Snowed In

Context #1 

A college student is talking to his dad on the phone

Tommy: Hello, Dad? 

Dad: Tommy! It’s so good to hear from you! We heard that you got snowed in at the airport and we were worried about you. Is everything OK?

Tommy: Yes, I’m fine, but I’ve been snowed in here for about two days. I don’t know if I’ll be able to fly home for Christmas.

Dad: That’s OK. We are just happy you are safe.

Tommy: It’s strange being at the airport so long, but I think things should open up soon. I’ll keep you posted.

Context #2 

A little girl is asking her Mom about going to school

Sarah: Look at all that snow! It hasn’t stopped all day.

Mom: Yes, it looks like it is getting too deep.

Sarah: Do you think we will get snowed in? That would be so much fun!

Mom: What do you mean? It’s not fun to just stay home and not be able to go anywhere.

Sarah: It’s fun when you don’t have to go to school because you are snowed in!

Meaning: To be snowed in means to be trapped somewhere because of too much snow. In the first context, the college student is snowed in at the airport, so he is not able to fly home for Christmas. In the second context, the little girl is hoping to be snowed in so that she doesn’t have to go to school.

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/