Free Conversation Topics for the Holiday Season [Updated]

Upcoming holidays make great free-talk topics. With this in mind, we've put together some questions and discussion points to get you and your students talking and into the year-end holiday spirit — whatever the specific holiday may be.

Respecting Differences

First of all, because our students come from a variety of cultural backgrounds, it's important to remember that their traditions and beliefs may be different than your own.

Therefore, don't assume they celebrate or are even familiar with a holiday that is normal to you. Instead, it's a good idea to ask some simple questions first.

• Do you celebrate a special holiday this time of year?
• When is the holiday and how do you celebrate it?
• Does this holiday have a special greeting similar to "Merry Christmas" or "Happy New Year"?

The answers you get will help you know which of the suggestions below you'll want to use and how to phrase them. If you and your student have different holiday traditions, you could also ask if they're familiar with the ones you celebrate. 

Once you've done that, here are some more specific topics you could discuss.

Food

Food is an important part of celebrations all over the world — and who doesn't love talking about delicious meals?

• What is a typical holiday food/meal in your country? 
• Is this food only eaten at this time of year?
• Can you cook this food yourself?
• Is it healthy?
• Do you think people from other countries might like it?

One special note here: Asking students from Japan about KFC (where it's commonly known as "Kentucky") could lead to an interesting discussion, as the fried chicken chain has become a big part of Christmas there.

If you have KFC in your country too, talking about how it's different where you live might be a fun exercise.

Decorations

Each holiday has its own special symbols, from Christmas trees to Hanukkah menorahs. Some people don't decorate at all, while others put a lot of effort into making their homes look festive. What's your student's opinion of decorations?

• Are decorations a part of your holiday celebration? If so, what kind?
• When do you put them up and take them down?
• Are there any other holidays that you celebrate with decorations?
• Describe the most impressive decorations you've ever seen.

Music

Just like food, it's hard to imagine any big celebration without music. If your student celebrates something, there's a good chance there are special songs that are a part of it.

• Do you have a favorite holiday song?
• Do you listen to holiday music any other time of the year?
• Can you teach me a holiday song from your culture?

This question has the added benefit of giving the student a bit more to do in the lesson; shy students may open up more when suddenly they become the "teacher."

Santa Claus

Santa is associated with Christmas in many parts of the world, but that doesn't mean he's the exact same everywhere.

If your student's country has a version of Santa or a Santa-like character, it's a great opportunity to do some comparing and contrasting of the types.

• Is Santa Claus well known in your country?
• Did you believe in Santa as a child?
• What do you think about him now?
• (For younger students) Did you ask Santa to bring you anything this year?
• Are there any other characters associated with specific holidays in your country?

Black Friday

As the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season in the US, Black Friday is very closely linked to Christmas there. And in recent years, it's become popular in other parts of the world too.

• Do you know the reason why Black Friday is called "Black Friday"?
• Do you have Black Friday sales in your country?
• If so, do you do a lot of shopping then?
• Have you heard of "Cyber Monday" (a similar shopping day for online stores)?
• What about "Buy Nothing Day"?
• Are there any (other) special days in your country when shops have big sales?
• When does the holiday season officially (or unofficially) begin in your country? When does it end?

Gifts

Gift-giving is an important aspect of many holiday celebrations — some people may even say it's too important!

However, even if it's not part of your students' holiday traditions, it could still be interesting to discuss presents and the act of giving in general.

• What are typical or traditional holiday gifts in your country?
• What was the best gift you've ever received?
• What was the best gift you've ever given?
• Some people say it's better to give than receive. What do you think?

Celebrations While Abroad

Experiencing familiar things from an unfamiliar perspective can be a real eye-opener. The following questions can lead to some good discussions depending on your student's experience.

You can also share any relevant stories from your own life, especially if they involve your student's country or culture.

• Have you ever celebrated Christmas or another holiday abroad?
• What was different or surprising about it?
• Does your country celebrate any new holidays that were borrowed from other cultures? If so, how do you feel about it?

Christmas Movie Recommendations

Films are a great way to learn more about Christmas, to practice English or to simply get into the holiday spirit. And even students who don't celebrate Christmas may still find them enjoyable to watch.

We've actually written another post all about holiday movie recommendations; check it out here.

Wrap-up

The holiday season has plenty of potential for fun and interesting discussions with students.

Furthermore, going beyond Christmas and into other celebrations from around the world only increases the number of things you can talk about, so be sure to take advantage of them all!

• cross-cultural communication
• free-talk topics
• holidays