Exercise 1: Work with a partner.

Write questions and

the example. Use the words in the box.

1
__Whats that? ____
_________________________
Its a wreath____
__________________________

bells
candle
sleigh
Christmas tree
presents
Wreath
Christmas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
answers
as in
lights
reindeer(2)
v=1K4eKd2Cy48
snowman Christmas candy

2 _What are these? __

3 _________________________

_Theyre presents__

__________________________

5 ________________________
6 _________________________
_________________________
8 _________________________
__________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________

9 ________________________
10 _________________________
_________________________
12 Whos __________?
__________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_____________________

11

Exercise 2: Look and study the chart below with your teacher and then pronounce
the words in the box and put them in the correct column. Ask your teacher if you are
not sure. Then listen and repeat.

bell
candle
Christmas
tree
wreath
light
candy
wish
Happy
New
tidings
bring
kin
us
some
pudding
it

sleigh
present
reindeer
Merry
Good
and
figgy
right

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/pron/sounds/

/ /

/ /

/ /

Exercise 3: Listen to the song and link the

words according to what you hear.

Exercise 4: Answer the following

questions.

We wish you a Merry Christmas (x3)

And a Happy New Year

1. When is Christmas?
__________________________________
_________
2. What do you do at Christmas?
__________________________________
_________
__________________________________
_________
__________________________________
_________

Good tidings we bring to you and your kin,

Good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New
Year.
O bring us some figgy pudding (x3)
and bring it right here.
We won't go until we've got some (x3)
so bring it right here.

Activity types: Phonetics, listening for linking words

Level: Pre-intermediate/Intermediate
Language Focus: American English vowel sounds
Notes: "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" is a popular sixteenth-century English carol from
the West Country of England. The origin of this Christmas carol lies in the English tradition
wherein wealthy people of the community gave Christmas treats to the carolers on
Christmas Eve, such as figgy puddings that were very much like modern-day Christmas
puddings. It is one of the few English traditional carols that makes mention of the New Year
celebration.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________

Pre-listening activities
1. Ask the students to work with a partner. Ask them to write questions and answers as in the
example and use the words in the box
Key:
1 Whats that?
Its a wreath

5 Whats that?
Its a Christmas tree

9 Whats that?
Its a reindeer

2 What are these?

Theyre presents

6 What are these?

Theyre Christmas
lights

10 Whats this?
Its a snowman

3 What are these?

Theyre bells

7 Whats that?
Its a candle

11 Whats this?
Its a Christmas
candy

4 What are those?

Theyre reindeer

8 Whats this?
Its a sleigh

12 Whos that?
Its Santa Claus

Exercise 2:
1. Ask the students to look and study the chart and then ask them to pronounce
the words in the box and put them in the correct column. Tell them to ask you if
they are not sure. Then ask them to listen and repeat the words
.

Key:
/ /
Christm
as
kin
wish
it
bring
here
reindeer
pudding
until

wreath
tree
candy
Merry
Happy
figgy

/ /

bell
presen
t
Merry

us
some
until

/ /
Good
puddin
g

sleigh
reindeer

light
tidings
right

go

/
New

Listening activities

Exercise 3:
1. Tell the student that they are going to listen to the song and ask them to link
the words according to what they hear
2. Play the song.
Key :

We wish you a Merry Christmas (x3)

And a Happy New Year
Good tidings we bring to you and your kin,
Good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New Year.
O bring us some figgy pudding (x3)
and bring it right here.
We won't go until we've got some (x3)
so bring it right here.
3. Play the song again. Students check their answers in pairs or in small groups.
5. Correct in open class, play the song again and sing together!
Follow up

Exercise 4: Ask the students to answer the questions.

1. When is Christmas?
2. What do you do at Christmas?
3. What do you eat / drink?

candle
candy
Happy
and

We wish you a Merry Christmas (x3)

And a Happy New Year
Good tidings we bring to you and your kin,
Good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New Year.
O bring us some figgy pudding (x3)
and bring it right here.
We won't go until we've got some (x3)
so bring it right here.