1.Szőlőcukor Pasztilla

With its name meaning “grape-sugar (dextrose) pastilles” in Hungarian, this is one of the healthiest sweets on offer – the package states that “regular consumption of grape sugar tablets is good for children, athletes and heart patients.” That’s all well and good, but do these slightly chalky pellets satisfy sweet tooth? The answer is yes, with the mint variety offering a quite refreshing taste after a meal, while fruit-flavored szőlőcukor options like lemon and strawberry provide a pleasant guilt-free treat.

2. Negro

Hungary is not a very politically correct country; were these soothing lozenges marketed in Great Britain or the USA, protests would surely follow at retail locations within a few days. However, this widely popular Hungarian-made hard candy – infused with honey, mint, or fruit – is actually named after Italian confectioner Pietro Negro, who invented it in Hungary while living here during the 1920s; meanwhile, the suspiciously dark-tinted figure on every package is supposed to represent “the chimney sweep of the throat.”

3. Tejkaramella

“Milky caramel” is pretty much what it sounds like – a creamy type of fudge that tastes like soft toffee, which may be a little dry when first chewed, but soon the sugary goodness melts across the palate and smiles follow. While a few Hungarian confectioneries create cubes of this crowd-pleasing treat for mass consumption, the best tejkaramella is prepared at the homes of Hungarian grandmas nationwide; considering that the recipe only calls for sugar, milk, and butter, it’s not a difficultdo-it-yourself sweet.

4. Téli Fagyi

Hungarians aged over five years old generally react with revulsion when offered this strange confection – with its name translating to “winter ice cream”, this unrefrigerated sugar bomb mainly consists of cocoa-flavoured mousse topped with a thin layer of chocolate within a typically stale cone, creating a cloyingly unpalatable texture and taste that often inspires expectoration soon after the first bite. Nonetheless, this Hungarian-made specialty is still found by the checkout counter at many supermarkets.

5. Balaton

The biggest lake in Hungary (and Central Europe) is honoured with this namesake candy bar that is simple yet scrumptious, made of wafers pressed together with cocoa-cream layers and then coated in milk chocolate or dark chocolate. With its sunshiny wrapper imagery showing bright beams illuminating shimmering water, one bite of this omnipresent delight evokes memories for Hungarians who grew up going to Lake Balaton every summer, buying one of these candy bars anytime they could cadge a few coins from their parents.

6. Maci

With its charmingly retro wrapper emblazoned with a drawing of a cute little bear (“maci” is Hungarian for “teddy bear”), along with Budapest’s name proudly added at the top, this peanut-infused milk-chocolate bar is not only a fairly tasty goody, but it also makes a great cheap gift for visitors to bring home to family and friends after a trip to Hungary’s capital. The chocolate itself is nothing special, but since each bar weighs in at a hefty 100 grams, a single Maci is perfect for splitting among friends.

7. Vadász

“If you want something really good!” says the label of every Vadász bar, and considering that every Vadász bar is made with a generous portion of alcohol, the manufacturers can’t be accused of false advertising. With its name meaning “hunter” in Hungarian, this tasty tidbit is available in either the “sweet and bitter” flavour with dark chocolate or the “black forest” variety with milk chocolate, and both options are filled with cherry cream and a noticeable splash of booze, making it an excellent wintertime treat.

8. Krumplicukor

Generally reviled as the country’s least-desirable candy, the name of krumplicukor is Hungarian for “potato sugar”, and things don’t get much better from there. Like szőlőcukor, krumplicukor is marketed as a relatively healthy indulgence, but most people that watch their weight would probably prefer to skip sweets altogether rather than bite into this odd-smelling concoction left over from Communist times. If it’s really fresh, krumplicukor is in fact edible – but if it’s gone stale, it becomes a flat jawbreaker.

9. Dunakavics and Francia drazsé

As the Hungarian answer to M&M’s, this duo of palatable pellets encased in a candy shell remains beloved here ever since its creation in Budapest 50 years ago. However, these two types of candies appear and taste dramatically different; Francia drazsé are simple spheres of chocolate, while Dunakavics are roasted peanuts with a lumpy sugar coating that, at a quick glance, can kind of resemble a hardened piece of already-chewed gum. Regardless, both of these multicoloured confections are popular with very good reason.

10. Eredeti Szerencsi

Anyone allergic to nuts should steer clear of Eredeti Szerencsi candy bars – their primary ingredients include hazelnut cream, chopped almonds, honey-flavoured cashews, and peanuts. However, folks who enjoy these hearty kernels will definitely savour this old-school delight that also contains a thin crispy wafer and is liberally covered in dark chocolate, and still wrapped in golden foil like some delicacy delivered from Willy Wonka’s factory. Its easy-to-hold contoured shape is especially appreciated.

11. Sport

Although it’s not as strong as Vadász, this alcohol-flavoured chocolate bar is a major presence in candy aisles at shops all across Hungary. A layer of dark chocolate envelops a light cocoa-fondant filling enhanced with the essence of rum, making it a pleasant pick-me-up… but contrary to its name, this doesn’t seem like the most beneficial snack that athletes could possibly nibble on. Nonetheless, the compact-yet-satisfying size of Sport bars can be perfect for assuaging a passing craving for something sweet.

12. Medvecukor

People who really like licorice might just become fans of Medvecukor – meaning “bear sugar” (don’t worry, no ursine beasts are involved in the creation of this candy) – but even people with a predilection for this root-based flavour will probably find the texture off-putting, to say the least. Sold in long semi-gelatinous strands, the first couple of bites are agreeably chewy, but soon it dissolves into slippery shreds of rubbery treacle, until the process of actually swallowing it presents a test of endurance.

13. Kojak

Named in honour of the iconic TV detective with an affinity for Tootsie Pops played by Telly Savalas in the 1970s, this cocoa-coated vanilla sucker has continually been a cherished sweet among Hungarians for decades. The chocolate tastes somewhat artificial, and the dense vanilla centre has a tendency to get stuck between teeth, but for those patient enough to let the entire glob literally melt in the mouth, Kojak pops present an easy way to sate a sweet tooth without purchasing an entire candy bar.

source: welovebudapest.com

And now back to international brands. Can you match the sweets and their description?

Key:

1. d

2. a.

3. e.

4. b.

5. c.

2. You could circle the world 1.8 times with the amount of Nutella produced in one year.

3. You could cover the Great Wall of China 8 times with the number of jars of Nutella sold worldwide in a year.

4. There are so many jars of Nutella made each year, that they would line the banks of the Danube 26 times over. That’s a river so long, it flows through 10 different countries!

5. The amount of Nutella produced in one year weighs the same as the Empire State Building.

6. A jar of Nutella is sold every 2.5 seconds

7. Approximately 1.35 million pounds of Nutella are produced every day.

8. Nutella is not an acceptable baby name in France. In 2014, a French couple named their baby Nutella. The government deemed this an unacceptable name and legally renamed the child “Ella” when the family failed to show up to court.

9. The Ferrero Group uses nearly one quarter of the world’s hazelnuts.

10. For years, Nutella was free for Italian children. Shops all over Italy honoured a BYOB (bring your own bread) policy where kids could bring in their own slice of bread and get a complimentary spread.

11. You can light Nutella on fire, because it’s flammable.

12. Ferrero originally made his chocolate-hazelnut paste into a loaf designed to be sliced and placed on bread, kind of like a chocolatey version of American cheese slices.

13. There are 97 hazelnuts in every 750-gram jar.  

14. The chocolate layer that surrounds the hazelnut in the middle of each Ferrero Rocher is Nutella.

15. If you refrigerate Nutella, the oil from the hazelnuts will harden and it’ll become very difficult to spread.

16. The recipe for Nutella varies from country to country. In Italy, Nutella contains less sugar than the French version.

17. It’s so irresistible that a man developed a special lock for the jar so that his Nutella would not be stolen.

18. The plastic bottle you know today—named the “Pelikan,” because it looks like an oversized inkwell—was chosen because its large opening makes it easy to scoop out the filling with a knife or spoon.

19. New York and Chicago have entire dessert bars devoted to Nutella. At these glorious places you can savour Nutella on top of and infused in just about everything, from waffles to coffee.

20. World Nutella Day, which is celebrated on February 5, was invented by adoring fans.

A coterie of groundhogs

Around the eighteenth century, some French farmers called côtiers banded together to work feudal lands. A coterie is an exclusive group who spends time together pursuing common interests. What’s the common interest of groundhogs? They dig burrows and guard them with sentinels who whistle when danger threatens.

A crash of rhinos

The smallest rhinos weigh nearly 2,000 pounds. Rhinos running through the bush are sure to make a lot of noise! And given that rhinos don’t have the greatest eyesight, they might smash into things with more gusto than other animals.

A cry of hounds

You need only live next door to a beagle to understand this origin. A large dog barks at one hundred decibels. To put that in perspective, a jackhammer pounds at ninety decibels.

A skulk of foxes

Yes, foxes creep quietly and stealthily to sneak up on prey. But they also love to frolic, especially when they can trick silly golfers into chasing them.

A kindle of kittens

When Amazon invented the Kindle, were they thinking of cats? “To kindle” means to ignite emotions or feelings. Both good books and good kitties can do that, so it’s a good name for the electronic reading device and the fuzzy felines to share.

A parade of elephants

Parade comes from the French “display or show.” Elephants only have to spread their ears and sound a warning trumpet to let humans know who’s boss.

A prickle of hedgehogs (and porcupines)

A prickle is a pointed tip. Prickly can also mean irritable, but wouldn’t you be a tad miffed if you were known for only one characteristic? Hedgehogs are immune to snake venom. Did you know that? And porcupines are great climbers. They use their sharp, curved claws to get a good grip on trees!

A business of ferrets

Years ago, hunters used ferrets to hunt rabbits. That’s a legitimate “business,” but the word ferret is actually derived from the Latin word for “thief.” Pet owners often catch them secreting away shiny doodads, but how can you blame them? They have to keep busy somehow.

A team of pigs

You might be more familiar with a team of horses than a team of pigs. A team is two or more animals harnessed together to pull. However, it also refers to groups of young animals. Sows can have up to six piglets per litter, so they too qualify for the label.

Here are some more animal collective nouns for you. Can you match the animals and the groups?

Key

1. e.

2. h.

3. a.

4. j.

5. b.

6. f.

7. c.

8. d.

9. g.

10. i.

By the middle of the 18th century, tea had replaced ale & gin as the people’s favorite beverage.

Is tea a magical elixir?

You decide as we look at 10 fascinating facts about the history of tea in Britain.

1. Tea was first offered in London coffeehouses in 1657

Opposite the Royal Exchange on Cornhill, there is an entrance to a network of alleyways called Change Alley (formerly known as Exchange Alley).

It was down these narrow alleys that the mercantile class of London would meet to discuss business in coffeehouses.

Nestled beside makers of fine wands, there was something else magical for sale: tea.

The owner of one establishment created a pamphlet and advertisement to explain the new beverage as an early form of health drink:

“That Excellent, and by all Physicians approved, China drink, called by the Chinese, Tcha, by other nations Tay alias Tee, …sold at the Sultaness-head, ye Cophee-house in Sweetings-Rents, by the Royal Exchange, London.”

How did the introduction of tea impact the city of London? It became the most powerful city in the world for 200 years.

Today, London vies with New York as the world’s most influential city.

2. Samuel Pepys wrote about drinking tea in 1660

Samuel Pepys first tasted tea in 1660, pre-dating Catherine of Braganza’s arrival in Britain, and recorded the experience in his diary of 25 September:

“I did send for a cup of tee, (a China drink) of which I had never had drunk before.”

Samuel Pepys (1633 – 1703) was an English Member of Parliament and naval administrator who is famous for keeping a detailed diary for a decade as a young man. His work as Chief Secretary to the Admiralty would help position Britain’s Royal Navy as the world’s most powerful in years to come.

3. A Portuguese Princess made tea popular in Britain

Although Catherine didn’t actually introduce tea into Britain, she was instrumental in making it fashionable. Her use of tea as a court beverage, rather than a medicinal drink, influenced its popularity in literary circles.

Queens, a borough of New York City, is thought to be named after Catherine of Braganza since she was queen when Queens County was established in 1683.

4. These could be the earliest British directions on how to make tea

In 1672, Edward Herbert, 3rd Baron Herbert of Chirbury sent directions for tea making, and warming the delicate cups, to Shropshire:

“The directions for the tea are: a quart of spring water just boiled, to which put a spoonful of tea, and sweeten to the palate with candy sugar. As soon as the tea and sugar are in, the steam must be kept in as much as may be, and let it lie half or quarter of an hour in the heat of the fire but not boil. The little cups must be held over the steam before the liquid be put in.”

5. Tea may have been instrumental to the English Enlightenment

It was a summer afternoon in 1665 and Sir Isaac Newton was taking tea under the apple trees in the family gardens at Woolsthorpe Manor in Lincolnshire, England.

By chance, an apple fell from an overhanging branch, hitting him on the head and sparking the “a-ha” moment for his law of gravitation.

Whether precisely true or not, is it a coincidence that a flowering of intellectual thinking in Britain occurred at around the same time that tea was fast becoming the nation’s favorite drink?

By 1720, black tea had overtaken green tea in popularity and was generally taken with milk and sugar.

Could this magical potion be the brain stimulant of Newton, Locke, and Hobbes?

6. Did tea power the British Industrial Revolution?

Not only was tea powering the massive minds of some of history’s greatest thinkers, but some scholars suggest that tea played a key role in the British Industrial Revolution.

The stimulants in the tea, coupled with the extra energy from sugar and milk would act like today’s energy drinks and give workers a boost—helping them work longer hours.

Even today, “builder’s tea” is a favorite for anyone doing physically strenuous work as part of their job. A colloquial term for strong tea, builder’s tea is typically brewed in a mug, always has milk, and two (or more) teaspoons of sugar.

Furthermore, because water has to be boiled for tea, water-borne diseases like dysentery, cholera, and typhoid were killed.

7. Chelsea porcelain manufactory produced the first British teaware

Fashionable 17th-century tea drinkers used small porcelain tea bowls that were sometimes shipped with the tea itself.

Established in 1743, the Chelsea porcelain manufactory produced the first successful porcelain equipages and were quickly imitated.

During the 1770s and 1780s, tea was sometimes drunk from saucers. Deeper than today’s, they were similar to the Chinese bowls of the 17th century. It is thought the practice came from Russia, where samovars kept tea very hot and strong. Pouring from cup into saucer was a quick way to cool the tea.

8. Victorian tea rooms helped women win the right to vote

During the Victorian era, tea rooms may have helped the women’s suffrage movement.

Tea rooms were popular and fashionable social gathering places, especially for women.

British historian Sir Roger Fulford argued that tea rooms provided neutral public spaces to help women strategize political campaigns.

9. Thomas Twining opened the first known tea shop in London

Thomas Twining opened the first known tea shop in 1706.

Twinings holds the world’s oldest continually-used company logo and has occupied the same premises at 216 Strand, London, since inception.

A division of Associated British Foods since 1964, Stephen Twining now represents the company’s tenth generation.

Celebrating its 300th anniversary in 2006, Twinings launched a special tea and associated tea caddies.

Appointed by HM The Queen, Twining’s is a Royal Warrant holder.

10. Take a tea break—it’s the law!

In a working shift of six hours, British workers have the right in law to a minimum of a 20-minute break.

Described in government guidelines as “a tea or lunch break”, it is sometimes called “elevenses”, because 11 am is a good time to take a break, leaving two hours before the traditional lunchtime of 1 pm.

In Britain, where there is tea, there are usually biscuits too—it’s really hard to have one without the other.

Dunking biscuits in a “cuppa” (cup of tea) is a custom that Brits have exported around the globe.

McVitie’s biscuits are the most popular biscuits in the UK to “dunk” in tea, with McVitie’s chocolate digestives, Rich tea and Hobnobs ranked the nation’s top three favorites.

source: britainandbritishness.com

Tea fun facts. Can you answer the questions?

1. When and where were tea bags invented?

2. How many major tea types are there?

3. What is rooibos tea made from?

4. Who was Earl Grey tea named after?

5. When is traditional English tea served?

Key

1. They were invented in the US by Thomas Sullivan. He created the small silk bags to give samples to his customers. The customers thought that the bags were supposed to be put directly into the water, thus the tea bags were created by accident.

2. There are four major tea types: black, green, white and oolong.

3. It’s a herbal tea made from a plant growing in South Africa.

4. It was named after a 19^th century British diplomat to China.

5. It’s served between 3-6 p.m. The later it is served the more substantial food is offered to it.

Long-Lasting

Over a fourteen year period, Associated Equipment Company built 2,876 Routemaster buses. As stated above, they proved to be incredibly resilient and long-lived, and today there are 1,280 still in existence (though some survive more as museum pieces).

Replacement

The Routemaster was designed to replace the old trolley buses, which had served London for over 30 years along 68 routes that were powered by overhead electrical wires. The original diesel buses were ordered in 1935, but with the onset of the war, production did not pick up again until 1947. The first prototype came out in 1954 and the first Routemaster saw service in 1956. The Routemaster itself was not replaced until the New Routemaster in 2012.

Wrong Colour?

If you see a Green Routemaster, your eyes aren’t deceiving you. It’s still owned by London Transport and serves their country division.

Seeing Red

Prior to 1907, the colour of a bus actually determined which route it followed. London General Omnibus Company wanted to make their buses stand out against the fierce competition for service, so they painted their entire fleet red. Some predictable confusion led the Metropolitan Police to suggest that LGOC add numbers to its buses to identify their routes. The Underground Group purchased LGOC in 1912, which later became part of the London Passenger Transport Board in 1933, shortened later to “London Transport”.

Silver and Gold

In keeping with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s silver and golden jubilees, some Routemasters were repainted in those colours in 1977 and 2002, respectively.

Phantom Bus

Allegedly, a ghostly Routemaster Number 7 drives up the middle of the street in Cambridge Gardens with no lights, no passengers, and no driver! It was last spotted in 1990.

All Aboard!

One of the most popular features of the original Routemaster was its rear platform that made it easy to board and alight the bus, even while it was moving. A rear conductor would stand on the platform to help people on board and take their tickets or fees, but eventually the job was phased out. However, the convenience of the rear platform wasn’t without some danger, and in 2013, former Mayor of London Ken Livingstone revealed to ITV that approximately twelve people per year died from falling off the platform during his time in office.

Not a Routemaster

The famous Night Bus from Harry Potter, which was first seen on film in the adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, was not actually made from a Routemaster. Instead, it was constructed out of three Regent III RT buses. The Regent III was the immediate predecessor to the Routemaster and ran from 1939 to 1979.

Ride an Original

While many of the original Routemasters have been taken out of service, there are still a couple operating on heritage routes that are still available to passengers. Route 9 travels from Kensington High Street to Aldwych while Route 15 travels from Trafalgar Square to Tower Hill.

Ladies Who Bus

In 2009, three ladies named Linda, Mary, and Jo opted to use their Freedom Pass (available to people over 60 years old) to ride every route in numerical order. They completed their task nearly five years later and since March, 2014, have set their attention to visiting every single museum in London.

source: londontopia.net

Other iconic London sights. Which one is which?

Key

1. e.

2. a.

3. d.

4. b.

5. c.

Fun Christmas Facts

1. “Jingle Bells” was written for Thanksgiving, not Christmas. The song was written in 1857 by James Lord Pierpont and published under the title “One Horse Open Sleigh”. It was supposed to be played in the composer’s Sunday school class during Thanksgiving as a way to commemorate the famed Medford sleigh races. “Jingle Bells” was also the first song to be broadcast from space.

2. Rudolph’s red nose is probably the result of a parasitic infection of his respiratory system. According to Roger Highfield, the author of the book “The Physics of Christmas: From the Aerodynamics of Reindeer to the Thermodynamics of Turkey” the world’s most famous reindeer has a red nose due to a parasite. However, Rudolf’s relationship with his parasite is symbiotic: after all, the red nose illuminates the path through the winter night for the whole reindeer team.

3. In the Netherlands, Sinterklaas (the Dutch version of Santa Claus) arrives from Spain, not from the North Pole. And that’s not the only weird thing about the Dutch Christmas. Sinterklaas has his little helpers, but they are not adorable hard-working elves: they are black-faced boys and girls who can steal your kids if they misbehave, and bring them to back Spain which is, according to the Dutch, a severe punishment.

4. In Germany, Poland, and Ukraine, finding a spider or a spider’s web on a Christmas tree is believed to be a harbinger of good luck. According to one legend, a spider wove a blanket for Baby Jesus, according to the other – a spider web on the Christmas tree turned silver and gold once the sunlight touched it. One way or another, decorating a Christmas tree with artificial spiders and spider webs will inevitably bring you luck and prosperity!

5. Santa stretches time like a rubber band, in order to deliver all the gifts in one night. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), there are 2,106 million children under age 18 in the world. If we assume that each household has in average 2.5 children, Santa would have to make 842 million stops on Christmas Eve, traveling 221 million miles. Given the different time zones, Santa has 36 hours to deliver gifts, therefore his average speed would be approximately 650 miles per second. It is less than the speed of light (therefore, it’s, theoretically, doable but still quite hard for a chubby old man). Larry Silverberg, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at North Carolina State University, suggests that Santa uses relativity clouds to get the work done. Relativity clouds, based on relative physics, allow Santa to stretch time like a rubber band which gives him months to deliver gifts, while only a few minutes pass for the rest of us.

6. Two weeks before Christmas is the one of the two most popular times for couples to break up. According to data analyzed from Facebook posts and statuses, couples are more likely to end their relationship two weeks before Christmas and two weeks after Valentine’s day, during the spring break. Christmas Day, however, is the least favorite day for breakups.

7. In Armenia, the traditional Christmas Eve meal consists of fried fish, lettuce and spinach. Many Armenians fast for a week before the Christmas Eve, that’s why, in order not to stress the stomach, the menu for the Christmas dinner is pretty light.

8. Japanese people traditionally eat at KFC for Christmas dinner. Although the percentage of Christian people in Japan is close to zero, every Christmas, kids and grown-ups head to the closest KFC to enjoy some fried chicken – the closest food to turkey that you can get in Japan. It’s all thanks to a successful “Kentucky for Christmas!” marketing campaign in 1947. First aimed at foreigners, KFC offered a “Christmas dinner” that contained chicken and wine – a meal that remotely resembled the food expats and tourists had at home. After a huge success, Kentucky Fried Chicken started promoting this offer every year, until the fast food chain became strongly associated with the holiday season.

9. The “X” in “Xmas” doesn’t take “Christ” out of “Christmas. Xmas is a common abbreviation of the word Christmas, however, some people think that this spelling is not right, because it takes the “Christ” out of Christmas. Don’t worry, no one is taking the “Christ” anywhere. In the Greek alphabet, the letter X (“chi”) is the first letter of the Greek word for Christ or Christos.

10. The first artificial Christmas tree wasn’t a tree at all. It was created out of goose feathers that were dyed green. The first artificial Christmas trees were developed in Germany in the 19th century, due to a major continuous deforestation. The feather trees became increasingly popular during the early 20th century and finally made their way to the US.

11. Iceland has 13 Santas and an old lady who kidnaps children. Christmas in Iceland is a colorful fusion of religion, fairy tales and folklore. Instead of one Santa, the kids are visited by 13 Yule Lads that either reward children for good behavior or punish them if they were naughty. The holiday period begins 13 days before Christmas and each day one of the 13 Yule Lads comes to houses and fills the shoes that kids leave under the Christmas tree either with sweets and small gifts or rotting potatoes, depending on how that particular child has behaved on the preceding day. The mother of Yule Lads, half-troll, half-beast, horrifying old woman Grýla, kidnaps naughty kids and boils them in her cauldron.

12. In Germany, Heiligabend, or Christmas Eve, is said to be a magical time when the pure in heart can hear animals talking. They can also see that rivers turn into wine, Christmas tree blossoms bear fruit, mountains open, revealing gems hidden inside and bell ringing can be heard from the bottom of the sea.

source: pastbook.com

Which country can you relate the followings to?

1. bell ringing in the bottom of the see., Christmas tree blossoms bear fruit

2. Sinterklaas, black-faced boys and girls

3. 13 Santas and an old lady, Yule Lads

4. spider, spider’s web, artificial spider

5. fried fish, lettuce, spinach

6. KFC Christmas dinner

7. dyed goose feather artificial Christmas tree

Key

1. Germany

2. The Netherlands

3. Iceland

4. Germany, Poland, Ukraine

5. Armenia

6. Japan

7. Germany, US

In Europe, it was a hedgehog that was watched with hope that he’d not see his shadow.  When settlers arrived in America, there were no hedgehogs to be found.  So they adopted the groundhog as the new world’s weather forecaster.

The groundhog was chosen because it wintered underground like the hedgehog and because the Native Americans in the regionrespected the animal greatly.  They considered the groundhog to be a wise and sensible animal.

The legend has had different variations over the hundreds of years of its existence. Early February traditionally marked the beginning of the growing season across parts of Europe. February 2, Candlemas day, marks the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. The Candlemas celebration marked the anticipation of the planting of crops so a determination of a prolonged winter or an early spring was important. Emerging hibernators was a natural choice of an indicator that spring was coming. In England and France, a bear was the symbol of an emerging spring, while in Germany it was a badger. German immigrants to the United States in the 1800s substituted the lack of badgers in the Pennsylvania area with groundhogs and the tradition continued.

In Hungary and in Croatia and Serbia as well there is a tradition that on February the bear will awaken from winter dormancy, and if it sees its own shadow in this sleepy and confused state, it will get scared and go back to sleep for an additional 40 days, thus prolonging the winter.

Fun Facts About Groundhog Day

This day is the official holiday of the University of Texas at Irving where they have a big celebration each year.

How accurate the predictions of the groundhogs are is up for debate. People who organize Groundhog Day say that they are very accurate. However, others say it’s just luck.

In Alaska they use a marmot and have a marmot day instead.

Another name for the groundhog is the woodchuck. It is part of the squirrel family.

There are a number of celebrations throughout the United States. The largest celebration takes place in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania where the famous groundhog Punxsutawney Phil has predicted the weather each year since 1886. Large crowds of well over 10,000 people gather here to see Phil come out of his burrow at around 7:30am.

Finally, here is a little verse to read about Groundhog’s Day:

I see a little groundhog, furry and brown,

He’s popping up to look around.

If he sees his shadow, down he’ll go.

Six more weeks of winter – oh, no!

Source: geographyrealm.com, dltk-kids.com

Besides speaking fluently, he also writes without mistakes and sings in a uniquely beautiful way in Hungarian. As he says – his second home is Dunavarsány (town of Hungary), he loves Kontroll (Hungarian comedy) creamy mushroom soup (Hungarian speciality) and has read Tüskevár (Hungarian novel for children). He tells US diplomats of the Foreign Services Institute, coming to Hungary, stories about his experiences in the country.   

In Washington on a Hungarian language lesson, in an intermediate group, Éva Zsuzsanna Trembácz noticed a student who was far more ahead in speaking skills during the introduction. She could only catch some small stylistic mistakes in his speech – but nothing more –  that showed that he was not a native speaker. She was informed later, that András Lincoln learnt Hungarian super-fast (circa 18 months) at the age of 23 as an autodidact with minimal help from teachers. He learnt mainly from the Internet and most of all: he tried to speak with Hungarian natives as much as he could. 

His great-grandfather left Hungary (Palló, Transcarpathia) with his friend from the neighbouring house at the age of 16. Sometime later, his little brother followed, and they tried their luck in the US – Pennsylvania. As many Hungarians at that time, he worked in a coal mine and sent money back home regularly to buy land as soon as possible. But WWI obstructed the plan, and he never saw his home and the rest of his family again. His wife was from the local Hungarian community in the neighbouring village.

As a Hungarian descendant, András only learnt some Hungarian folk songs from his grandma, and they used some Hungarian expressions in the family, like: “Hol a macska?” “A macska itt van” – “Where is the cat?” “The cat is here”. He has always been interested in his Hungarian roots but they became truly important to him at the age of 23. He started to learn the language on his own, first with the help of a disk and the Internet. Later he began to speak with Hungarians living in Washington. In 2012, he spent nine months in Hungary where he finished a 5-week Hungarian course and started to use the language in real life. He made many Hungarian friends, he was active in the Calvinist community of Dunavarsány and watched the, popular classic Hungarian films – e.g. Indul a bakterház, Tanú, Valami Amerika etc. His favourite actors are Sándor Csányi and Szonja Oroszlán. As he admitted, reading in Hungarian is not his strength – he has read classic books like Vuk and Tüskevár, but gave up on Aranyember from Jókai.  His friends in Hungary love him because of his openness and curiosity. He has learnt a lot of slang expressions from them.

According to Mrs Trembácz, he only makes one mistake in three hours and has only one question about an expression he does not understand. András says, he has already been in embarrassing situations, e.g., when he said a story about an old woman who “barked” at them (scolded them – “leugatott”) because of the loud music – he had only heard the slang version of this word before. He did not want to be offending; he just had not known the primary meaning of the word. 

According to András, the secret of learning a language is very simple: “I simply wanted it so much that I worked for it as much as I could. At home in front of the computer, I learnt the grammar, I spoke Hungarian in the car loud, and at work, I looked up the new words, lyrics, poems, right after I heard them when I had some time.”  He only felt strong motivation from inside, and it was also important that nobody pressurized him. He learnt new grammar rules when he felt ready for that. He learnt Spanish at school for four years, but he can barely communicate in that language. 

In his interview with Mrs Trembácz, he spoke about how he sees Hungarians. He does not like generalisation and stereotypes, e.g. that Hungarians complain a lot. He found the Hungarians hospitable and kind, but he also added that he romanticised everything that was Hungarian. Later he understood why everyone says we like complaining, but he has always been used to it in a way, thanks to his grandmother. 

“It is not about pessimism, but rather about many people who like meddling in others’ business. If more than one person are sitting in a room and there is a problem, everyone has their own solution, and they keep convincing each other about their own truth. At some point, you can hear: Why are you doing it like this? Are you crazy?”

In the beginning, he was often invited to eat “stuffed cabbage” (Hungarian dish) and drink “pálinka” (Hungarian shot). Later, as he became more and more “Hungarian”, these invitations gradually ceased. As András sees it, Hungarians respect older people more than Americans, and the communities are better. He grew up in Annapolis (Maryland), in an area, inhabited by people of the middle class, where normally white, well-to-do families go to the local church. According to András, it is uncommon that poor African-American families choose to join the congregation there – meanwhile he experienced nothing like this in Hungary.

He firmly states that the cuisine is much better in Hungary than in the US. Back in America, they only eat meat, potatoes and vegetables all the time in different forms. He loves it when a dish includes more ingredients, and this way becomes diverse, e.g., stuffed cabbage, rakott krumpli (something like potato casserole), different soups etc.

András Lincoln works as an actor in the US and plans to come back to Hungary as soon as he can. But until then he keeps singing songs in Hungarian on YouTube.

The song he sings is about loyalty to the homeland, which brought back the great-grandson of a 16-year-old Hungarian boy to his roots.

Source: wmn.hu, dailynewshungary.com

The Queen’s Christmas Message is a broadcast made by the monarch to the 52 member states in the Commonwealth of Nations each Christmas.

Originally called the King’s Christmas Message when the tradition began in 1932 with a radio broadcast by King George V, the message has been read by Queen Elizabeth II since 1952.

The Queen typically uses the speech as a chance to reflect on the year and the major events that have occurred throughout it. She also makes a comment on her own personal milestones of the year and expresses her opinion on Christmas in general.

When and where can I watch or listen to it?

The Queen’s Christmas Message is embargoed until 3pm on Christmas Day. It is then broadcast on BBC One, ITV, Sky 1, and Sky News from 3pm until 3.10pm. You can also listen to it on BBC Radio 4.

In 2015, the Queen’s message was the most watched Christmas Day programme, pulling in 7.5 million viewers in total, beating Downton Abbey’s 6.9 million.

Who writes the speech?

While poet and author Rudyard Kipling drafted the first speech for King George V, the Queen writes her own Christmas speeches and it is one of only a few instances where she is able to speak publicly without any advice from her ministers.

Planning begins months earlier once the Queen decides on her theme of the year. From there appropriate archive footage is collected and assembled for the speech which is recorded a few days before Christmas.

Why is it done?

King George V’s original Christmas speech in 1932 was intended to be a one-off event as a way to inaugurate the BBC World Service, but over the years it has become one of the most important events in the royal calendar, and a Christmas staple for those living in the Commonwealth.

It was firmly established as tradition during the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 where King George VI, in his first Christmas as the King, sought to reassure people and boost morale.

What is the Alternative Christmas Message?

Since 1993 Channel 4 has been broadcasting an alternative Christmas message to the Queen’s Christmas Message broadcast on BBC, ITV, and Sky.

Sometimes it is a humorous message – Marge and Lisa Simpson gave the speech in 2004, where they compared the “special relationship” between the UK and the US to the relationship between Mini Me and Dr. Evil in the Austin Powers films.

source: The Telegraph

Script of the 1940 speech:

I’m wishing you all good evening. I feel that I’m speaking to friends and companions who have shared with my sister and myself many a happy Children’s Hour. Thousands of you in this country have had to leave your homes and be separated from your fathers and mothers. My sister Margaret Rose and I  feel so much for you as we know from experience what it means to be away from those whom we love most of all. To you living in new surroundings we send a message of true sympathy and at the same time we would like to thank the kind people who have welcomed you to their homes in the country. All of us children who are still at home think continually of our friends and relations who have gone overseas, who have travelled thousands of miles to find a wartime home and a kindly welcome in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the United States of America.

My sister and I feel we know quite a lot about these countries. Our father and mother have so often talked to us of their visits to different parts of the world. So it is not difficult for us to picture the sort of life you are all leading and to think of all the new sights you must be seeing and the adventures you must be having. But I’m sure that you too are often thinking of the old country. I know you won’t forget us. It is just because we are not forgetting you that I want on behalf of all the children at home to send you our love and best wishes to you and your kind hosts as well. Before I finish I can truthfully say to you all that we children at home are full of cheeerfulness and courage. We are trying to do all we can to help our gallant sailors, soldiers and airmen and we are trying too to bear our own share of the danger and the sadness of war. We know, every one of us that in the end all will be well for God will care for us and give us victory and peace and when peace comes remember it will be for us the children of today to make the world of tomorrow a better and happier place. My sister is by my side and we are both going to say good night to you. Come on, Margaret.

Good night, children, good night and good luck to you all.

Dashing through the snow

On a one horse open sleigh

O’er the fields we go,

Laughing all the way

Bells on bobtail ring,

making spirits bright

What fun it is to laugh and sing

A sleighing song tonight

Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells

Jingle all the way

Oh, what fun it is to ride

In a one horse open sleigh

Jingle bells, jingle bells

Jingle all the way

Oh, what fun it is to ride

In a one horse open sleigh

A day or two ago,

I thought I’d take a ride,

And soon Miss Fanny Bright

Was seated by my side;

The horse was lean and lank

Misfortune seemed his lot

We got into a drifted bank,

And then we got upsot.

Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells

Jingle all the way

Oh, what fun it is to ride

In a one horse open sleigh

Jingle bells, jingle bells

Jingle all the way

Oh, what fun it is to ride

In a one horse open sleigh

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,

Jingle all the way!

Oh, What fun it is to ride

In a one horse open sleigh.

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,

Jingle all the way!

Oh, What fun it is to ride

In a one horse open sleigh.

Now the ground is white

Go it while you’re young

Take the girls tonight

And sing this sleighing song

Just get a bobtailed bay

two-forty as his speed

Hitch him to an open sleigh

And crack! you’ll take the lead

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,

Jingle all the way!

Oh, What fun it is to ride

In a one horse open sleigh.

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,

Jingle all the way!

Oh, What fun it is to ride

In a one horse open sleigh.

Interesting Jingle Bells facts:

“Jingle Bells” is one of the best-known and commonly sung American songs in the world. It was written by James Lord Pierpont (1822–1893) and published under the title “One Horse Open Sleigh” in the autumn of 1857. It was originally written to be sung by a Sunday School choir.

Although originally intended for the Thanksgiving season in autumn and having no connection to Christmas it became associated with Christmas music and the holiday season.

“Jingle Bells” was the first song broadcast from space, in a Christmas-themed prank by Gemini 6 astronauts Tom Stafford and Wally Schirra. While in space on December 16, 1965, they sent this report to Mission Control:

„Gemini VII, this is Gemini VI. We have an object, looks like a satellite going from north to south, up in a polar orbit. He’s in a very low trajectory traveling from north to south and has a very high climbing ratio. It looks like it might even be a … Very low. Looks like he might be going to reenter soon. Stand by one … You might just let me try to pick up that thing. I see a command module and eight smaller modules in front. The pilot of the command module is wearing a red suit.” Ground controllers then began to hear the strains of none other than “Jingle Bells,” being played by the astronauts on a harmonica backed by miniature sleigh bells. Today, those bells and harmonica are on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

Every December, an old battle known as “The Jingle Bell Wars” rages on. The folks of Medford, Massachusetts, claim their town is the real birthplace of the famous holiday tune, as Pierpont was still living there in 1850 when it was allegedly written at the local Simpson Tavern. This isn’t a battle the South is prepared to lose: Savannah’s tourism guide maintains “Jingle Bells” was penned in the very church it premiered. That doesn’t stop Medford from holding an annual Jingle Bell Festival or dubbing itself “The Jingle Bell City.”

“We take full ownership of it,” says Medford Mayor Stephanie M. Burke in 2016. “It’s got a long history, and we’re proud of it.”

There are some universal customs that we all look forward to as we count down to Christmas. Whether it’s hitting the mall to visit Saint Nick himself or just enjoying the decor surrounding you on the streets, the world just feels a little cheerier around this time of year.

Unfortunately, some of the most beloved past times have become… well, things of the past as modern practices take their place. It’s a shame, considering most of these forgotten traditions revolve around spending more quality time with your family.

Take a look to see what you and your loved ones can do this year to embrace the charm from holidays of the past.

1. Chopping Down A Tree From Your Yard

Before neighborhoods became more clustered and crowded, folks could just hop in their backyard to find the perfect tree.

2. Sending A Family Newsletter

While some families still do this, people nowdays mostly rely on their Facebook feeds to keep everyone updated year round.

3. Singing Carols To Neighbors

You might see chorus groups going around now and then, but what’s stopping us from gathering to spread the cheer ourselves?

4. Using Actual Stockings

Kids today obviously love giant stockings stuffed with extra presents, but using the real deal might help them be a bit less greedy.

5. Filling Them With Fruit And Chocolate Coins

Again, keeping it simple like folks from the old days can help youngsters really focus on the more important aspects of the holiday.

6. Putting On A Christmas Eve Pageant

Some churches still perform the annual show, but this used to be a tradition for families in their own living rooms.

7. Dad Dressing Up As Santa

After all, you can’t “see mommy kissing Santa Claus” without suiting up!

8. Running A Toy Train Around The Tree

This always added a delightful dash of holiday spirit to any tree skirt.

9. Stringing Popcorn And Cranberry Garlands

The process may be tedious, but it’s also one of the best opportunities to get cozy with your family and tackle the project together.

10. Making Homemade Gifts

There’s no denying we’re a more technologically obsessed culture these days, but that shouldn’t stop us from using our own two hands to create something extra special for our loved ones.

11. Getting Gussied Up

Even if it’s just throwing on your “good” pair of pajamas, dressing for the occasion always helped get everyone in a more festive mood.

source: littlethings.com

Le tudod fordítani a magyar kifejezéseket angolra? A szöveg segít.

1. otthon készített ajándékot csinálni

2. megtalálni a tökéletes fát

3. családi hírlevelet küldeni

4. nem eltúlozni valamit

5. Mikulásnak öltözni

6. élvezni a téged körülvevő dekorációt

Key

1. to make homemade gifts

2. to find the perfect tree

3. to send a family newsletter

4. to keep something simple

5. to dress up as Santa

6. to enjoy the surrounding decor

Santa Claus, Santa Claus

Santa Claus, Santa Claus

We all love you

Santa Claus

With your bright red suit and your long white beard

Your floppy hat that covers your ears

Santa Claus you’re the best

You carry your presents in a sack

And you put them under the tree

Hope you bring one for me

You fly through the sky on a shiny sleigh

Your reindeer pull you all the way

Santa Claus, you’re a magic man

You can crawl through keyholes

Walk through walls

Go up and down chimneys

But that’s not all

Santa Claus you can disappear

We’re gonna leave you a glass of milk

And a cookie on a plate

Santa Claus please don’t be late

’Cos all the little boys

And all the little girls

In every little place all around the world

They’re waiting for you

Santa Claus

Santa Claus, Santa Claus

Santa Claus, Santa Claus

We all love you

Santa Claus

Fun facts about Santa’s reindeer

– Santa Claus’s sleigh is led by eight reindeer: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder (Donner), and Blixem (Blitzen), joined by Rudolph in the 20th century.

– Santa’s reindeer made their first official appearance in 1823, when Clement C. Moore published the poem “The Night Before Christmas,” where he says that “eight tiny rein-deer” led Santa’s sleigh through the night.

 – The names Donder and Blitzen translate from German as thunder and lightning.

– Some people like to leave carrots for Santa’s reindeer as a special treat on Christmas Eve, but think about leaving moss instead – that’s a real reindeer’s favourite food!

– Rudolph wasn’t an original member of Santa’s reindeer. The little red-nosed reindeer didn’t appear until 1939, when department store Montgomery Ward hired writer Robert L. May to write a book starring a brand new Christmas character.

– Rudolph’s story was adapted into the famous song, still sung today, in 1949.

– To celebrate Rudolph’s 75th birthday, the United States Postal Service issued a set of Rudolph stamps in November 2014.

Can you answer the questions?

1. Which reindeer joined the others only later?

2. What’s a real reindeer’s favourite food?

3. What does the name of Donder mean in German?

4. What’s the title of the poem the eight reindeer first appeared in?

5. Since when has the famous Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer song been sung?

Key

1.Rudolph.

2. moss

3. thunder

4. The Night Before Christmas

5. Since 1949.