Lights, decorations, games, there are so many photos in my camera of the recent Christmas celebrations. For me, it is one of the best times of the year. And it has been that way since I was little. A Christmas tree is a staple of the festivities. Strings of lights also keep the darker season jolly. Santa, on the other hand, (1)is a different matter. I've never liked him that much, to tell you the truth. My dad actually used to dress up as Santa and carry a big bag of presents to the tree, saying "Ho! Ho! Ho!" in a very dad voice. Well, of course I knew that it was him. It was very sweet of him to put on the performance. I prefer snowmen. In the UK and here in the States, snowmen are everywhere during Christmas, real ones and toy ones. When my children were little, I had a tradition of placing snowmen up the stairs, one on each step. Another tradition is making cloved oranges, patterns of cloves pushed into the orange skin. My mother has done it for years. This year it was my oldest son who bought the supplies and organized us around the table. It was a very relaxing time of crafting and chatting.

I suppose, when I think about it, a lot of what I enjoy about the Christmas season, is the beauty and art. More of an effort is made by people to beautify the environment. And music is everywhere. The whole atmosphere is celebratory, with so many events to look forward to. My church, like most in the valley, is decorated with greenery and candles, and has carol services, and a calendar of practices to prepare us for the celebration on December 25th. I think that, more than any other time during the year, faith and hope are beautifully displayed, (2)taking precedence over work. I know that commercialism rears its ugly head, and shops overdo the decorations and music just to make money. However, for those of us who take the celebration seriously, its time for freedom and expression. Inside my home, like a busy mouse, I rush around placing wreaths here, and garlands there. Ornaments and lights go up, and candles and decorations are placed in corners and hung on the walls. Its a busy time! And I do it all because I love it. I don't want to take it down. Some years, I've left the decorations up until Spring. I don't think I'll do that this year, but I'll definitely let them linger through the snowy months.

Grammar Points.

• 1. ..'is a different matter' is a sign of contradiction, or opposing opinion to what has just been stated.
• a. I can lend him some money, but lending him my car is a different matter.
• b. Doing yoga is fine, but leading a yoga class is a different matter!
• 2. 'To take precedence over' means to be more important than.
• a. For a while, his studies took precedence over his social life.
• b. In a car accident, a patient's life takes precedence over the car or insurance questions.
• 3. Christmas vocabulary practice:
• Wreath wreaths
• Garland
• Strings of lights
• Frosted greenery.
• Candles.