Level: A2-B1 

What did you do this week? I know that many people in the UK ate a lot of pancakes!

This week is important in the Christian calendar because it’s forty days before Easter. Nowadays, there are many different types of celebrations for Carnival that have some or no connection to Christianity. It’s celebrated or marked in lots of different ways around the world. Let’s look at what happens in six different cultures (when there is no Covid!).

Italy

The most famous Carnival celebration is in Venice, Italy. Normally, everyone dresses in fancy old-fashioned clothes and goes to special parties, in the beautiful old houses around the city. Everyone can hide behind a mask and dance with anyone!

Brazil

Carnival parties in Brazil are very colourful and loud! There is often a big parade of people and dancers through each city. Everyone wears lots of colours and sparkles, and many dancers wear big costumes with feathers.

Germany

It depends on the area, but Germans often drink warm beer and eat a traditional treat – a sweet doughnut with jam inside. People often dress up in costumes for Carnival, and wear wooden masks. In some places their masks are quite scary!

Switzerland

In parts of Switzerland, some of the Carnival traditions are very old, and focus on scaring away bad spirits or monsters! It’s common to have a parade through the town. Everyone is celebrating the end of the cold Winter.

Peru

Carnival is a time of eating, drinking and partying in Peru. Lots of people come together and wear colourful clothes and masks. Gold is an important colour in these costumes – this is because of the history of the Andean people -the original people who lived in Peru.

Malta

Brightly coloured parades with decorated lorries, called ‘floats’, drive through the streets of Malta. There are lots of children running around in fancy costumes. People love to party and dance late at night in their crazy outfits.

Match!

Match the country to the description:

1. People put colourful things onto their cars and drive them around.
2. People wear gold costumes because of their history.
3. People wear masks and special clothes from the past.
4. People wear masks made of wood and eat sweet food.
5. People are happy that it’s the end of the cold weather.
6. People wear feathers and dance in the streets.

Answers

1. People put colourful things onto their cars and drive them around. – Malta
2. People wear gold costumes because of their history. – Peru
3. People wear masks and special clothes from the past. – Italy
4. People wear masks made of wood and eat sweet food. – Germany
5. People are happy that it’s the end of the cold weather. – Switzerland
6. People wear feathers and dance in the streets. – Brazil

What are these celebration items?

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Talk about it!

What do you do in your country for Carnival?

Is it a party for children or adults?

What special things do you do at this time of year?

Did you do anything special for Carnival this year?