Advent Calendar With The Festive Season ...123rf.com

Christmas
Advent Calendar

During the following days and in weekdays have fun and click here.
You have activities, you can practise your English, you can have fun!
You can find a fun Christmas activity for every school day of the advent calendar until December 21st.

St Andrews Day 2019: 10 myths and ...scotsman.com

St.Andrew's day, 
30th November

Do you know that …

today, 30th November,  is St.Andrew's day, Scotland's patron saint? And that St Andrew’s Day marks the beginning of Scotlands winter festivals?

"St Andrew’s Day is commemorated as a celebration of Scottish culture and traditions, in particular, food and music.

One traditional food is cullen skink - a type of fish soup. Lamb is also a popular food during St Andrew’s Day celebrations.

It is also seen as marking the start of a season of Scottish winter festivals which include St Andrew’s Day, Hogmanay and Burns Night.

In some places, such as the town of St Andrews and other Scottish cities, there are week-long celebrations.

Hogmanay begins on Monday, December 30 and ends on Wednesday, January 1 2020, and commemorates the end of the year.

Burns Night will this year fall on Friday, January 25, 2020 - celebrating the life of Scottish poet Robert Burns." 

(in https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/life/1211318/St-Andrews-day-greetings-wishes-why-do-we-celebrate-st-Andrews-day)

If you want to learn more about this Scottish holiday watch this short video. It won't take long. Click here.

St. Andrew's Day (in lieu) in Scotland ...officeholidays.com

Harvest Thanksgiving Weekend, September 14 & 15 – Straide Parishstraideparish.com

Thanksgiving Day, 
28th November

Do you know that …

"Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday in the United States, and Thanksgiving 2019 occurs on Thursday, November 28. 
In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. 
For more than two centuries, days of thanksgiving were celebrated by individual colonies and states. It wasn’t until 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November.(…)" Read more here.


Watch these two videos about the history of this date.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym4izq-rrow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lslqtUMwDxA

Do you know what Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is? Find out  here.

93rd Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade ...joemygod.com

As you know, this American holiday is all about giving thanks, is all about remembering what you have to be thankful for. 

‘As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.’ – John F. Kennedy

(in https://metro.co.uk/2019/11/28/happy-thanksgiving-2019-quotes-memes-messages-celebrate-11229601/)

International Day on the Elimination of Violence Against Women,
25th November

Artwork for the UN Women interactive website, Violence Against Women: Facts Everyone Should Know. Image: UN Women

"Why we must eliminate violence against women 

Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations in our world today remains largely unreported due to the impunity, silence, stigma and shame surrounding it.

In general terms, it manifests itself in physical, sexual and psychological forms, encompassing: 

• intimate partner violence (battering, psychological abuse, marital rape, femicide); 
• sexual violence and harassment (rape, forced sexual acts, unwanted sexual advances, child sexual abuse, forced marriage, street harassment, stalking, cyber- harassment); 
• human trafficking (slavery, sexual exploitation); 
• female genital mutilation; and 
• child marriage.

To further clarify, the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women issued by the UN General Assembly in 1993, defines violence against women as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life."

Read here the full article and  watch the video message by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXuAyCqGZrA

International Day on the Elimination of …amel.org

There are some sayings/proverbs that we need to change when someone's life is in danger.

Campanha #PortugalContraAViolência - CIGcig.gov.pt

World Philosophy Day,
21st November 2019

World Philosophy Day 2019 | Blog of the APAblog.apaonline.org

"Philosophy is the study of the nature of reality and existence, of what is possible to know, and of right and wrong behaviour. 
It comes from the Greek word phílosophía, meaning 'the love of wisdom.' 
It is one of the most important fields of human thought as it aspires to get at the very meaning of life.

World Philosophy Day was introduced in 2002 by UNESCO (the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) with the following objectives: 

1. to renew the national, subregional, regional and international commitment to philosophy;
2. to foster philosophical analysis, research and studies on major contemporary issues, so as to respond more effectively to the challenges that are confronting humanity today;
3. to raise public awareness of the importance of philosophy and its critical use in the choices arising for many societies from the effects of globalization or entry into modernity;
4. to appraise the state of philosophy teaching throughout the world, with special emphasis on unequal access; 
5. to underline the importance of the universalization of philosophy teaching for future generations.

In 2005 the UNESCO General Conference proclaimed that World Philosophy Day would be celebrated every third Thursday of November.

2019 observance

The 2019 edition aims to highlight the importance of philosophy in different regional contexts. 

The goal is to obtain regional contributions to global debates on contemporary challenges that support social transformations. 

The purpose of this approach is to foster regional dynamics, stimulating global collaboration to address major challenges such as migration, radicalization, environmental change, or artificial intelligence."  

(in https://www.un.org/en/events/philosophyday/)

"UNESCO has always been a friend of philosophy. UNESCO itself  is  an  institution  that  implements  a  philosophical  project  –  the  philosophy  of  human rights, that of Emmanuel Kant or Bernardin de Saint-Pierre. In a sense, it can thus  be  said  that  UNESCO,  whose  mandate  reflects  the  universal  vocation  of  philosophy, is itself a philosophy.

On  this  World  Philosophy  Day,  UNESCO  invites  you (...)  to  experience  this  astonishment  about  the  world  and  the  environment  and  to  unmask  dogmas  and  prejudices; to discover, in short, the universality of the human condition."

— Audrey Azoulay, Director General, Message on the occasion of World Philosophy Day 

(in https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/philosophyday)

 “The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less.” Socrates

"Freedom can only be achieved through the freedom of others." Simone de Beauvoir

World Philosophy Day 21 Novemberun.org

"Museo Nacional del Prado"

Museu do Prado ganha Doodle do Google em aniversário de 200 ...techtudo.com.br

19th November

Do you know this museum is one of the most important museums in the world? 
Do you know where you can visit it? 
Do you know that today it celebrates 200 years?
Read here  or here to learn more about it.

11th November

São Martinho, Castanhas & Magustos ...portugalconfidential.com

Do you know that …

today people celebrate St.Martin's Day?

Read a little bit here.

"In Portugal, St. Martin's Day 
is commonly associated with the celebration of the maturation of the year's wine, being traditionally the first day when the new wine can be tasted. It is celebrated, traditionally around a bonfire, eating the "magusto", chestnuts roasted under the embers of the bonfire (sometimes dry figs and walnuts), and drinking a local light alcoholic beverage called "água-pé", made by adding water to the pomace left after the juice is pressed out of the grapes for wine – traditionally by stomping on them in vats with bare feet, and letting it ferment for several days), or the stronger "jeropiga" (a sweet liquor obtained in a very similar fashion, with "aguardente" added to the water). "Água-pé", though no longer available for sale in supermarkets and similar outlets (it is officially banned for sale in Portugal), is still generally available in small local shops from domestic production. (…)
A typical Portuguese saying related to Saint Martin's Day:

É dia de São Martinho;

comem-se castanhas, prova-se o vinho.

(It is St. Martin's Day,

we'll eat chestnuts, we'll taste the wine.)

This period is also quite popular because of the usual good weather period that occurs in Portugal in this time of year, called "Verão de São Martinho" (St. Martin's Summer). 

It is frequently tied to the legend since Portuguese versions of St. Martin's legend usually replace the snowstorm with rain (because snow is not frequent in most parts of Portugal, while rain is common at that time of the year) and have Jesus bringing the end of it, thus making the "summer" a gift from God. (adapted https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Martin%27s_Day)

Remembrance Sunday Parades/Services ...burghfieldparishcouncil.gov.uk

Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day (sometimes known informally as Poppy Day owing to the tradition of the remembrance poppy) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty. 
Following a tradition inaugurated by King George V in 1919,  the day is also marked by war remembrances in many non-Commonwealth countries. 
Remembrance Day is observed on 11 November in most countries to recall the end of hostilities of First World War on that date in 1918. 
Hostilities formally ended "at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month", in accordance with the armistice signed by representatives of Germany and the Entente between 5:12 and 5:20 that morning. ("At the 11th hour" refers to the passing of the 11th hour, or 11:00 am.) 
The First World War officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on 28 June 1919. (in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remembrance_Day)

"Remembrance Day is an observance and not a public holiday in the UK. 
Many businesses may temporarily pause activity at 11am for 2 minutes of silence on November 11. (…) 
Remembrance Sunday, in the United Kingdom, holiday held on the second Sunday of November that commemorates British service members who have died in wars and other military conflicts since the onset of World War I. By tradition, a two-minute period of silence is observed throughout the country at 11 am, and church …" 
(in https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&sxsrf=ACYBGNRVomhyjb16O5DDuDoJEm1cE21ccQ%3A1573372822895&ei=lsPHXf2mNqLlgwfs5L1I&q=remembrance+day+uk&oq=remembrance+day+UK&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.35i39j0i324j0l6j0i8i67j0i30.3545.7682..13495...0.2..0.100.285.2j1......0....1..gws-wiz.......0i71j35i304i39j0i13j0i13i30j35i305i39j0i10j0i8i10i30.IF0XHI140w4)

Remembrance Day - Blacktown Cityblacktown.nsw.gov.au

Thank you / Obrigado(a) / Merci / Danke/ ...

European languages ...pinterest.com

Is It Bad to Say Thank You? (And Other ...pinterest.com

Do you know how to say "thank you" in several European languages? 
Well, … click here! 

9th November 1989-2019

Do you know that …

today is the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall?

"Berlin Wall collapse 30 years later

On November 9, 1989, East Germany opened its borders, allowing East and West German citizens to travel freely between the two countries. Jane Curry, a political science professor at Santa Clara University, joined CBSN's Tanya Rivero for a closer look at the impact of that iconic event in history.NOV 8, 2019" (in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjfLS8DSfOc)  Watch the video, too.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiwzfyS89XlAhXUoVwKHe2-DnwQMwiAASgJMAk&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.holidayscalendar.com%2Fevent%2Fguy-fawkes-day%2F&psig=AOvVaw2txZ0IFPsm1SPRIQYFuj7Q&ust=1573140492594150&ictx=3&uact=3

5th November,
Bonfire Night

Do you know that ...

"If you’re ever in the UK on the evening of 5 November, you might wonder why you can hear fireworks. Bonfire Night is celebrated all over the country, but what is it about? Find out about the history of this well-loved event in this article." 

(in http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/general-english/magazine/bonfire-night)

Watch this video about Bonfire Night HERE.