dee looks down the counter.
  2. DeeHappy Thanksgiving, hon.a warm wish on the late-November US holiday
  3. AnaHappy Thanksgiving.a warm wish on the late-November US holiday
  4. She lifts the pot toward the whole row of stools.
  5. DeeHappy holidays, everybody. Keep it light.a warm wish in the winter holiday season
  6. MurrayWell. How do you usually celebrate?What do you normally do for this holiday?
  7. AnaWe're having people over for dinner.Guests are coming to our home for a meal.
  8. MurrayAre you doing anything for Halloween?What are your plans on October 31?
  9. AnaThat was last month.She tells him Halloween is already over.
  10. The door opens. Danny has a pie box.
  11. DeeCome on in, sweetie.please come inside
  12. DannyExtra pie from the truck.He brought more pie to share.
  13. MurrayIs it almost ready?He wants to know if the food is ready soon.
  14. DannyAlmost. Give me a minute.The pie needs a little more time.
  15. He glances at the quiet jukebox by the door.
  16. DannyThink B7 will play a holiday song?He jokes that the empty slot might play.
  17. DeeIt never plays. That's the joke.She does not believe the jukebox story.
  18. AnaWhat do people say in July?She asks about the summer holiday wish.
  19. DeeHappy Fourth of July. Not today.a warm wish on the US summer holiday
  20. DannyHave fun at dinner.you wish them a good time
  21. AnaThanks.a short, casual thank you

Practice — which holiday

Eleven short exercises wait here. You'll listen, match, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay small, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    English

    Happy Thanksgiving.Drop the Simple English here
    Happy Fourth of July.Drop the Simple English here
    Happy holidays.Drop the Simple English here
    How do you usually celebrate?Drop the Simple English here

    Simple English

    Drag a Simple English line onto its English, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What does it mean?

    Happy holidays.

  4. What do you say?

    It is early July in Chicago. You greet a friend on the summer holiday.

  5. Fill the gap

    a warm wish on the US summer holiday

    Happy Fourth of ____.

  6. Pick the reply

    Murray says:

    Are you doing anything for Halloween?

    What are your plans on October 31?

    And you reply with:

  7. Build the line

    What are your plans on October 31?

    ?

    Tap the words in order.

  8. Swap the word

    Guests will eat at your home in the evening. Say the dinner plan.

    We're having people over for ____.

  9. True or false?

    This means you will eat dinner alone at home.

  10. What do you say?

    A friend knocks on your door for Thanksgiving dinner.

  11. Which one doesn’t belong?

Say it — say the wish

Now you're Ana at the Blue Plate on a holiday week. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap play first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. DeeHappy holidays, hon.a warm wish in the winter holiday season
  2. Ana (you)Give the winter season wish back.

    Happy holidays.

    a warm wish in the winter holiday season

0 of 4 said

Recap — what you can say now

EnglishSimple English
Happy Thanksgiving.a warm wish on the late-November US holiday
Happy Fourth of July.a warm wish on the US summer holiday
Happy holidays.a warm wish in the winter holiday season
Are you doing anything for Halloween?What are your plans on October 31?
How do you usually celebrate?What do you normally do for this holiday?
We're having people over for dinner.Guests are coming to our home for a meal.
Next: lesson 210Borrow and return

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these holiday wishes handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your holiday wishes ready.

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