OVERVIEW & OBJECTIVES

This ESL lesson plan on Christmas in New York City offers engaging activities, PDF worksheets, and digital materials designed for pre-intermediate A2/B1 students. In this lesson, students will:

• Talk about holiday traditions and share experiences from their city or other cities.
• Learn and use vocabulary related to decorations, festive events, and holiday activities.
• Watch a video about New York City during Christmas and identify activities at famous locations.
• Practice phrases for recommending places and things to do during holidays.
• Plan a holiday visit in any city and recommend activities using target language phrases.

PREVIEW & DISCUSSION

Students this ESL lesson begin by looking at images of holiday activities in their city and around the world. They match activities with pictures, then discuss questions about what gives a city a special holiday charm.

Then, students share whether their city has a festive vibe or if other cities around the world seem especially lively during the holidays. Using adjectives like cheerful, colorful, and snowy, they describe iconic locations in New York City during the Christmas season.

Finally, students talk about which cities they would like to visit during the holiday season and why, building both vocabulary and confidence in speaking.

VIEWING ACTIVITY

Students watch a short video showcasing New York City during Christmas, highlighting famous spots like Rockefeller Center, Fifth Avenue, Bryant Park, and Dyker Heights. The video also shows festive events, ice skating, markets, and other holiday traditions that make the city special.

While watching, students match activities with locations, complete a listening exercise filling in missing words, and identify key holiday sights and experiences. This encourages careful listening and helps students connect vocabulary with real-world examples of festive events in NYC.

VIEWING FOLLOW-UP

After watching the video, students discuss whether they would like to visit New York during the holiday season and which activities appeal to them.

They then complete a gap-fill exercise with Priya and Kunal’s recommendations of Diwali in India, using phrases like “One must-see is…,” “You can’t miss…,” and “Make sure to…”. This helps students practice using recommendation phrases naturally.

Finally, they choose one or more types of locations—such as a neighborhood in their town, a city or country they have visited, a park, or New York City itself—and make their own recommendations, reinforcing the target language learned.

GET IN THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT! PLAN FESTIVE FUN IN ANY CITY

Students choose a city, region, or country, and select a holiday celebrated there, either where they live or somewhere else. Using a planner, they list activities, attractions, markets, decorations, and cultural experiences.

Students then work with a partner or the teacher to recommend what to see and do using the target phrases: “One must-see is…,” “Make sure to…,” “You can’t miss…,” “It’s worth…,” “Definitely check out…,” and “You have to go to…”.

Optionally, students can discuss questions about holiday spirit, markets, foods, decorations, and festive events, allowing them to apply new vocabulary and phrases in conversation.

BENEFITS OF USING THIS CHRISTMAS IN NEW YORK CITY ESL LESSON

• This lesson plan allows teachers to engage students with real-world examples of festive celebrations while developing speaking skills.
• Students expand their vocabulary in the context of holiday traditions, decorations, foods, and activities.
• It provides structured listening and comprehension practice using a video of New York City at Christmas.
• Students practice can functional language for recommending places and things to do, improving fluency and confidence.
• Finally, the lesson promotes creativity and cultural awareness by encouraging students to plan holiday visits in any city or country they choose.