Ariannita explores American Christmas customs, from decorating and shopping for a tree to Secret Santa, SantaCon, and the white elephant gift game. Learn useful holiday-shopping language and hear people describe family traditions, festive food, and the different ways they celebrate.

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Ariannita explores Christmas customs through decorating, shopping, holiday events, and conversations with people in the United States. She begins with decorations such as ornaments, stockings, gift wrap, ribbon, gingerbread houses, and festive sweaters. These examples show how ordinary verbs combine with holiday objects: people ‘fill our stockings,’ ‘wrap the ribbon around the present,’ and ‘get in the Christmas spirit.’ She also compares real and artificial trees and describes choosing, transporting, and decorating a tree at home.

The lesson introduces expressions for gifts and gatherings. An ‘ugly sweater Christmas party’ is a playful event where guests wear deliberately over-the-top holiday sweaters. ‘Secret Santa’ is a gift exchange in which participants are assigned someone to buy for without initially revealing their identity; ‘white elephant’ is another style of gift exchange, often involving humorous or unwanted gifts. Ariannita also mentions Santa photos and SantaCon, a public holiday event that may include adults wearing Santa costumes and visiting bars. These events are different from children’s family traditions and are not part of everyone’s celebrations.

Later, Ariannita asks people about gifts, meals, family memories, and holiday routines. She uses ‘spend time with family’ to describe being together, ‘leftovers’ for food kept after a meal, and ‘doubling up on the Christmas dinner’ for having more than one holiday dinner. The conversations show that families may celebrate on different days, eat different foods, and exchange gifts in different ways. A question such as ‘What do you recommend?’ can be used to ask a shop worker for a suggestion while choosing a present.

Learners can use the video to describe one holiday custom from their own life, explain who participates, and compare it with another person’s tradition respectfully. Holiday practices vary widely by family, culture, religion, and region, so Ariannita’s examples are one set of experiences rather than a universal description of Christmas in the United States.

S2.1

Ariannita la GringaAmerican English17:12

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Select an expression for its meaning · 0:00

Introducing Christmas customs and decorations

Hey everybody it's Ariannita la Gringa and welcome back to my YouTube channel. In today's video we are going to see how people celebrate Christmas in the United States. But we first start celebrating by decorating our homes. Let's get started. So what's the first thing people do to ? Well, they start decorating their homes for Christmas. So first we're going to head on over to HomeGoods where they sell a lot of Christmas decorations. I'm sure we'll find a bunch. Let's . Now let's check out some iconic Christmas decorations that’ll make your house feel fun and festive.

Try it: Try using “get in the Christmas spirit” in a sentence about introducing christmas customs and decorations.

Phrase cheat sheet

All phrases at a glance

Review each expression, hear it, save it, or jump to where it appears in the video.

23 phrases

Showing 23 of 23 phrases

get in the Christmas spirit

Introducing Christmas customs and decorations · expression

Start feeling excited or festive about Christmas and its traditions.

Tone and use: Warm and common seasonal language. Describe activities that help you feel festive, such as decorating or listening to holiday music.

May not fit: For a neutral description of a date or schedule, simply say it is Christmas time.

Example“We put up the lights to get in the Christmas spirit.”

check it out

Introducing Christmas customs and decorations · phrasal verb

Go see, explore, or examine something that seems interesting.

Tone and use: Informal and enthusiastic. Invite someone to look at a shop, decoration, or attraction.

May not fit: For formal recommendations, visit or take a look at may sound more polished.

Example“There’s a holiday market downtown—let’s check it out.”

fill our stockings

Naming familiar Christmas decorations · expression

Put small gifts or treats into Christmas stockings, traditionally hung up for Santa to fill.

Tone and use: Seasonal cultural reference; stocking here means a large decorative sock, not ordinary clothing. Talk about a Christmas tradition or small gifts placed in a stocking.

May not fit: Outside the Christmas context, stocking usually means clothing worn on the foot or leg.

Example“We fill the kids’ stockings with candy and little toys.”

gift wrap

Describing ornaments, gift wrap, and snowmen · expression

Decorative paper used to cover a present; it can also be a verb meaning to wrap a gift.

Tone and use: Neutral shopping and holiday vocabulary. Ask for wrapping paper or a gift-wrapping service.

May not fit: For a bag or box used to package something, say gift bag or gift box.

Example“Do you have any gift wrap with a winter pattern?”

wrap the ribbon around the present

Wrapping and decorating presents · expression

Place ribbon around a gift and tie it as decoration.

Tone and use: Practical craft and gift-wrapping language. Explain how you are decorating a wrapped present.

May not fit: If the ribbon is being used to secure a package rather than decorate it, describe that purpose clearly.

Example“I wrapped a red ribbon around the present and tied a bow.”

gingerbread house

Wrapping and decorating presents · cultural reference

A small house-shaped holiday decoration or treat made from gingerbread pieces and icing, often decorated with candy.

Tone and use: Seasonal custom, especially popular in the United States around Christmas. Talk about making or decorating a holiday treat with family.

May not fit: Do not assume every household celebrates Christmas or makes one.

Example“The children decorated a gingerbread house with gumdrops.”

ugly sweater Christmas party

Wrapping and decorating presents · cultural reference

A playful holiday gathering where guests wear deliberately gaudy, funny, or over-the-top Christmas sweaters.

Tone and use: Informal and humorous; “ugly sweater party” is a common shortened form. Recognize an invitation to a themed holiday party.

May not fit: The sweaters are intentionally tacky, not necessarily genuinely ugly or offensive.

Example“Our office is having an ugly sweater party on Friday.”

pick up a Christmas tree

Making gingerbread houses and wearing festive sweaters · phrasal verb

Go get or collect a Christmas tree, often after buying or arranging to take it home.

Tone and use: Everyday errand language; pick up can have other meanings. Say you will collect an item from a shop or location.

May not fit: If you only mean purchase it, buy is more precise; if you mean lift it, the context should make that clear.

Example“We’re picking up our tree after work.”

soak up all that water

Caring for a real tree and comparing artificial snow · phrasal verb

Absorb the water; soak up can also mean absorb information or enjoy an experience.

Tone and use: Neutral, context-dependent phrasal verb. Describe a tree, sponge, or other material absorbing liquid.

May not fit: For water simply flowing through a pipe, use drain or carry away instead.

Example“The towel soaked up the spill.”

reused every single year

Comparing artificial and real trees · expression

Used again in each year rather than replaced after a single use.

Tone and use: Neutral and practical comparison language. Talk about reusable decorations, equipment, or seasonal items.

May not fit: For an item that is repaired or repurposed rather than used again in the same way, say repurpose or repair.

Example“We reuse the same lights every year.”

be on Santa’s good list

Comparing artificial and real trees · cultural reference

A playful reference to the Christmas story that Santa rewards children who have behaved well.

Tone and use: Joking and child-oriented; not a literal list. Make a lighthearted Christmas joke.

May not fit: Do not use it seriously to judge someone’s character or behavior.

Example“I helped decorate, so I should be on Santa’s good list.”

look around

Decorating the tree and heading to the mall · phrasal verb

Explore or inspect a place without necessarily having one specific item in mind.

Tone and use: Neutral and common while shopping or visiting a place. Browse stores, markets, or an unfamiliar area.

May not fit: If you need a particular product, say what you’re looking for instead.

Example“We have an hour before the train, so let’s look around the market.”

what do you recommend

Shopping for a personalized gift · expression

A polite question asking someone for their suggestion or professional opinion.

Tone and use: Friendly and useful in shops, restaurants, and service encounters. Ask an employee or knowledgeable person to suggest an option.

May not fit: If you have a specific requirement, mention it so the recommendation fits your needs.

Example“I’m buying a gift for my dad—what do you recommend?”

Secret Santa

Taking pictures with Santa and Secret Santa · cultural reference

A gift exchange where participants are secretly assigned one person to buy a present for.

Tone and use: Common workplace, school, and friend-group tradition in some English-speaking communities. Understand invitations to a group holiday gift exchange.

May not fit: Participation and spending limits vary; check the group’s rules rather than assuming.

Example“Our team is doing Secret Santa with a $20 limit.”

pick someone’s name

Taking pictures with Santa and Secret Santa · expression

Choose a person’s name from a group, often randomly; in Secret Santa, that person is the recipient of your gift.

Tone and use: Neutral; the method may be a draw, a list, or a digital tool. Explain how people are assigned recipients for a group exchange.

May not fit: Say draw or randomly select if the selection method matters.

Example“Everyone picked someone’s name for the gift exchange.”

dress up as Santa

Exploring the SantaCon event · phrasal verb

Wear a costume so that you look like Santa; dress up as introduces the character or role.

Tone and use: Common party and costume language. Describe wearing a costume for a holiday event.

May not fit: Dress up can also mean wear formal clothes; as clarifies that it is a costume.

Example“The volunteers dressed up as elves for the parade.”

go bar hopping

Exploring the SantaCon event · expression

Visit several bars in succession, usually as part of a social evening.

Tone and use: Informal nightlife language; can imply drinking alcohol. Understand the activity described at an adult social event such as SantaCon.

May not fit: Do not assume it is appropriate for children, non-drinkers, or every event attendee.

Example“They went bar hopping after the concert.”

spend time with family

Asking people about holiday gifts and traditions · expression

Be together with relatives and share time or activities.

Tone and use: Warm and common when describing holidays or personal priorities. Talk about family gatherings or what you value during a holiday.

May not fit: If you mean a specific event, name the activity or relatives for clarity.

Example“We spend time with family every Christmas.”

leftovers

Comparing Christmas meals and leftovers · expression

Food that remains after a meal and can be eaten later.

Tone and use: Everyday food vocabulary; often plural. Talk about saving or reheating food after a large meal.

May not fit: For untouched food set aside before serving, say extra food or saved portions.

Example“We ate the Thanksgiving leftovers for lunch.”

doubling up on the Christmas dinner

Comparing Christmas meals and leftovers · expression

Having two or more of something; here, the family has separate holiday dinners with both sides of the family.

Tone and use: Informal and context-dependent. Describe doing or receiving something twice, such as attending two family meals.

May not fit: Double up can also mean double a dose or amount; specify the object and context.

Example“We double up on family dinners when both sides visit.”

white elephant

Sharing family traditions and playing white elephant · cultural reference

A party game in which people bring wrapped gifts, select or steal them according to the rules, and usually aim for funny or surprising presents.

Tone and use: Playful group tradition; rules and spending limits vary. Understand an invitation to a white-elephant gift exchange.

May not fit: It is not the same as Secret Santa, where each person is secretly assigned one recipient.

Example“We’re having a white-elephant exchange, so bring a wrapped gift under $15.”

you never know what you’re going to get

Sharing family traditions and playing white elephant · expression

Says the result is unpredictable or could be a surprise.

Tone and use: Conversational and often playful. Talk about an uncertain outcome, especially a surprise gift or experience.

May not fit: For a predictable or guaranteed result, state what will happen directly.

Example“The flea market is fun—you never know what you’re going to find.”

gift card