1. Home
  2. Comments about the English forum
  3. Christmas lying ahead...

Comments about the English forum


Christmas lying ahead...

Silky
User since 2005
Posts: 113

9 Dec. 2006

Hi to the Gymglish users,


16 days to go before Christmas... As we live in such a variety of countries, why wouldn't we use the forum to tell one another what makes Christmas special in our respective countries or write what you celebrate instead of Christmas in your country for example in Morocco. Perhaps some of us can say something about Christmas in GB or other English-speaking countries or... or...Who is going to start? I will!
In England, they celebrate Christmas or Xmas on Dec. 25th but also on the 26th. It is a public holiday: everything is closed. This day is called Boxing Day. Boxing matches all over the country? No way.The name of this day dates back to the time when the postman, the milkman etc...used to be given presents wrapped up in BOXES in order to thank them for their good service throughout the year.Ok? Who is next?

8 comments

  • User since 2006
    Posts: 2715

    11 Dec. 2006

    When I was a wee boy, Christmas celebration in my village was mainly made of a midnight mass and some special bakeries. Now it’s full of electrical Santa Claus on a sleigh, red and white stars everywhere in the streets, homes and hearts. All that stuff is just to boost gifts purchasing.
    For my part, I consider the religious side of the feast fading away is a good thing as long as it would be the sign of an improving witness of humankind.
    But as long as it reflects the shallow concerns of people, it actually bodes ill for us.
  • User since 2006
    Posts: 2715

    12 Dec. 2006

    Here is the answer of Heaven to the Silky’s question:


    What an issue, Silky!
    Here up in heaven we have a gentle smile at looking down to Xmas celebrations on earth.
    Some celestial guests think that it’s good for people because they seem to enjoy Christmas. That’s the special case of one named Jesus who feels a bit soothed because his fans are going to pray for peace and sing peace whereas they did (and still do) so much wars and crimes in his name.


    As usual on December 25th with some winged mates I’ll go flying down onto earth through clouds and sunshine; and we’ll go singing singsongs through the fields…
    A melancholic music will be played by our angels trumpets choir.
    What are we going to sing this year at the crack of dawn on this coming up 25th.


    We’ll sing:
    “What a morning, Silky! What a mourning! As the stars begin to fall, what a pity, Silky!
    Boys and girls no longer sing with us, they are busy with the plastic handguns they are given to, as the stars begin to fall, as the wars make people brawl, as the angels just can mourn! What a pity, Silky!”
  • User since 2005
    Posts: 113

    21 Dec. 2006

    Dear Angel,
    I want to thank you for the words of your song.You reached out and touched me lightly with your wing.I wish you were able to touch the victims of man's stupid behaviour as well. Another angel once gave me some pieces of advice. Of course, you know them but some members of the forum might like them:
    -Know all the possibilities of your impossible dream.
    -Love is the only four-letter word you need to know.
    -Love mother earth.
    -It's easier to fly when you take yourself lightly.
    -Whenever you feel afraid, get a new box of crayons...
    I wish you all"to spread your wings and fly", you may meet the forum's Guardian Angel!
  • User since 2006
    Posts: 2715

    21 Dec. 2006

    By Gee


    I’ve just picked up this “airmiss” on 120.57


    “airmiss airmiss airmiss - Frankfurt control – Alitalia 706 – overhead Erlangen – Flight level 370 – at 27 we came across a flock of white angels on descent – a lot of feathers now are raining down – one angel could possibly have been swallowed up by our engine number 4 which is running down – we keep ready for any possible breakdown.”


    Useful explanations to readers who are not used to fly:
    120.57 is in megahertz the frequency of the Air traffic Service the plane was in contact to.
    Airmiss is the official term to call a near miss on aerial navigation. The pilot in command (commandant de bord) has to file an airmiss on air as his airliner is unexpectedly approached by another flying object (for example a fighter or a flying wizard).
    Any message in navigation has to mention first the addressee (here Frankfurt Control) and thereafter the sender (here Alitalia 706 which identifies the plane).
    “overhead Erlangen” in the geographical position of the aircraft- Erlangen is a beacon.
    “Flight level 370” gives the vertical position of the aircraft.
    “at 27” gives the moment of the event, it is 27 minutes after the running hour.
  • User since 2006
    Posts: 2715

    21 Dec. 2006

    First of all I wish to thank Silky for her pieces of advice.
    I indeed knew the first one (Know all the possibilities of your impossible dream) which has to be practiced at any time. It’s a phenomenological state of mind. Practice the doubt about everything and always take in account all the other possibilities of what is going on.
    The second one (Love mother earth) is a good one but why not love the whole cosmos?
    I must confirm the third one (It's easier to fly when you take yourself lightly) by own experience.. After a good meal flying is sometimes crazy.
    The last one (Whenever you feel afraid, get a new box of crayons...) is new for me! I like it so much! I'm going straight ahead to buy a lot a crayons boxes with all the colours.


    About the airmiss picket up by Gee on an ATS frequency, I have to confirm it.
    Some hours ago I was flying down onto earth with some of my angel-mates. We came to abide the just being about to be born little plastic Jesus in his wood cradle (there are plastic cradles too). On our descent we came across a airliner and many of us lost feathers. There is rumour going around the angels flock that our mate Gabriel has been sucked up by a jet-engine. If it turns out to be true, we’ll be in deep trouble: How will we manage to go on with commemorating the announcement to Mary? It’s such a lovely myth!
  • User since 2006
    Posts: 2715

    25 Dec. 2006

    Boxing Day


    I spend the holiday season in Abergavenny [stress on ‘ga’] in Wales. It’s a tiny village where cottages are spread around the hills.
    I am hosted by the family of my girlfriend. The man is a retired police officer, he’s very fond of hunting, he has got two retrievers. The lady is a handicraft acumen, she makes paramount patchworks.
    Yesterday to celebrate Christmas eve with a lot of friends, they had hired the town hall, a lovely small building located, as they said, in the center of the village but the nearest house is actually half a mile far away from the hall.


    If I come along here in the forum with my story, that’s because I’d like to add a point to Silky’s explanations of the origins of Boxing day. Sure in towns the tradition of giving boxes to door-to-door deliverers has become obsolete. But here in Abergavenny, my hosts have prepared 3 little boxes that are waiting on the mantelpiece.


    I came here with the hope of improving my English. That didn’t prevent me from bringing my laptop in order to not miss the GG lessons. Gaelic is still alive here aside English.


    Would you like coming once a day here on holiday?
    Visit the website < http://www.llanddewiskirrid.co.uk/ >
    Last piece of advice: if you come by car (so I did), crossing the channel by Eurotunnel is very cheap as long as you go and return early in the morning or late in the evening.
    Have a merry boxing day!
  • User since 2007
    Posts: 3

    5 March 2007

    pouvez-vous traduire les textes en français
  • User since 2007
    Posts: 3

    8 March 2007

    From Silky:
    Hi to the Gymglish users,


    16 days to go before Christmas... As we live in such a variety of countries, why wouldn't we use the forum to tell one another what makes Christmas special in our respective countries or write what you celebrate instead of Christmas in your country for example in Morocco. Perhaps some of us can say something about Christmas in GB or other English-speaking countries or... or...Who is going to start? I will!
    In England, they celebrate Christmas or Xmas on Dec. 25th but also on the 26th. It is a public holiday: everything is closed. This day is called Boxing Day. Boxing matches all over the country? No way.The name of this day dates back to the time when the postman, the milkman etc...used to be given presents wrapped up in BOXES in order to thank them for their good service throughout the year.Ok? Who is next?

     

    From Marie Rossi:
    pouvez-vous traduire les textes en français

     

    From Marie Rossi:
    pouvez-vous traduire les textes en français

     

    From Marie Rossi:
    pouvez-vous traduire les textes en français

     

    From Marie Rossi:
    pouvez-vous traduire les textes en français

     

Please sign in to leave a comment.