DECEMBER

Christmas gets most of the press this time of year, but December is a month full of religious and secular festivals and holidays, along with some wild and wacky days as well.

Here's a reminder of the major holidays this month, along with a collection of the most bizarre holidays gleaned from the corners of the Internet. We can't vouch for the authenticity of some of these lesser known observances, but if you need a moment to forget the stress that sometimes comes with the major holidays, there's got to be a few here to make you smile. 

Forget the 12 Days of Christmas. Here's a whole month of ways to celebrate:

• Saturday, Dec. 1: AIDS Awareness Day; Eat a Red Apple Day
• Sunday, Dec. 2: First Sunday of Advent; National Fritters Day
• Monday, Dec. 3: National Roof Over Your Head Day
• Tuesday, Dec. 4: Santa's List Day; Wear Brown Shoes Day
• Wednesday, Dec. 5: Bathtub Party Day; Repeal Day—the 21st Amendment ends Prohibition; Ninja Day
• Thursday, Dec. 6: St. Nicholas Day; Mitten Tree Day; Put On Your Own Shoes Day; Miners' Day
• Friday, Dec. 7: Pearl Harbor Remembrance; International Civil Aviation Day; Letter Writing Day; National Cotton Candy Day
• Saturday, Dec. 8: Feast of the Immaculate Conception; Hanukkah begins at sundown; National Brownie Day; Take It In the Ear Day
• Sunday, Dec. 9: First full day of Hanukkah. This Jewish festival of lights lasts for eight days; Second Sunday of Advent; Christmas Card Day; International Children's Day; National Pastry Day; Salesperson's Day; Choral Day
• Monday, Dec. 10: Human Rights Day
• Tuesday, Dec. 11: National Noodle Ring Day; Mountain Day
• Wednesday, Dec. 12: Poinsettia Day
• Thursday, Dec. 13: Ice Cream Day; Violin Day
• Friday, Dec. 14: National Bouillabaisse Day; Monkey Day
• Saturday, Dec. 15: Bill of Rights Day; National Lemon Cupcake Day; Cat Herders Day
• Sunday, Dec. 16: Last day of Hanukkah; Third Sunday of Advent; National Chocolate Covered Anything Day
• Monday, Dec. 17: Pan American Aviation Day; Wright Brothers Day; National Maple Syrup Day; Underdog Day
• Tuesday, Dec. 18: Bake Cookies Day; National Roast Suckling Pig Day
• Wednesday, Dec. 19: Look for an Evergreen Day; Oatmeal Muffin Day
• Thursday, Dec. 20: Go Caroling Day; Games Day
• Friday, Dec. 21: Winter Solstice, First Day of Winter; Forefather's Day—celebrating the day Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock; Humbug Day; National Flashlight Day; Look on the Bright Side Day; Hamburger Day
• Saturday, Dec. 22: National Date Nut Bread Day; Haiku Poetry Day
• Sunday, Dec. 23: Fourth Sunday of Advent; Festivus "For the Rest of Us"; Roots Day
• Monday, Dec. 24: Christmas Eve; George Washington's Birthday; National Chocolate Day; National Egg Nog Day
• Tuesday, Dec. 25: Christmas—Christian observance of Jesus' birth; National Pumpkin Pie Day
• Wednesday, Dec. 26: Kwanzaa, which lasts through Jan. 1; Boxing Day; Thank You Note Day; National Whiners Day
• Thursday, Dec. 27: Make Cut Out Snowflakes Day; National Fruitcake Day
• Friday, Dec. 28: Card Playing Day
• Saturday, Dec. 29: Pepper Pot Day; Tick Tock Day
• Sunday, Dec. 30: National Bicarbonate of Soda Day; Bacon Day
• Monday, Dec. 31: New Year's Eve; Unlucky Day; No Interruptions Day

THANKSGIVING

Every year Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. This day was historically a religious observation to give thanks to the almighty God. The occasion traditionally celebrates the arrival of the first pilgrims to America.

Thanksgiving Day is a time to feel gratitude for the good things in life. This is a day of festivity, family reunions and lavish feasts. In the USA this day is considered as one of the major family celebration generally celebrated at home with family and friends. The traditional dishes like Roasted turkeys, Cranberry sauce, Corns. Potatoes and Pumpkin pie are included in the Thanksgiving meal.

People celebrate this day with a great enthusiasm with their family and friends and sometimes give gifts like flowers, jewellery, baked cookies, chocolates etc to their near and dear.

HISTORY OF HALLOWEEN

Halloween history and customs

1. Samhain: The origin of Halloween can be traced to this “ancient pagan festival celebrated by Celtic people over 2,000 years ago,” states The World Book Encyclopedia. “The Celts believed that the dead could walk among the living at this time. During Samhain, the living could visit with the dead.” However, the Bible clearly teaches that the dead “are conscious of nothing at all.” (Ecclesiastes 9:5) Thus, they cannot contact the living.
2. Halloween costumes, candy, and trick or treat: According to the book Halloween—An American Holiday, An American History, some of the Celts wore ghoulish costumes so that wandering spirits would mistake them for one of their own and leave them alone. Others offered sweets to the spirits to appease them. In medieval Europe, the Catholic clergy adopted local pagan customs and had their adherents go from house to house wearing costumes and requesting small gifts. The Bible, on the other hand, does not permit merging false religious practices with the worship of God.—2 Corinthians 6:17.
3. Ghosts, vampires, werewolves, witches, and zombies: These have long been associated with the evil spirit world. (Halloween Trivia) The Bible clearly states that we should oppose wicked spirit forces, not celebrate with them.—Ephesians 6:12.
4. Halloween pumpkins, or jack-o’-lanterns: In medieval Britain, “supplicants moved from door to door asking for food in return for a prayer for the dead,” and they would carry “hollowed-out turnip lanterns, whose candle connoted a soul trapped in purgatory.” (Halloween—From Pagan Ritual to Party Night) Others say that the lanterns were used to ward off evil spirits. During the 1800’s in North America, pumpkins replaced turnips because they were plentiful as well as easy to hollow out and carve. The beliefs behind this custom—the immortality of the soul, purgatory, and prayers for the dead—are not based on the Bible.—Ezekiel 18:4.

Countries and nationalities

LA GUIA PARA 4o NIVEL BASICO SON LOS EXAMENES BIMESTRALES.

Spelling Rules -ING

English Grammar Notes

The following is a guide to the correct spelling of –ing forms of verbs and gerunds.

The general rule when changing a verb into its -ING form is just to add -ING to the end of the verb.

Infinitive	ING form
to feel	feeling
to go	going
to work	working
to sleep	sleeping

• She wasn't feeling very well.
• He is working on a new project.
• The children are sleeping so be quiet.

Spelling exceptions

The following exceptions exist when spelling words ending in ING:

1). If the verb ends in an E we remove the E and add ING.

Infinitive	ING form
to live	living
to have	having
to make	making
to take	taking

• People are living longer now than they were 100 years ago.
• We are making a chocolate cake.
• He was taking his time to get ready.

2). If the verb ends in a consonant + vowel + consonant, we double the final consonant and add ING.

Infinitive	ING form
to stop	stopping
to sit	sitting
to plan	planning
to get	getting
to swim	swimming

• The policeman is stopping the traffic.
• We are planning a surprise party for our teacher.
• I think I am getting a cold.

3). If a two-syllable verb ends in a consonant + vowel + consonant, we do not double the final consonant when the stress is on the first syllable.

Infinitive	ING form
to happen	happening
to enter	entering
to offer	offering
to suffer	suffering

• What is happening?
• They are offering a discount.
• Many people are suffering from a lack of food and water.

4). But, we do not double the final consonant when the verb ends in W, X or Y or when the final syllable is not emphasized.

Infinitive	ING form
to fix	fixing
to enjoy	enjoying
to snow	snowing

• He fixing his bike.
• We are enjoying this great weather.
• It's snowing outside.

5). If the verb ends in IE we change it to YING.

Infinitive	ING form
to lie	lying
to die	dying
to tie	tying

• I know you are lying to me!
• You should water your plant more because I think it is dying.
• The little boy is tying his shoelaces.

6). If the verb ends in consonant + vowel + L, we normally double the final L and add ING.

Note: In the United States (US) they do not double the L when the accent is on the first syllable.

Infinitive	ING form (UK)	ING form (US)
to travel	travelling	traveling
to marvel	marvelling	marveling

• I have been travelling around South America for 6 months.
• He was marvelling at her beauty.

7). If the verb ends in a stressed vowel + R, we double the final R and add ING.

Infinitive	ING form
refer	referring
defer	deferring

• Are you referring to this one or that one?
• They are thinking of deferring payment of their mortgage.

8). If the verb ends in an unstressed vowel + R, we do not double the final R and add ING.

Infinitive	ING form
to offer	offering
to suffer	suffering
to whisper	whispering

• I am offering you a special deal.
• He is now suffering the consequences of his actions.
• I wonder what he is whispering in her ear.