Introduction
England lost many long-standing folk-traditions during the republican Commonwealth (1649-1660), which banned Christmas celebrations along with music, plays and dancing. Some were reinstated after the Restoration in 1660, but there was plenty of room for fresh ideas.
IN 1800, King George III’s German-born wife, Charlotte, set up a decorated Christmas tree at a children’s party. Her grand-daughter Queen Victoria recalled that a candle-lit tree, hung with sugar ornaments, subsequently became a feature of the royal family’s Christmas. It was a novelty for England, but before long a royal family custom became first a national fashion, and then a national tradition.
There were echoes in it of English mediaeval mystery plays, performed on Christmas Eve, which had dramatised Adam and Eve in Eden beside a Tree of Life laden with sweet fruit. And those plays recalled even more ancient prayers,* that spoke of the Cross as the Tree of Life, on which Christ hung ‘like a cluster of grapes, dropping the life-bearing sweetness of the whole world’s salvation’.
Queen Charlotte’s tree, with its candles and its candy, brought a little of the sweetness of Paradise back to Christmas in England.
Sunday Matins, Greek Church.
Précis
Queen Charlotte, German-born wife of King George III, introduced decorated Christmas trees into Britain at a children’s party in 1800. But they were not without precedent in English or Christian culture. Trees hung with sweet fruit had been a feature of mediaeval mystery plays at Christmas-time, and had served as symbols of Christ on the Cross in ancient prayers. (59 / 60 words)
Queen Charlotte, German-born wife of King George III, introduced decorated Christmas trees into Britain at a children’s party in 1800. But they were not without precedent in English or Christian culture. Trees hung with sweet fruit had been a feature of mediaeval mystery plays at Christmas-time, and had served as symbols of Christ on the Cross in ancient prayers.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: despite, if, just, must, until, whereas, whether, who.
Archive
Word Games
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Become. There. Which.
2 Daughter. Recall. Tradition.
3 Bring. Novelty. Spoke.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Confusables Find in Think and Speak
In each group below, you will find words that are similar to one another, but not exactly the same. Compose your own sentences to bring out the similarities and differences between them, whether in meaning, grammar or use.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
Verb and Noun Find in Think and Speak
Many words can serve as noun or verb depending on context: see if you can prove this with the examples below. Nouns go well with words such as the/a, or his/her; verbs go well after I/you/he etc..
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Cross. 2 Back. 3 Feature. 4 Set. 5 Light. 6 Drop. 7 Sugar. 8 Bear. 9 Play.
Variations: 1.if possible, use your noun in the plural, e.g. cat → cats. 2.use your verb in a past form, e.g. go → went. 3.use your noun in a sentence with one of these words: any, enough, fewer, less, no, some.
Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
str (11+3)
astir. austere. satire. stair. star. stare. steer. stereo. stir. store. suitor.
ouster. sitar. suture.
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