🎄 Holiday Culture

⏱ 15 min read

In this lesson you will learn useful everyday English vocabulary and expressions for talking about holidays, family celebrations, traditions, gifts, special meals, vacations, and holiday plans. Each English word or phrase includes a simple meaning plus translations in several languages.

🟢 Basic Holiday Vocabulary

📅 Public holiday
an official day off work or school
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Día festivo
🇫🇷 French: Jour férié
🇩🇪 German: Feiertag
🇮🇹 Italian: Giorno festivo
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Feriado
🎉 Celebration
a special time to mark a happy occasion
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Celebración
🇫🇷 French: Célébration
🇩🇪 German: Feier
🇮🇹 Italian: Celebrazione
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Celebração
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family
the people you are related to
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Familia
🇫🇷 French: Famille
🇩🇪 German: Familie
🇮🇹 Italian: Famiglia
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Família
🎁 Gift
something you give someone for a special day
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Regalo
🇫🇷 French: Cadeau
🇩🇪 German: Geschenk
🇮🇹 Italian: Regalo
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Presente
🍽️ Dinner
the main meal in the evening
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Cena
🇫🇷 French: Dîner
🇩🇪 German: Abendessen
🇮🇹 Italian: Cena
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Jantar
🎊 Party
a gathering of people to have fun
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Fiesta
🇫🇷 French: Fête
🇩🇪 German: Party / Feier
🇮🇹 Italian: Festa
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Festa

🟡 Holiday & Celebration Vocabulary

🎄 Christmas
a December holiday many families celebrate
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Navidad
🇫🇷 French: Noël
🇩🇪 German: Weihnachten
🇮🇹 Italian: Natale
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Natal
🎆 New Year's Day
January 1, the first day of the year
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Año Nuevo
🇫🇷 French: Nouvel An
🇩🇪 German: Neujahr
🇮🇹 Italian: Capodanno
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Ano Novo
🐣 Easter
a spring holiday many families celebrate
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Pascua
🇫🇷 French: Pâques
🇩🇪 German: Ostern
🇮🇹 Italian: Pasqua
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Páscoa
🕯️ Tradition
a custom people keep year after year
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Tradición
🇫🇷 French: Tradition
🇩🇪 German: Tradition
🇮🇹 Italian: Tradizione
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Tradição
🍲 Traditional food
dishes people cook for a holiday
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Comida tradicional
🇫🇷 French: Plat traditionnel
🇩🇪 German: Traditionelles Essen
🇮🇹 Italian: Cibo tradizionale
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Comida tradicional
🎇 Fireworks
bright lights and noise shot into the sky
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Fuegos artificiales
🇫🇷 French: Feux d'artifice
🇩🇪 German: Feuerwerk
🇮🇹 Italian: Fuochi d'artificio
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Fogos de artifício

🏠 Holiday Plans & Activities

🤝 Family gathering
when relatives come together in one place
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Reunión familiar
🇫🇷 French: Réunion de famille
🇩🇪 German: Familientreffen
🇮🇹 Italian: Riunione di famiglia
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Reunião de família
🍽️ Special meal
food prepared for a holiday or celebration
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Comida especial
🇫🇷 French: Repas spécial
🇩🇪 German: Besonderes Essen
🇮🇹 Italian: Pasto speciale
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Refeição especial
✈️ Holiday trip
travel you take during time off
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Viaje de vacaciones
🇫🇷 French: Voyage de vacances
🇩🇪 German: Urlaubsreise
🇮🇹 Italian: Viaggio di vacanza
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Viagem de férias
🏖️ Vacation (US) / Holiday (UK)
time away from work or school
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Vacaciones
🇫🇷 French: Vacances
🇩🇪 German: Urlaub
🇮🇹 Italian: Vacanza
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Férias
😌 Day off
a day when you do not work or go to school
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Día libre
🇫🇷 French: Jour de congé
🇩🇪 German: Freier Tag
🇮🇹 Italian: Giorno libero
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Dia de folga
🎁 Exchange gifts
to give presents to each other
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Intercambiar regalos
🇫🇷 French: Échanger des cadeaux
🇩🇪 German: Geschenke austauschen
🇮🇹 Italian: Scambiarsi regali
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Trocar presentes

▶️ Holiday Actions

🎉 Celebrate
to mark a special day with joy
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Celebrar
🇫🇷 French: Célébrer
🇩🇪 German: Feiern
🇮🇹 Italian: Festeggiare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Celebrar
🎁 Give a gift
to present something to someone
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Dar un regalo
🇫🇷 French: Offrir un cadeau
🇩🇪 German: Ein Geschenk geben
🇮🇹 Italian: Fare un regalo
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Dar um presente
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Spend time with family
to be together with your relatives
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Pasar tiempo con la familia
🇫🇷 French: Passer du temps en famille
🇩🇪 German: Zeit mit der Familie verbringen
🇮🇹 Italian: Passare del tempo con la famiglia
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Passar tempo com a família
🍳 Prepare dinner
to cook the evening meal
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Preparar la cena
🇫🇷 French: Préparer le dîner
🇩🇪 German: Das Abendessen vorbereiten
🇮🇹 Italian: Preparare la cena
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Preparar o jantar
✈️ Travel
to go from one place to another
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Viajar
🇫🇷 French: Voyager
🇩🇪 German: Reisen
🇮🇹 Italian: Viaggiare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Viajar
🎄 Decorate
to make a place look festive
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Decorar
🇫🇷 French: Décorer
🇩🇪 German: Dekorieren
🇮🇹 Italian: Decorare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Decorar

🧠 Talking About Holidays

💡 Use celebrate when talking about holidays, birthdays, festivals, and other special occasions.
We celebrate Christmas with our family.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Celebramos la Navidad con nuestra familia.
🇫🇷 Nous célébrons Noël en famille.
🇩🇪 Wir feiern Weihnachten mit unserer Familie.
🇮🇹 Festeggiamo il Natale con la nostra famiglia.
🇵🇹 Celebramos o Natal com nossa família.
💡 Use spend to talk about where or with whom you spend holidays.
I'm going to spend the holidays with my family.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Voy a pasar las fiestas con mi familia.
🇫🇷 Je vais passer les fêtes avec ma famille.
🇩🇪 Ich werde die Feiertage mit meiner Familie verbringen.
🇮🇹 Passerò le feste con la mia famiglia.
🇵🇹 Vou passar as festas com minha família.
We spent New Year's Day at home.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Pasamos el Año Nuevo en casa.
🇫🇷 Nous avons passé le Nouvel An à la maison.
🇩🇪 Wir haben Neujahr zu Hause verbracht.
🇮🇹 Abbiamo passato Capodanno a casa.
🇵🇹 Passamos o Ano Novo em casa.
💡 Holiday has different meanings in different English-speaking countries.
🇺🇸 In American English, holiday usually means a special day like Christmas or Thanksgiving, while vacation means time away from work or school.
🇬🇧 In British English, holiday can mean both a public holiday and a vacation.
Tomorrow is a public holiday.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Mañana es día festivo.
🇫🇷 Demain est un jour férié.
🇩🇪 Morgen ist Feiertag.
🇮🇹 Domani è un giorno festivo.
🇵🇹 Amanhã é feriado.

🎉 Holiday Greetings

🎄 Merry Christmas!
a common greeting at Christmas
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Feliz Navidad
🇫🇷 Joyeux Noël
🇩🇪 Frohe Weihnachten
🇮🇹 Buon Natale
🇵🇹 Feliz Natal
🎆 Happy New Year!
a greeting for January 1
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 ¡Feliz Año Nuevo!
🇫🇷 Bonne année !
🇩🇪 Frohes neues Jahr!
🇮🇹 Buon anno!
🇵🇹 Feliz Ano Novo!
🎊 Happy Holidays!
a general greeting for the holiday season
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Felices fiestas
🇫🇷 Joyeuses fêtes
🇩🇪 Schöne Feiertage
🇮🇹 Buone feste
🇵🇹 Boas festas
🥂 Have a wonderful holiday!
wishing someone a good time off
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Que tengas unas maravillosas vacaciones / fiestas
🇫🇷 Passez de merveilleuses fêtes
🇩🇪 Schöne Feiertage!
🇮🇹 Buone feste!
🇵🇹 Tenha ótimas festas!

❓ Useful Holiday Questions

🎉 What are you celebrating?
asking which special day it is
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 ¿Qué celebras?
🇫🇷 Que fêtes-tu ?
🇩🇪 Was feierst du?
🇮🇹 Che cosa festeggi?
🇵🇹 O que você está comemorando?
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Are you spending the holidays with your family?
asking if relatives will be together
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 ¿Vas a pasar las fiestas con tu familia?
🇫🇷 Vas-tu passer les fêtes avec ta famille ?
🇩🇪 Verbringst du die Feiertage mit deiner Familie?
🇮🇹 Passerai le feste con la tua famiglia?
🇵🇹 Você vai passar as festas com sua família?
🎄 How do you celebrate Christmas?
asking about Christmas customs
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 ¿Cómo celebran la Navidad?
🇫🇷 Comment célébrez-vous Noël ?
🇩🇪 Wie feiert ihr Weihnachten?
🇮🇹 Come festeggiate il Natale?
🇵🇹 Como vocês comemoram o Natal?
🎁 Do you exchange gifts?
asking if people give presents to each other
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 ¿Intercambian regalos?
🇫🇷 Échangez-vous des cadeaux ?
🇩🇪 Tauscht ihr Geschenke aus?
🇮🇹 Vi scambiate i regali?
🇵🇹 Vocês trocam presentes?
🍽️ What do you usually eat during the holidays?
asking about holiday meals
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Qué comen durante las fiestas?
🇫🇷 French: Que mangez-vous habituellement pendant les fêtes ?
🇩🇪 German: Was esst ihr normalerweise an den Feiertagen?
🇮🇹 Italian: Cosa mangiate di solito durante le feste?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: O que vocês costumam comer durante as festas?
📅 Is tomorrow a public holiday?
asking if tomorrow is an official day off
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Mañana es día festivo?
🇫🇷 French: Demain est-il férié ?
🇩🇪 German: Ist morgen ein Feiertag?
🇮🇹 Italian: Domani è un giorno festivo?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Amanhã é feriado?

💬 Common Holiday Phrases

🎁 I brought you a special gift.
you arrived with a present
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Te traje un regalo especial.
🇫🇷 French: Je t'ai apporté un cadeau spécial.
🇩🇪 German: Ich habe dir ein besonderes Geschenk mitgebracht.
🇮🇹 Italian: Ti ho portato un regalo speciale.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Trouxe um presente especial para você.
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 We celebrate together as a family.
relatives mark the day with each other
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Celebramos juntos en familia.
🇫🇷 French: Nous célébrons en famille.
🇩🇪 German: Wir feiern gemeinsam als Familie.
🇮🇹 Italian: Festeggiamo insieme in famiglia.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Celebramos juntos em família.
🍽️ We're going to prepare a special dinner.
you will cook a holiday meal
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Vamos a preparar una cena especial.
🇫🇷 French: Nous allons préparer un dîner spécial.
🇩🇪 German: Wir werden ein besonderes Abendessen zubereiten.
🇮🇹 Italian: Prepareremo una cena speciale.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Vamos preparar um jantar especial.
🎆 We're going to watch the fireworks.
you will look at the lights in the sky
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Vamos a ver los fuegos artificiales.
🇫🇷 French: Nous allons regarder le feu d'artifice.
🇩🇪 German: Wir werden das Feuerwerk anschauen.
🇮🇹 Italian: Andremo a vedere i fuochi d'artificio.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Vamos assistir aos fogos de artifício.

💬 Everyday Conversations

Holiday Plans
asking what someone will do during the holidays
A: What are you going to do during the holidays?
B: I'm going to visit my family.
A: Are you going to celebrate together?
B: Yes, we're going to prepare a special dinner.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 A: ¿Qué vas a hacer durante las fiestas?
🇪🇸 B: Voy a visitar a mi familia.
🇪🇸 A: ¿Van a celebrar juntos?
🇪🇸 B: Sí, vamos a preparar una cena especial.

🇫🇷 A: Que vas-tu faire pendant les fêtes ?
🇫🇷 B: Je vais rendre visite à ma famille.
🇫🇷 A: Vous allez célébrer ensemble ?
🇫🇷 B: Oui, nous allons préparer un dîner spécial.

🇩🇪 A: Was machst du in den Feiertagen?
🇩🇪 B: Ich werde meine Familie besuchen.
🇩🇪 A: Feiert ihr zusammen?
🇩🇪 B: Ja, wir werden ein besonderes Abendessen zubereiten.

🇮🇹 A: Cosa farai durante le feste?
🇮🇹 B: Andrò a trovare la mia famiglia.
🇮🇹 A: Festeggerete insieme?
🇮🇹 B: Sì, prepareremo una cena speciale.

🇵🇹 A: O que você vai fazer durante as festas?
🇵🇹 B: Vou visitar minha família.
🇵🇹 A: Vocês vão celebrar juntos?
🇵🇹 B: Sim, vamos preparar um jantar especial.
Talking About Traditions
asking about family customs and gifts
A: Do you have any special traditions?
B: Yes, we have dinner together every year.
A: Do you also exchange gifts?
B: Yes, after dinner.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 A: ¿Tienen alguna tradición especial?
🇪🇸 B: Sí, cenamos juntos todos los años.
🇪🇸 A: ¿También intercambian regalos?
🇪🇸 B: Sí, después de la cena.

🇫🇷 A: Avez-vous des traditions spéciales ?
🇫🇷 B: Oui, nous dînons ensemble tous les ans.
🇫🇷 A: Vous échangez aussi des cadeaux ?
🇫🇷 B: Oui, après le dîner.

🇩🇪 A: Habt ihr besondere Traditionen?
🇩🇪 B: Ja, wir essen jedes Jahr zusammen zu Abend.
🇩🇪 A: Tauscht ihr auch Geschenke aus?
🇩🇪 B: Ja, nach dem Essen.

🇮🇹 A: Avete delle tradizioni speciali?
🇮🇹 B: Sì, ceniamo insieme ogni anno.
🇮🇹 A: Vi scambiate anche i regali?
🇮🇹 B: Sì, dopo cena.

🇵🇹 A: Vocês têm alguma tradição especial?
🇵🇹 B: Sim, jantamos juntos todos os anos.
🇵🇹 A: Vocês também trocam presentes?
🇵🇹 B: Sim, depois do jantar.

📝 Example Sentences

🍽️ Christmas dinner is a family tradition.
this meal happens every year in the family
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Christmas dinner es una tradición familiar.
🇫🇷 Le dîner de Noël est une tradition familiale.
🇩🇪 Das Weihnachtsessen ist eine Familientradition.
🇮🇹 La cena di Natale è una tradizione di famiglia.
🇵🇹 O jantar de Natal é uma tradição familiar.
🎊 The party lasts all night.
the party continues until morning
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 La fiesta dura toda la noche.
🇫🇷 La fête dure toute la nuit.
🇩🇪 Die Feier dauert die ganze Nacht.
🇮🇹 La festa dura tutta la notte.
🇵🇹 A festa dura a noite toda.
🕯️ This tradition is very old.
people have done this for a long time
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Esta tradición es muy antigua.
🇫🇷 Cette tradition est très ancienne.
🇩🇪 Diese Tradition ist sehr alt.
🇮🇹 Questa tradizione è molto antica.
🇵🇹 Esta tradição é muito antiga.
🎇 The fireworks light up the sky.
the lights make the sky bright
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Los fuegos artificiales iluminan el cielo.
🇫🇷 Les feux d'artifice illuminent le ciel.
🇩🇪 Das Feuerwerk erleuchtet den Himmel.
🇮🇹 I fuochi d'artificio illuminano il cielo.
🇵🇹 Os fogos de artifício iluminam o céu.
🎁 The children open their gifts in the morning.
kids unwrap presents after they wake up
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Los niños abren sus regalos por la mañana.
🇫🇷 Les enfants ouvrent leurs cadeaux le matin.
🇩🇪 Die Kinder öffnen morgens ihre Geschenke.
🇮🇹 I bambini aprono i loro regali al mattino.
🇵🇹 As crianças abrem seus presentes pela manhã.
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The whole family gets together to celebrate.
all the relatives meet for the holiday
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Toda la familia se reúne para celebrar.
🇫🇷 Toute la famille se réunit pour célébrer.
🇩🇪 Die ganze Familie kommt zum Feiern zusammen.
🇮🇹 Tutta la famiglia si riunisce per festeggiare.
🇵🇹 Toda a família se reúne para comemorar.

🏆 Final Practice

English in the Real World:

Read the situation. Choose the word that fits.
Question 1 of 8
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