ABC Monthly

Happy New Year!   What's Happening This Month: We hope you had (or are having) a wonderful winter vacation.  Here's the lesson schedule for this month.  Please check to make sure when your first lesson is!  Let's have an awesome and rewarding year together! Culture Corner:  New Year's Resolutions 1.  What is a New Year's resolution?     It's a firm decision on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day to do or refrain from doing something over the course of the coming year.  Some common examples include:  losing weight, saving money, quit smoking and stop drinking alcohol. 2.  When did this tradition begin?     This practice is traced back to the days of the ancient Babylonians, over 4000 years ago.  During those times, people made promises to the gods to pay their debts and return any objects they had borrowed.  If they kept their word, the gods would show favor to them for the coming year.  For early Christians, ...

 What's Happening This Month   Here's the calendar for December.   Winter vacation begins 12/24 and we resume classes on 1/4. Culture Corner:  Christmas in Japan The first Christmas in Japan was celebrated in the year 1594; when the Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier introduced Christianity.  Unlike in Western countries; where Christmas is a national holiday, Christmas is just a regular working  day.   However, Christmas only became popular in Japan after WWII, with the introduction of Santa, gift giving and Christmas cake.  In Japan, Christmas Eve is a couples holiday.  In Western countries both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are celebrated with family members (much like New Years Day - Oshogatsu in Japan).  The Idea of KFC for Christmas dinner started in 1974 with a very successful advertising campaign - "Kentucky for Christmas!?!" Do you and your family enjoy KFC for Christmas dinner?  Have a merry  T eacher's ...