CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

Today I’d like to give you some information how Christmas is celebrated in other countries.

Christmas in America
Early European settlers brought many traditions to the United States. Many settled in the early days in the South, these settlers would send Christmas greetings to their distant neighbors by shooting firearms and letting off fireworks.
In Hawaii this practice is still in use as under the sunny skies, Santa Claus arrives by boat and Christmas dinner is eaten outdoors.
In Alaska, a star on a pole is taken from door to door, followed by Herod's Men, who try to capture the star. Colonial doorways are often decorated with pineapple, a symbol of hospitality.
In Alaska, boys and girls with lanterns on poles carry a large figure of a star from door to door. They sing carols and are invited in for supper.


Christmas in Italy
The Christmas season in Italy goes for three weeks, starting 8 days before Christmas known as the Novena. During this period, children go from house to house reciting Christmas poems and singing.
In some parts shepherds bring musical instruments into the villages, play and sing Christmas songs.
A strict feast is observed for 24 hours before Christmas Eve, and is followed by a celebration meal, in which a light Milanese cake called panettone features as well as chocolate.


Christmas in France
On Christmas Eve, children leave their shoes by the fireplace to be filled with gifts from Pere Noel. In the morning they also find that sweets, fruit, nuts and small toys have been hung on the tree.
In France it is a time for the whole family to come together at Christmas time to holiday and worship. On the eve of Christmas beautifully lit churches and cathedrals, ring out Christmas carols with the church bells.
Once dinner is over and the family has retired to bed, they leave a fire burning and food and drink on the table in case the Virgin Mary calls in.
In the north of France, children are given gifts on December 6, which is St. Nicholas' Day, instead of Christmas Day. The adults give each others presents on New Year's Day.

Press Review

I read an article the other day at the online version of „www.austriantimes.at“ and it talks about a campaign to encourage skiers to wear helmets.

Basically what it says is that the People’s Party said that there is no legislation forcing skiers to wear helmets would get through the provincial parliament.

It is also mentioned that Christian Raschner from the Institute for Sport Science said that 68 per cent of the Tyrol told that helmets were no disadvantage for them. Even more than 50 per cent already used them. In Upper Austria children aged 15 and under must wear helmets to go skiing or snowboarding. As far for me is that the parents are responsible for their children.
The Committee for Traffic Safety announced that 56,000 of nine or ten million people skiing or snowboarding on Austrian slopes will end up in hospital.

In my opinion it is good to wear helmets especially for the children because there happen so many accidents on the slopes.

Vocabulary:
legislation (Gesetzgebung) = There are different legislations to tell the people what they mustn’t do.
to force (zwingen) = For example you force somebody to help you with the housework.

you can read the full article here:

http://www.austriantimes.at/news/General_News/2009-12-10/18754/Winter-sports_helmets_still_not_mandatory_in_Tyrol

Flora said that she had learned about her own culture when she had been in Austria. She was very surprised when she saw Austrians smoking in public places.
Flora also told us that she had met a lot of interesting people and she had learned to appreciate them.
The girl also mentioned that she had knowan some cliches of the Austrians.

E-cars-project

I have just read an article in today’s online version „Austriantimes.at“ and it talks about an electric car project.
I thought you might be interested because I think this topic is very important for our future. Basically what this article says is that there will be a project to put 100,000 electric cars on the road by 2020. They also said that the cars will cost between 25.000 and 30.000 euros. Mario Summer from Magna Steyr said so-called e-cars would be in mass production by 2017. It is also mentioned that the batteries of the cars would take about 20 minutes to charge. E-cars would have to be used for longer trips. Mr. Summer also said that the production will take him two or three years. In my opinion it’s a good investment in our future and the cars will be better for the environment.

http://www.austriantimes.at/news/Business/2009-09-18/16516/Austrian_Mobile_Power_in_electric_car_project

Press Review


I've just read an article at "austriantimes.at" and it talks about H&M. I thought it might be interesting because I know a lot of people who buy their clothes at H&M.
You can read the full article at http://www.austriantimes.at/News/14309/2009-06-2/H%26M%92s_Austrian_turnover_rose_in_the_second_quarter

Basically what it says is that the Swedisch textile chain H&M rose his turnover by 22 per cent to 132.9 million Euros in the second quarter which started in March and ended in May. The result for the first quarter was only 117.3 million Euros.

The article also gives you some information about that H&M has already 61e shops in Ausria and it had 1.822 stores worldwide at the and of May. The chain is planning to open 159 new stores and close 18 worldwide by the end of November.

I buy a lot of T-shirts at H&M and I think that they have a good quality.

Press Review


I’ve just read an article at „austriantimes.at“ and it talks about the bosses of a luxury hotel whose forgot a licence.
I thought it might be interesting because there are a lot of people who stay in a hotel for their holidays.
The full article is at http://www.austriantimes.at/?id=14105

Basically what the article says ist hat a gala opening for a new luxury fife-star hotel in Kitzbühel has been shelved because the bosses forgot to apply for a licence to run it.
It also talks about that the hotel is owned by a Russian billionaire.
The austrian lawyer said that the hotel will apply for a licence as soon as possible.
Tere is also some information about the hotel „Grand Tirolia“. It has 82 rooms, a spa, seminar rooms, gourmet restaurants with top chefs, and it also includes a 300-square-metre presidental suite.

What shocked me most was that how you can forget the licence.

PRESS REVIEW


I’ve just read an article at „austriantimes.at“ and it talks about the heavy rain in ausria.
I thought you might be interested in reading it because there are a lot of people who live near a lake or a river. The full article is at http://www.austriantimes.at/article/14151/Heavy%20rain%20on%20tap

Basically what it says ist hat Ausria is to be hit by heavy rain over the next few days. Weathermen said that there will fall much as 150 millimetres in some area.
The Central Agency for Meteorology and geodynamics in Vienna gives some information that there could fall a lot of rain especially on the north side of the Alps between Tyrol and Lower Austria.

It is also mentioned that forecasters were monitoring the water levels during the next few days.

As far for me I don’t think that I am concerned of a flooding because there isn’t a river or a lake near our house.