English with Ally

Hello and welcome to English with Ally !  I'm Ally and this is the grand finale of our Christmas series! Over the past episodes, we’ve explored everything from cherished religious traditions to the more quirky, secular customs that many English-speaking communities follow during the festive season. As well as over-eating (unavoidable!), carol singing (absolutely!) and wearing those infamous u...

Hello and welcome back to English with Ally ! I’m Ally, and this is episode 23, the second-to-last episode in special Christmas series.  Today we’re diving into what happens on the 24th, 25th, and 26th of December—as these days can look different depending on where you are and what traditions you follow. Listen out for these words: Eve - the evening (or time) before a special event e.g. New Year&a...

Hello and welcome back to English with Ally ! I’m Ally and you are listening to one of 24 episodes I'm making this December to explain different Christmas customs and give English language learners a little culture and a little listening practice. Today, it's time for some Culture with capital "C": poetry and song that retell the story of the birth of Christ . Not everyone is a...

Hello and welcome back to English with Ally !  I’m Ally and you are listening to one of 24 episodes I'm making this December to explain different Christmas customs and give English language learners a little culture and a little listening practice. This is part two retelling the story of the birth of Christ. In the first part, we talked about Mary, Joseph, their journey to Bethlehem and the b...

Hello and welcome back to English with Ally ! I’m Ally, you are listening to one of 24 episodes I'm making this December to explain different Christmas customs and give English language learners a little culture and a little listening practice. This is part one of a special two-part episode.  We’ve been talking about secular Christmas customs—sending cards, buying presents, decorating your ho...

Hello and welcome back to English with Ally !  I’m Ally, and you’re listening to one of 24 episodes I’m making this December to explain different Christmas customs and give English language learners a little culture and a little listening practice. Today we’re talking about something that makes Christmas truly special: lending a helping hand to people in need. For many people the holiday season is...

Hello and welcome back to English with Ally !  I'm Ally, and you are listening to one of 24 episodes I'm making this December to explain different Christmas customs and give English language learners a little culture and a little listening practice. Today we’re heading Down Under to explore how Christmas is celebrated in Australia and New Zealand. Santa in shades? You bet as the Southern...

Hello and welcome back to English with Ally !  I’m Ally, and you’re listening to one of 24 episodes I’m making this December to explain different Christmas customs and give English language learners a little culture and a little listening practice. Today we’re talking about something creative and increasingly popular: Christmas crafts ! Making your own decorations or gifts is really on trend, and...

Hello everyone, and welcome back to English with Ally !  I'm Ally, and you are listening to one of 24 episodes I'm making this December to explain different Christmas customs. Like an advent calendar, I'm releasing one episode a day to offer English language learners a little culture and a little listening practice over the holiday season - you're welcome!. Christmas is the sea...

Hello and welcome back to English with Ally !  I’m Ally, and you’re listening to one of 24 episodes I’m making this December to explain different Christmas customs and give English language learners a little culture and a little listening practice. Today I'm talking about something that brings laughter and fun to Christmas celebrations: Christmas games ! These are activities families and frie...

Hello everyone, and welcome to English with Ally !   In previous episodes, I've looked at different secular, or non-religious, customs around Christmas, but this episode will focus on religious traditions from Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant communities.  But first, let’s look at some key words you’ll hear in the episode: Mass : A special church ceremony in the Catholic tradition. Hy...

Hi everyone, welcome back to English with Ally !  Today, we’re exploring one of the most famous Christmas stories ever written: Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol . We’ll look at the story, its symbols and moral lessons and why this short book still matters today. But first let's look at some vocabulary you can listen out for Grumpy - bad-tempered Symbolism – The use of symbols or images to...

Hi there listener, welcome back to English with Ally ! I'm Ally. Today, we’re going back in time—to Victorian England—to understand why Charles Dickens has been called “the man who invented Christmas.” Sounds dramatic, right? And while that is an exaggeration, Dickens did shape the way we celebrate Christmas today.   Some vocabulary to listen out for: Factories - big buildings where many peop...

Hello and welcome back to English with Ally ! Today we’re talking about one of the best parts of the festive season: Christmas food . From savoury dishes to sweet treats, food is at the heart of Christmas celebrations. And if you are a foodie or have a sweet tooth —meaning you love sugary things—this episode is just for you! Some words to listen out for in this episode are: Foodie - someone who lo...

Hello and welcome back to English with Ally !  This episode is about possibly the quirkiest festive tradition of them all: Ugly Christmas Jumpers . These colourful, sometimes ridiculous sweaters have become a regular part of holiday celebrations. But where did this trend come from? Let’s find out!  Here's some key vocabulary to listen out for: Ugly – not pretty Joke - something to make people...

Hello and welcome back to English with Ally !  Today we’re talking about a lovely festive tradition -  and one of my favourites - Christmas cards . Where did they come from? Why do we send them? And how has this tradition changed over time? Let’s find out! First, some words to listen out for: Victorian England - England during the time of Queen Victoria Greeting – a message to say hello or express...

Hello and welcome back to English with Ally ! It's me, Ally! Today's episode is on Christmas shopping but I also want to share a note on why today is important for Roman Catholics. Let's look at some vocabulary first: Words to listen out for are: Feast – a special day of celebration, often with food or religious meaning. Holy - sacred, connected to God or religion Pickled walnuts -...

Hello and welcome back to English with Ally ! Today we’re talking about a really fun tradition called Secret Santa . You may have seen this played on some TV shows. What is it? Where does it come from? Who plays it? Do you know? Before I begin, a listener has suggested I introduce new vocabulary at the start of the topic, so here are some words I'll use and their definitions.   Gifts - anothe...

Hello and welcome back to English with Ally ! Today we’re exploring two festive figures that many people think are the same: Santa Claus and Father Christmas . Are they really identical? Let’s find out! Santa Claus, as we know him today, comes from the Dutch figure Sinterklaas, which is based on Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century Greek bishop famous for his generosity and gift-giving. Dutch people brou...

Hello and welcome back to English with Ally ! Today I'll be talking about Christmas movies – do you want to guess which films I shall talk about? Naturally at Christmas, some people may watch films about the life of Christ such as The Nativity Story – a film about Mary and Joseph and the journey to Bethlehem. or The Greatest Story Ever Told – a classic retelling of the life of Jesus But there...

Hi everyone, and welcome back to English with Ally! Today, we’re talking about one of the most joyful parts of the holiday season—Christmas songs. From classic tunes to cheerful carols, music is everywhere in December. But what exactly is carolling, and why is it such a big tradition? Let’s find out! A carol is a festive song, usually about Christmas. These songs have been around for centuries, or...

Hello again, and welcome back to English with Ally!  Today, we’re talking about something magical—Christmas markets. These festive markets pop up in towns and cities during December, and they’re full of lights, music, and delicious smells. But where did they come from, and what makes them so special in the UK? Well, let’s find out!   Christmas markets started in Germany hundreds of years ago as pl...

Hi everyone, and welcome to English with Ally! Today, we’re diving into something festive and fun—the Advent calendar. You’ve probably seen these colourful calendars filled with chocolates or little gifts, but do you know where they come from? Let’s explore the history of Advent and how these calendars became a holiday tradition.   What is Advent?  Advent is a special season in the Christian calen...

Hello! Welcome to English with Ally – I'm Ally and over the month of December I'll take you on a journey of language learning and cultural discovery! Each episode is designed to help you improve your English while exploring the traditions, quirks, and everyday life that make English-speaking cultures unique. From festive fun to fascinating customs, you’ll learn the language and discover...