New Year

Do you want to know what people do on the biggest party night in the UK? Read on to find out.

New Year´s Eve celebrations start in the evening on December 31 in the UK. Some young people go to parties and others stay at home with their family. After the celebrations, it´s traditional to make plans for the new year on January 1. These plans aree called ´New Year´s resolutions´ and the idea is to make some positive changes in your life. Some of the most popular resolutions are: to do more exercise, to stop smoking, to eat more healthily, to save money and  to learn something new. We asked young people around the UK about  their plans and resolutions for the new year.

In Scotland, we celebrate Hogmanay at New Year. Last year I went to Edinburgh, our capital city, to the Hogmanay Street Party. It was epic! There were lost of cool bands - I saw Kasabian and Franz Ferdinand. The fireworks were amazing too. I think there were nearly 100,000 people there! I´m going again this year. My resolutions for this year are to be nicer to my little brother, spend less money on clothes and stop biting my nails.

Lisa, aged 20, Glasgow

What are my plans? Well, I´m going swimming with my parents on the New Year´s Day swim this year. It´s freezing cold in the water but it is a fun way to start the year. Quite a lot of people meet on Brighton beach for this first swim of the year. I hope it doesn´t snow! I won´t be partying the night before because I´m not really a party kind of person. My family usually have a quiet evening and watch the celebrations on TV. My resolutions are to do my homework on time, eat less junk food, save up for a motorbike and remember my girlfriend´s birthady this year!

Cristopher, 18 Brighton

This New Year´s Eve I´m going to the centre of Newcastle with my sisters and friends to see in the new year. I love being in a crowd when the clocks strike midnight. Everyone kisses each other at twelve o´clock. then we all sing a song called ´Auld Lang Syne´ - it´s really funny because nobody can remember the words! We will probably get back home at four or five in the morning. As for my resolutions, I´m going to learn how to play the guitar, go running every day and study hard  to get good grades for university.

Victoria, 16 Newcastle upon Tyne

I´m going snowboarding in Spain with my uncles and my parents. I want to stay up till midnight on New Year´s Eve but maybe I´ll be too tired after snowboarding all day. My New Year´s resolution is to not make any New Year´s resolutions. They are impossible to keep!

Richard, 15, Manchester

Lots of Brits make New Year´s resolutions and then after a week or a month they find it difficult to continue. How can people keep their resolutions? Life coach Emma Nesdale gives some advice.

Make simple resolutions that are easy to do. If you want to lose weight you can decide to give up crisps and cakes rather than go on a strict diet, It´s a good idea to write your resolutions on a piece of paper to help you remember your plans. It´s easier to stick to your resolutions if you involve other people. You could go running with a friend or study for exams with a classmate.

Happy New Year!

Exercises

Do these exercises to check your understanding.

1. Check your understanding: true or false

New Year´s Eve is on December 31 every year.

True
False

New Year´s resolutions often involve health and money.

True
False

People usually celebrate Hogmanay at New Year in England.

True
False

It´s traditional to go swimming in Brighton on New Year´s Eve.

True
False

People sing a song called ´Auld Lang Syne´ at midnight on New Year´s Eve.

True
False

Most British people know all the words to ´Auld Lang Syne´.

True
False

2. Check your understanding: gap fill

Complete the gaps with the correct name from the box. Use each name twice.

Richard          Victoria           Lisa          Cristopher

1. ____________________ is going to a street party in Scotland.
2. ____________________ is going to sing on New Year´s Eve.
3. ____________________ will be in a foreign country on New Year´s Eve.
4. ____________________ wants to stop biting her nails.
5. ____________________ isn´t going  to make any New Year´s resolutions.
6. ____________________ doesn´t like parties.
7. ____________________ wants to learn to play a musical instrument.
8. ____________________ wants to have a healthier diet.

3. Check your understanding: grouping

Write the New Year´s resolutions in the correct groups below.

save up for a motorbike	do my homework on time
spend less money on clothes	be nicer to my little brother
eat less junk food	go running every day
remember my girlfriend´s birthday this year	study hard to get good grades for university

People	Health
School	Money

Answers

2. 1 Lisa, 2 Victoria, 3 Richard, 4 Lisa, 5 Richard, 6 Cristopher, 7 Victoria, 8 Cristopher

3. Be nicer... ; remember my girlfriend´s   People

eat less....; go running....    Health

do my homework....; study hard to get....     School

spend less .....; save up ......     Money