Wish Upon a Star

Context #1 

Mother and 4-year-old son are talking

Mom: Did you like the movie, Pinocchio?

Johnny: Yes, I did. I especially like Jiminy Cricket! He’s funny!

Mom: Well, I’m glad you enjoyed it.

Johnny: Mommy, you know that song that Jiminy Cricket sings in the movie? What does “wish upon a star” mean?

Mother: Well, when you look up in the sky at night and you see the first star, make a wish.  Then, your wish is supposed to come true. 

Johnny: So, when you wish upon a star, your dreams come true?

Mom: Well, let’s try it and find out!

Context #2 

A little girl is talking to her teacher at school

Samantha: I really wish that I get an A on this spelling test. It would make my grandpa so happy!

Teacher: Well, Samantha, you are 5 years old now and a big girl. If you studied, you will do just fine. Don’t worry.

Samantha: Do you know what I did last night?

Teacher: What?

Teacher: I decided to wish upon a star, the first star I saw, to be sure that I would get an A!

Meaning: To wish upon a star often refers to making a wish after seeing the first star in the sky at night. Many children believe that if you wish upon a star, your wish will come true.

"When You Wish upon a Star" is a song written for Walt Disney’s 1940 adaption of Pinocchio. The original version was sung by Cliff Edwards in the character of Jiminy Cricket. The song has since become the representative song of The Walt Disney Company.  It is also popular at Christmas time. Check out Jiminy Cricket performing this song in the film Pinocchio. See the link below: When You Wish Upon a Star

http://languagesystems.edu/

Pull Christmas Crackers

Context #1 

Family sitting down for Christmas dinner

Dad: OK everyone. Let’s sit down to eat Christmas dinner!

Jason: Dad, can we pull the Christmas crackers now?

Dad: Sure, Jason! Go ahead.

Jason: Pulling Christmas cracker with his sister and it makes a “bang.”

Mother: Oh, look at those cute little toys. OK, Jason, now let your sister pull a Christmas cracker to see what she gets!

Context #2 

Two friends planning a Christmas party

Sami:  You know what? I have another idea for our Christmas party this year. Let’s have Christmas crackers!

Petra: What? I don’t know what that is.

Sami: Well, in Britain and some other English-speaking countries, people “pull Christmas crackers” during parties. The Christmas crackers contain little trinkets, toys, or even jokes on small pieces of paper.

Petra: That sounds interesting! Let’s do it.

Meaning: A Christmas Cracker is a cardboard paper tube, of brightly colored paper and twisted at both ends. They are usually given during Christmas dinner or at Christmas parties. They make a noise when pulled apart by two people and contain small presents like toys, trinkets, or even jokes on pieces of paper. Christmas crackers are part of Christmas celebrations in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa. Christmas crackers are not very common in the United States. 

Check out this video of people pulling Christmas cracker! https://youtu.be/ZAq6YzBBJBc

http://languagesystems.edu/