Elizabeth Tower vs. Big Ben

If you ask someone to name London´s places of interest, the most popular answer will be Big Ben. But it is a common mistake. A lot of people think that popular London´s tower is called Big Ben. It is not correct. 

Big Ben is a name for the biggest of six bells within the Tower. The Tower is officially called the Elizabeth Tower, after being renamed in 2012 from "Clock Tower" to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of the Elizabeth II. 

Yesterday we discussed this question with my pupils and made a model of Elizabeth Tower. Now I hope everyone knows for sure the difference between Big Ben and Elizabeth Tower.

Postcrossing

     Hobby plays a very important role in our lives. It`s impossible to imagine our life without hobby J  I`d like to tell you about my new hobby. I like travelling, reading, communication with interesting people, foreign languages. And I´ve found a hobby which includes all my wishes. I can describe all these activities just with one word – postcrossing.

     Postcrossing is a project which allows to send and receive cards from people all over the world. I mean paper postcards by mail, not e-mail! The main idea is to exchange cards with random person somewhere in the world.

CHRISTMAS BANK HOLIDAY

     Christmas is wonderful time! The most popular winter holidays are Christmas Day and Boxing Day. That´s why people usually wish each other „Happy Holidays!“ People celebrate these fantastic holidays with family and friends. Before Christmas holidays people decorate their houses, buy gifts and prepare delicious food.

     But there´s one more special holiday. It´s Christmas Bank Holiday, which is always celebrated on December, 27. At this day people stay at home, they sleep a lot and have rest after merry holidays.

BOXING DAY

Boxing Day is traditionally the day following Christmas Day, that is celebrated on 26 December, which is also St. Stephen's Day, a religious holiday.

The origin of this holiday's name is not clear. It is known Boxing Day was started in the UK about 800 years ago, during the Middle Age. It was the day when the alms boxes for the poor often kept in churches were opened and their contents could be given to poor people. Some churches still open these boxes on Boxing Day.  

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

On December, 25 people in Britain, Germany, the USA and some other countries celebrate Christmas. Christmas is the most important holiday of the year. People decorate their houses with Christmas tree, small colored fairy lights, leaves and berries from holly trees and mistletoe bushes, tinsel and ornaments. They usually put an angel at the top of the Christmas tree.

PER ASPERA AD ASTRA

      Движение - это жизнь... Движение вперед, к цели - вот то, что заставляет нас работать над собой, бороться с трудностями и преодолевать препятствия, какими непосильными они бы не казались. Так сказать, движение per aspera ad astra (лат.) - сквозь тернии к звездам...         
    Желание развивать свои способности и открывать новые горизонты сподвигло меня завести свой блог. Надеюсь, он принесет пользу любителям английского языка и станет для меня очередной "звездой"...