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Christmas EDITION#03 ISE MAGAZINE

Contents 04 / Who said that Santa isn’t real? 04 / Spending Christmas in a different country 05 / 5 steps for lost students to survive the next Christmas Day 05 / Dublin Xmas tips 06 / Advice and tips for Christmas Day 06 / Christmas holidays 07 / Santa Claus is coming to town 07 / “ Brigadeiro” recipe 08 / New Year Celebration in Mongolia, Bolivia and Mexico 08 / All I wanted for Christmas was Santa Claus’s boxers! 09 / My Christmas 09 / Friendly weather 10 / Bad children have no gifts 10 / Christmas is a very special time 11 / I don’t want Christmas presents anymore! 11 / Dun Laoghaire Christmas Market 12 / Christmas Day 12 / New traditions 13 / Christmas survival guide 13 / Christmas party at work 14 / All I wanted for Christmas was Santa Claus’s boxers! 14 / Christmas time 15 / Why is it the most wonderful time of the year? 15 / It can be cold at Christmas 16 / Importing Christmas 16 / The most important holiday of a year 17 / Christmas in Mexico 17 / Christmas is just a date 18/ A French Christmas 18 / Christmas for me 19 / Christmas celebration 20 / Celebrating the New Year in Mongolia 21 / A Christmas to remember 22 / Christmas Recipe – Milk Pudding 22 / Christmas is the “Couple’s day” in Japan 23 / Christmas event is super common over the place 24/ Advice for the Christmas season 02

ISE MAGAZINE Subtitle Dear Students, Welcome to the Christmas edition of ISE Magazine, written by ISE Students for ISE Students! We hope you enjoy reading the Christmas themed articles and stories written by our very talented students! ISE would like to say a huge thank you to all of our students who have contributed to this special Christmas edition of ISE Magazine. We appreciate your effort and are happy we can share your words with everyone at ISE! We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a wonderful Christmas time and a very Happy New Year 2020! Best wishes, Marianne, Ann, Gareth, Enda and all the ISE Team. 03

Who said that Santa isn’t real? Dear Santa, how are you? I hope you are doing well! Are you ready for more hard work this year? I hope so. Well, I know you work hard because there are thousands of houses to visit, even just once a year and I also know how sad you are when you hear that you are not real. Jesus! It’s not an easy job. I’m writing not to ask you for any kind of gift are sick in hospitals, wishing not for material or a visit to my house, but I’ve got an idea. gifts, but for a more important one: A smile! What do you think about meeting me for a coffee to discuss some topics about Probably you would need to visit more than children? once per year, but I guarantee that after this Actually there are a lot of them who need special attention, especially the ones that job you will be well admired by everyone I’m looking forward to hearing from you See you! Ana Paula Baptista Spending Christmas in a different country But don’t be afraid of that, because you won’t be alone. There’s always somebody who is in the same situation. Probably your flatmates and your classmates will stay here with you. You can go to a party together, you can go to a friend’s house or make a big meal at your own house. So, there are a lot of options to enjoy and celebrate Christmas with each When you are away from your home on such other. We are sure that you won’t feel alone. a special date, you can feel a little lost. For a lot of students, this year will be their first Christmas without their loved ones. Ana Paula Anjos, Francisco Maia, Thiago Piccinini 04

5 steps for lost students to survive the next Christmas Day 1 - If you are a popular person with a lot of 4 - For cheapskates you can buy something friends, you won’t have a problem. If you are special in EuroGiant / Deal. Rich people can shy, you shouldn’t have a problem either as buy the same gift and spend your money on apps are here to help you (Meetup / Tinder). yourself on a Eurotrip. 2 - If you are a little quiet you can stay at 5 - When Christmas Day arrives and your home and have a private party. If you are a heart is sad or happy, don’t forget, you party animal you need to put on a Christmas have friends and family on the other side jumper and go out and party and party. of the world. You should use your unlimited internet to call or share the worst stickers all 3 - For good cooks you can try to make day with them. traditional food, but if you are a clumsy cook it’s better for you and us to buy something. Camila Martinez and Jader Vinicius Dublin Xmas tips If you are going to spend Xmas in Dublin and 2.If you are a person who likes to party,there if you don’t know what to do, here are a few is few pubs that we recommend. tips for you: (a) Number 4 Dame Lane 1.If you are a person who likes handcrafts This is probably as close as you are going to then you definitely need to go Dublin Flea get to a nightclub. Xmas Market, it in The Point Village this year, just beside the Three Arena. The market will (b) Hogans Grab a bottle of beer in here and host a whopper collection of over 100 stalls you are joining the main party of the night. selling a unique mix of funky festive gifts. If you are a person who prefers spending Let’s invite friends now! I believe you will be time with all your family at home, then you amazed! can make food, buy a bottle of wine and swap gifts.You can talk about the good and bad experiences that you have been through this year, if things are going well, remember to keep it up and have a Happy Merry X’mas! Kuang-I,Wang and Renata Humphreis 05 5

Advice and Tips for Christmas Day Advice: Tips: • Organise a secret Santa with your • Buy wine and panettone for dinner on family and your friends, but save the Christmas day. gifts for Christmas day. • Buy a Christmas tree and fairy lights, • Be generous: help somebody in the and decorations for the house. street. • Don’t forget to buy food for dinner • Be good: forgive your family and and to make a dessert. your friends for their faults and don’t argue with them. Carolina Medeiros , Vanessa Silva • If you drink, don’t drive. and Clara Lavigne Christmas holidays Everything began when I was chilling at and I took a flight with a stop in Madrid, home and I received a message from the waiting for 2 hours in that airport to get my airline company where I got my flight other flight to my destination. ticket to go back to my native city to spend Christmas holidays with my family. Finally, I got home to enjoy my holidays with my family. I hoped The airline company had just cancelled my that everything flight. I couldn’t believe it. would be okay when I took I called them to ask for a solution because I my return couldn’t lose my flight and lose my holiday. flight. A very kind woman answered my call. She told me she could find other flights maybe but that would change the price and the duration of the flight. What could I say? I didn’t want to lose my Sebastián Ceballos Campos flight on the 23rd December so I accepted 06

Santa Claus is coming to Town It’s Christmas Eve and I’m drinking in an “My only family is my dog and he’s waiting infamous pub in Dublin 8 with a friend of for me at home as every day” He gave his mine. I have become a regular customer liquor a hit. since I visited the place one year before. I didn’t save up enough money to visit “What about yourself?” my family, the same as my friend. The atmosphere of the place was becoming “I’m drinking with a friend of mine as my depressive as I thought about it. Just a few family is on the other side of the globe, people were sitting in the bar, drinking, in nobody is waiting for me either.” silence. I finished my cigarette and give him the pack “I’ll have a cigarette” I said to my friend and with the 3 that were left . walked out of the pub, it was freezing cold “God bless” He said raising his drink towards and I left my coat inside. I was coming back me, I gave a step towards the entrance of the but a voice stopped me. pub but suddenly hesitated. “Can you spare me a cigarette? “ An old man “Are you up for a pint Santa?” dressed up as Santa Claus in a tacky costume asked. Carlos Eduardo Avitia Acevedo “It’s Christmas Eve, even Santa ought to get a gift.” The old man laughed, he was drinking in the street. I handed him the cigarettes and lit it up. “So what’s the story Santa? Do you have any family?” I asked. This a Brazilian recipe for Christmas. Recipe We call “Brigadeiro” What to do: Step 1: Take the ingredients. You need: • In a pan, mix all the ingredients • Chocolate • Turn on the pan • Butter • Mix until stay blended • Condensed milk • When the mixture has stopped sticking to the pan, it’s ready Eduardo, Gabriela and Marcela. 07

New Year Celebration in Mongolia, Bolivia and Mexico In Mongolia, New Years is a celebration family with a big dinner of chicken and cider. where people usually meet in the square and have a party after first having celebrations In México, New Years is a celebration with with family a special dinner with different friends and family, the dinner is with family fish and meat. and the party afterwards is only with friends. The dinner is usually meat and wine. In Bolivia, New Years is a celebration with Nancy Liliana Ceja Ramírez, Bilguun Purevkhuu and Brandon King Céspedez Choque All I wanted for Christmas was Santa Claus’s boxers! The memories of Christmas have the power Christmas 2004, my parents woke me up to affect our lives forever. And, for me it was shouting, saying that Santa Claus had left no different. some surprises for me. I got up instantly and I ran to look under the Christmas tree. When I was a child, my parents were always trying to keep the Christmas magic alive in But, all I saw was a big dirty pair of ripped my life. I was encouraged by them to write a boxers hung on the open window. I asked my letter to Santa Claus asking for gifts that I’d father what it was and he said that Santa had like to receive (the cheapest ones, of course). had an accident and was stuck by his boxers We used to decorate the house together on the window. making sure that everything was good enough for Santa. The Christmas tree was Now, my dear reader, ask me if I paid any the centre of it all, because Santa would put attention to the gifts? Of course I didn’t! my gifts under it on Christmas Eve. That year, all that I wanted for Christmas was Santa Claus’s boxers. Caina Roberto Horacio 08

My Christmas When I was a kid it used to be funnier Before you sat down you took a peek at because we played games and ate a lot. We everyone, how they were dressed up. Later had turkey, ham and delicious pasta with all of us started changing jackets or putting shrimp my aunt prepared. on scarves to make it harder. It was hilarious when someone had no idea who the secret As we grew older, some of my cousins got Santa was and they just said random names married and they had to spend Christmas until they got it right. with their in-laws too. Some things have changed since then. The celebration got Even though we now have more smaller but we kept doing secret Santa so no responsibilities I believe it is important to one was left without a present. We used to maintain the tradition no matter if there are give the present to the other person but it several people or just you and your parents. was too quick and with no excitement. It is one of the few times you get to see and chat with relatives you are not often in The adults decided to sit a person on the contact with, so there’s no reason to waste couch and blindfold him making him guess those moments. who his secret Santa was by touching them. Gerardo Fourzan Friendly Weather I already knew about the weather in Dublin, me and asked me to have a coffee with him it’s always said that is crazy and you can face while it was stormy outside. We only talked two to four seasons in one. for a short time, but it felt like a long and grateful conversation between friends. Back to December 2018, when I had just I realised that Dublin’s people can be as arrived in Dublin, I had a really different surprising as the weather. The weather can experience that I have never had before. be cold but the hospitality will always be friendly. On that day I was going to school on foot, following my routine, the same as many Luan Almeida, Vinicius Carato and Francielle students. It was raining as usual, so I took my umbrella but as soon as I opened it, the rain stopped. Suddenly, it a snow really bad snow storm started (but as beautiful as in the movies). There was no other way to escape from that so I sought shelter. So, the best part of this story began… As soon as I found a shelter in a restaurant, an elderly man with grey hair, shouted at 09

Bad children have no gifts When we are children we get more excited That’s every child’s favourite moment of the for Christmas than adults, of course, we love year. Santa and his presents. We write lists of gifts which we’ve wanted the whole year in order Things change a bit when you grow up, the to write the best letter. older you get the more you realize that the most important thing about Christmas is Our parents threaten us about ringing the being with your loved ones. Everyone is so North Pole and letting Mr.Claus know we’re busy during the year now that you hardly see being bad, and what can be worse than each other, so the quality time you get to getting coal on Christmas Day? spend with each one of them is the best gift you can ask for. We leave biscuits and milk for Santa to thank him for the long journey he had to make to Having the house filled with special people, leave all the presents for us. long hugs, delicious food and loud laughs. Those are the moments you cherish the We wake our parents up at an extremely most when you’re an adult. early hour to let them know Santa has eaten The best life advice I can share during these the biscuits and has brought the presents, special holidays is to never take for granted we want them to watch while we’re opening the most truly meaningful gift of all: love. them. Lillian Blancarte Christmas is a very special time Christmas is a very special time everywhere In occidental countries, for example, its around the world, family and friends come very common to have Christmas dinner together to celebrate the spirit of love. with all the family together and exchange gifts. Sometimes, families make a delicious This celebration comes from Catholicism and barbecue to celebrate this amazing day. makes reference to the birth of Jesus Christ, the religious leader who came to the world When we think about Taiwan, this date with the purpose of saving humanity. is a little bit different. People stay with their friends instead of being with family, Nowadays, we don’t need to be religious exchange gifts and enjoy a good time to celebrate Christmas. However, people together. Anyway, independent of the way have different ways to enjoy this important people celebrate Christmas, the spirit of day. The main point in common during this sharing good things always prevails. celebration is unity and solidarity. Isabela, Amanda and Hena 10

I don’t want Christmas presents anymore! Yes, I don’t want Christmas presents give me gifts anytime you want. anymore! Ok, read this sentence again. I don’t want Christmas presents anymore. The real meaning of Christmas is to not spend all your money buying presents that No, I’m not crazy. Why don’t I want presents you can find in any store. The meaning is to anymore? Because it is not about one day, share, care and show your feelings for the I don’t want an obligation present. You can people who you love. If you are interested in showing your love, why don’t you give something handmade or homemade (like a cake or something that). Or, you don’t need to give a material present. You can send a message or make a call to a person who you haven’t talked to for a long time. Here is my advice: Life is short! Spend time (not just money) with people who you love! Merry Christmas! Alejandro Villalobos and Brunielly Keith Dun Laoghaire Christmas Market If you want to have a different experience This is definitiely one of the prettiest this Christmas you should go to Dun Christmas markets in Dublin. Laoghaire. Dun Laoghaire is a small town in south Dublin with a beautiful dock, yacht club, lots of historic places to visit and good food. You can go by Dart or bus, it takes less than an hour to get there. There is a Christmas Market every weekend and during Christmas week it will be open every day. Besides food, you can see selected seasonal Guilherme, Nathalia and Kettylen arts & crafts, and also enjoy a beautiful and fascinating atmosphere especially in the late 11 afternoon when all the lights on the small huts are turned on and it looks like winter snow.

Christmas Day Christmas day is a special day for most of the chester and dry fruit inside all the food, for world. example, rice, Farofa, potatoes, mayonnaise. On the final day we give presents. In Brazil, it is normal to have a big dinner with family on the 24th December. The The 25th December is a relaxed day when whole family helps to make food and we eat the leftover food for lunch and at decorations. It is common to BBQ a big night we cook a big BBQ. Fernando Mariotti New traditions Gathering around during Christmas is This year Let It Snow is a heartwarming already a tradition and in the US we used to movie about a group of teenagers that watch one Christmas movie every night, turn are trying to figure out what to do in their on the fire and make some hot chocolate lives. For those who like animations we will in December until Christmas Eve but now have Klaus that is about a with Netflix a new postman, a teacher and a tradition is being built. toy maker. The most popular Christmas movie for the For the last three or last few years in Netflix is A four years Netflix Christmas Prince. Last year has been producing we had the second one that romantic comedies was about their wedding and with Christmas as this year we can watch the a background, and third part of the franchise, the stories about romance, Royal Baby!! Joking with the family and giving well known The Nightmare back to others are a Before Christmas, Netflix will big success with the release The Knight Before public. Every year they Christmas and the cast announce some movies. includes Vanessa Hudgens. During November and The story is about a teacher December they release that gave up on love but now them on their website she met this real knight. so teenagers nowadays are counting down to just pouring some hot chocolate and So get your hot cocoa with popcorn watching a light movie to disconnect from ready and delight yourself with some the reality a little bit. heartwarming Christmas movies. Ingrid Zamengo 12

Christmas survival guide Rules please. Every argument starts after a lot of 1 • No raisins. drink. Because some people like raisins but some people hate them in everything (cakes, 5 • Don’t give ugly gifts. salads, rice, drinks, meat). Because the person who receives them can feel devalued. 2 • Never be late to a Christmas celebration. 6 • Save money. You must eat before midnight, it would Don’t spend a lot money on specific embarrassing to arrive late. Christmas things because you aren’t rich and you’ll miss that money next month. 3 • Neve talk about difficult topics Everybody thinks differently and it’s good to 7 • Don’t miss the Christmas celebration avoid an argument. It’s most important to be there with your family hope you celebrate with them. 4 • Be careful with drinks. Self-control Brian Lopez, Tierry Menezes and Mariany Braga Christmas party at work In Brazil at end of every year Four years ago with my first class, we we have a party. It may be danced to a song and also played called a Christmas party some instruments. though we celebrate all the things that have happened It was a really nice experience because throughout the year. one of them didn’t like that kind of presentation but one day before the I work as a teacher and in my job we have a Christmas Christmas party he decided to try to party. It does not happen enjoy it with us. on 25th December. It might be one or two weeks before I was so happy because he had that day. challenged himself. It was the true Christmas spirit for me. We give a presentation to the parents it can be dancing or Arieli Colella Silva singing songs. 13

All I wanted for Christmas was Santa Claus’s boxers! The memories of Christmas have the power had an accident and was stuck by his boxers to affect our lives forever. And, for me it was on the window. no different. Now, my dear reader, ask me if I paid any When I was a child, my parents were always attention to the gifts? Of course I didn’t! trying to keep the Christmas magic alive in That year, all that I wanted for Christmas was my life. I was encouraged by them to write a Santa Claus’s boxers. letter to Santa Claus asking for gifts that I’d like to receive (the cheapest ones, of course). We used to decorate the house together making sure that everything was good enough for Santa. The Christmas tree was the centre of it all, because Santa would put my gifts under it on Christmas Eve. Christmas 2004, my parents woke me up shouting, saying that Santa Claus had left some surprises for me. I got up instantly and I ran to look under the Christmas tree. But, all I saw was a big dirty pair of ripped Caina Roberto Horacio boxers hung on the open window. I asked my father what it was and he said that Santa had Christmas time Everyone has busy lives during the whole Even though it is a hard part of the year year, that means, we do not see time for me, I will try to make it as enjoyable passing. Everybody has their objectives as possible, have a big dinner with my working in their own business, and we housemates, invite some friends to join us usually say we have until the middle of and have some activities such as exchanging December to do it. When the end of the gifts. year comes, the people start to “take it easy” because Christmas is coming as well. After all I hope we have a really good Christmas this year, remembering to be Although this year will be my second time grateful for all the good things that have spending Christmas here in Dublin, I am not happened. used to it, it’s so far from all my family. Germano Machado 14

Why is it the most wonderful time of the year? Colourful lights, gifts, Santa, Christmas trees, making terrible jokes, grandma giving hugs parties, delicious food... That’s all amazing and kisses, the grumpy friend complaining Christmas stuff! But what truly makes it the about his ex-girlfriend, kids running around “hap-happiest” season of all? the Christmas tree trying to guess what they’re going to get from Santa... Despite all the commercialisation, the best thing about Christmas is the opportunity And what about people who are living to get together. Family and friends, all abroad, far away from family and old friends? celebrating life and love. That drunk uncle They should get together with their new “family”, celebrate the opportunity to be in a totally different culture, get a new drunk uncle, invite another grumpy friend to their house, be the kissing grandma and give some gifts to the kids that probably don’t have a Christmas tree and are not waiting for Santa. Because it doesn’t matter where you are, you can make it the most wonderful time of your year! Priscila Gil de Azevedo It can be cold at Christmas I’m from Brazil and when Christmas Day is share good and bad experiences. coming we look forward to the holidays. It’s summer so we have a lot of food, fireworks We can be anywhere in the world if we have and parties. All family members travel to be people who we can call our family. together to enjoy this day. Last year I was in Dublin and my Christmas was different. It was very cold and a lot of people were wearing Christmas jumpers. No fireworks, no mother and father. But I could see that we can have more than one family in our lives. My friends are my family. With them I can Hannah Moura 15

Importing Christmas Christmas time has started, there is snow, adapt them, now Santa can wear shorts and Santa Claus with a big warm suit, reindeers sleeveless t-shirts and stay on a sandy beach, and large amount of hot food such as roast we eat turkey with “farofa” and potato salad, turkey, soup and cakes. But what do you do which makes the dishes less hot, also some if you live on the other side of the planet? cold deserts help with the hot weather. It’s so funny when you see Christmas The truth is, it doesn’t matter if you import decorations with fake snow in 36 degrees traditions or make your own adaptations, the summer heat, sweating men dressing up most important thing is that people reignite as Santa, dogs with antlers and red noses their feelings, fill their bodies with hope pretending to be Rudolph. and love and try to make a better future the following year. We import these traditions but we also Tatiana Gomes Reis The most important holiday of a year We celebrate Christmas, but New Year’s Day Osechi is eaten in order to pray for good is the most important holiday in Japan. health and a good harvest for the year ahead. We normally celebrate New Year’s Day with our immediate or extended family and eat On New Year’s Day children receive gifts traditional Japanese food with them. called ‘otoshidama’ from their extended family. The most typical New Year’s food is called ‘osechi’. One last thing, we go to a shrine to pray for It’s like a big fancy bento box. good health and make a wish. Erika Miura.

Christmas in Mexico Christmas means spending more time with people are given candles and they call at family, showing gratitude and love and friends’ and family houses and sing a song at sharing with your loved ones. each home. In Mexico we After these celebrate from Posadas on 24th December 12th December we up to Christmas usually have a Eve. People big dinner with perform the our family with “Posada”. Posada traditional food. in Spanish is for We say prayers Inn or Lodging. of thanks and This celebrates have a party with the part of the gifts, games and Christmas story fireworks. where Joseph and Mary looked Nelly Garcia and Anakaren Figueroa for somewhere to stay. In each Posada Christmas is Just a Date Christmas is just a date for me. My family is At Christmas we always go to her house, not that religious, just my grandmother, and which is in a different city than mine. All my she goes to church and that kind of stuff. mother’s family go there, my aunties and uncles. We spend December 24th cooking food for all the family, like rice, tutu de feijão (kind of beans), farofa, oven-roasted suckling pig, some salad with palmito, and a lot of beer. We all eat together and at the end of the night we exchange presents. One thing funny about Christmas is that we always discuss putting raisins in the rice. Vitória Marques 17

A French Christmas For French people, Christmas is the best disguise ourselves with ridiculous Christmas moment to see all the family. It allows us to costumes like trees, reindeer, just to have meet family who live far away. Christmas fun. is the moment when we can be altogether. We cook a lot of different food and we This is the “Holiday Spirit of Christmas”. can eat some special food which we don’t normally eat such as oyster, smoked salmon, Ryosuke Yamamoto and Megane Faucitano escargots, shrimps... At midnight with my family, one person in the family puts on the Santa Claus costume to give all the gifts to the family and in particular to the children. Then, Santa Claus offers a lot of different gifts like toys for the children, and for the adults clothes, makeup, perfumes, watches, games... Sometimes the children do a little show like singing and dancing to Christmas music. It’s a really nice moment. We also Christmas for me I love Christmas evening, and for me it’s not world should celebrate Christmas, because about all the advertising with food, presents at that time we have time to share love, and drink. I love it because it’s hard to get all positive feelings and good words for those your family together for one event. we love. In my opinion, regardless of religion, all the I am fascinated with the birth of Jesus and all the history about him, but I think Christmas is much more than this. It’s about love and sharing, about humanity and forgiveness. About everything that Jesus Christ tried to teach. I wish everybody an amazing, cozy, friendly and full of love Christmas. Olivia Correa 18

Christmas celebration The most important celebrations in Mexico clock strikes 12 am on 25th of December. are Christmas and New Year’s Eve, but You wait for this time to hug and wish the Christmas is something that everybody is best to each member of your family and then waiting for, to be with family, to see them the lights and fireworks start to shine. It’s again and eat lots of food. time to hit the piñata and maybe dance and sing with the help of the karaoke machine. However, the party starts before Christmas, everybody is waiting for December to start After that, you go to sleep, and you know with the “posadas”. They are traditional this day, 25th December, is to rest, to wake meetings with neighbours or friends where up slowly, eat food from last night, which you are supposed to be representing the always seems better on this day I don’t know Bible story of Mary and Joseph’s journey to why. It is also time to open the presents or Bethlehem when they were searching for a whatever Santa Claus has brought you. place to stay. This representation starts with a song while you’re holding a candle and also To sum up, Christmas is pretty much the involves piñatas and traditional food. You same in many countries though some can have one “posada” every day two weeks traditions are different but it’s a day to before Christmas. be with those you love the most, a day to forgive and forget everything bad and to On the other hand, Christmas Day is special appreciate all you have. because you wear new clothes, usually something formal and have dinner when the Analí Alafita

Celebrating the New Year in Mongolia Just like for most countries, the first of money is shared equally. The tree becomes a January is a day off in Mongolia, giving symbol of prosperity and wealth for families opportunities for most people to celebrate proudly displayed at home, and a great way with families and friends. for the children to make some money during the winter. Now, I want to give you some interesting facts about Christmas in Mongolia. 4• Mongolian people call Santa Claus Grandfather Frost (or Winter grandpa) and 1• The 1st of January is considered a non- he often comes with his granddaughter working day in Mongolia. (Snow Maiden), Winter grandpa is depicted as a tall man with a great white beard and 2• Celebrations start on 31st of December, wears a long deep blue or white coloured with a dinner mostly served late in the dress. His granddaughter is there to evening. You can always find different sorts help offer gifts to young children not for of salads, Mongolian buuz, some cakes, and Christmas, but for the New Year. champagne to accompany these meals. 5• During this period, you can attend a 3• In Mongolia, most parents have a wonderful event at Chingis Khaan Square, tradition of decorating the New Year’s tree to see concerts and performances as well for their children, resembling the Christmas as a great firework display, organized by the tree. The guests who are visiting the family city council. The firework display is the main on the 1st of January then can hang some event of the night after the count down, bills of Tugriks (Mongolian currency) on the when parents as well as children, given tree for the children. Of course, if several special permission to stay awake late that children are part of the family, then the night, are delighted by the spectacle. Angarmaa

A Christmas to Remember A cool breeze blows through the group Someone clears their throat and you feel you find yourself in. December is almost the collective energy level rise, like feedback over, and the ‘not-freezing’ night time from an amp before the first chord of a rock temperature reminds you that you are song. “Here goes-“, you start to think, and nowhere near home. As if it weren’t enough the air fills with voices. You clumsily follow that I know only a dozen or so words in the lyrics, self-conscious about your terrible Spanish, the local language, you think. Yet, Spanish, but a girl next to you gives you a the group has embraced you, making you thumbs-up. feel marginally less of an outsider. And then the door opens, spilling light into The piece of paper in your hand rustles, and the street. “Come on inside, Holy pilgrims”, you look at it. You understand the voices sing. none of the You know that’s writing on it, and what the words you’ve forgotten mean only because the explanation someone had someone gave already explained you. You just it to you. You feel remember that happy, grateful, the people all the feelings of in the party doubt washed away suddenly split by the welcoming into two groups, smell of hot food and someone and the energetic suggested you hugs coming from join theirs. everywhere. And “We’ll play the the laughter. pilgrims”, they said through a broad smile. “We’ll go outside, and then sing asking for You have now almost survived your first shelter. The ones who stay inside will turn us Posada, a party that takes place in Mexican down at first, but after we insist and explain houses every night for the nine days that we have travelled from far away and previous to Christmas. Now you’ll have Mary carries the child of God in her womb, dinner, and you spy a piñata in the yard, star they’ll let us in. Then we’ll finish the song, shaped and colorful. “So, no animal shapes?” and eat like there’s no tomorrow. Sound you ask. “It’s not Fortnite!” your host laughs. good?” “Each spike represents one of the seven deadly sins, and we break it to wash away sin You nodded, and now here you are it and start fresh.” Start fresh indeed, you think, sparkler in one hand, folded paper bearing feeling more like home away from home. incomprehensible lyrics in the other. Kenta Tai 21

Christmas Recipe – Milk Pudding Ingredients: • Put the milk, eggs and condensed milk in a • 1 can of condensed milk blender and mix it all together • 1 and a half cans of milk • Put the mixture in the pan and cover with • 3 eggs aluminum foil • 1 cup of sugar • Place the pan in a water bath • Bake in a 200°C oven for 2 hours, or until Instructions: you can insert a toothpick and it comes out • Put the sugar in a pan with a quarter cup clean of water • Let it cool • Boil until it caramelizes • Unmould and serve • Put the caramel in a donut shaped pan Caoi Mello, Jorge Cantu, Guilherme Teruaki and Pedro Alcantara Christmas is the “Couple’s day” in Japan Christmas is one of the biggest events in day in Japan is for boyfriends and girlfriends Japan, even though the Christian population to spend special and romantic time with is only one percent, but none of the religion each other. This is similar to Valentine’s connections associated with Christmas are day. Couples go to pretty restaurants with celebrated. romantic views and exchange presents. As children, we spend time with our family If you spend time with your friends or family, and have a special dinner. Some examples of it may be called “kuribocchi”. dinner include sushi, turkey, roast beef,KFC chicken, etc. Airi Nakano It’s common to eat a decorated Christmas cake, with Santa on top of the cake. We also prepare Christmas trees with lights and some decorations. Of course, every Christmas Eve night, Santa comes to our house and gives us presents. However, when you grow up, you spend time with friends or lovers to eat special dinner and a cake or enjoy parties. There is a slang word “クリぼっち(kuribocchi)” which means “alone at Christmas”. The reason for this is because Christmas 22

Christmas Event is super common over the place Christmas events are super common all over about something really good that happens the place, even if in your country is not that somewhere and publish where you can special. The events are usually about being together with spend time with your loved one. your family and friends or And it’s the same in Asian. If religion, usually these you want to go somewhere, three aspects together. you can find discounts in restaurants, shows In the past, if we look that will happen for you at South America, watch, etc. you can see a common tradition. However, the Christmas People usually stay spirit is still alive in with their family, pray every single place. It to God (being glad or doesn’t matter if you live be grateful for their lives in a different place, the and asking for a better meaning is always about year). love and being grateful and the events that happen exist just Artists produce new jingles, journalists talk to remind us what is really special. Luiza Moura, Veronica Catoni and Chin Jin Yeoh Advice for the Christmas season • Don’t drink a lot • Help other people • Stay with your family • Be generous to people who are less • Enjoy your night fortunate • Don’t argue with your family • Hug those who need a hug without • Wear beautiful clothes judgemen. • If it snows, make a snowman Mercy, Renan and Lucivânia 23

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