First, come to class with some pictures you’ve cut out of a newspaper or magazine. Nice gift ideas. Tell the students it’s Christmas and walk around the class giving items. Stop at a student, handing them the picture and say, “Merry Christmas! Students if advanced must reply with more than “you’re welcome” and should use one of the ways to say “Thank you’ ,you’ve put on the board. Keep going around the class until students get the hang of it…..

Next, give students in groups, one of these pictures ( from Hadfields Adv. Communication Games) and put them in pairs. They must make a list of students names in the class and write down one of the gift items beside it. They may have to ask you the names of the gifts or look them up in the dictionary.

Finally, when they have decided who is getting what gift, give the signal and students will walk around the class using the target language and giving gifts.

To conclude, ask students what they got and which present they liked best (and why!). Everyone in the class will feel great. If by some chance, some students are not getting many gifts, give them some from your magazine collection. This will make them feel great.

This post was submitted by Jerry.

Simply use these templates or have them draw their own.

First, review how to write a card by doing one as a whole class on the board. This will give them an idea of the appropriate register and vocabulary.

One caution – make sure you assign or draw names. That way, everyone in the class will get a card!

The teacher can be the postman!

This post was submitted by Ellen.

1. Watch The Great Toy Robbery. Put students in pairs and have one watch the screen, the other look away. Partner A describes what he is watching to Partner B who can’t see. Switch part way through.

2. Watch again and pause, noting vocabulary (or make a worksheet). Discuss and point it out in context.

3. Students retell the story or retell as a writing exercise. Lots of other creative extension ideas possible too!

This post was submitted by DD.