Do you live in.........Help with competition please

[Guest]

[Sharon]

I am looking for Shackers who live in or have knowledge of the following countries:

Mexico
Czech Republic
Hungary
Poland
Slovakia
California (not there yet but soon)

Why I hear you cry    Well at work they started a Best Dressed Christmas Office Competition last year.  Now my office is somewhat the forgotten underdog of the company so we went all out to win.  And we did    But they forgot to put our picture and names etc in the staff magazine.  By the time we knew they had forgotten us it was nearly Easter (not a very regular magazine  ).

So this year we simply have to win again so we can get our 15 minutes of fame.  We have decided to make the office into an airport departure lounge, with the destinations being all the countries we have offices in.  Each check in desk will have a Christmas theme relevant to the country concerned.

That is where you good people come in.  I could Google for info on other peoples Christmas traditions but I know I would get some weird and wonderful ideas.  So if you have knowledge of any special things people do in the above countries to celebrate Christmas or things at their airports I would be grateful.

The type of things I am looking for are how to say Happy Christmas in Polish or the plane will be leaving in Mexican.  Even if it is just that Hungary does not have Father Christmas but some other person, all info would be greatly appreciated. 

I know this is early but we simply have to win this year and there is lots to do.  So thank you in advance for any help or tips. 

[Tea_and_Fruit]

i will ask a few friends from Poland 

[Sharon]

You're a star, thank you   

As I said no rush as I have 3 months to recreate an airport and six countries on a budget of about £12.50.  I am still calm and collected - the panic won't set in till October 

[Anna]

Well I live in California Sharon, but I'm not sure what you'd like to know about.

[Sharon]

Thanks Anna 

The sort of things I need to know are, is it hot there at Christmas ie would a Santa with a surfboard be appropriate.  Do you have turkey and figgy pudding or is turkey just for thanks giving.

I have to admit the Californian one is probably the easiest of the lot - no foreign language, although I might check my spelling with you 

Actually just a couple of airport questions.  I have only been to San Fransico so don't know if this is just a West coast thing.  When we got off the plane the stewardess told us we were de-planing (as appose to the UK where you disembark).  Also does anyone in the USA actually say 'Have a nice day'.  This is the American thing for me but I don't think I heard anyone say it when we were there.

[grecopa]

Don't Californians eat tofu molded into the shape of a turkey?    Have a nice day!
(Yes, we say it, but it's usually said by service industry people to customers, not in casual conversation).

[Anna]

The sort of things I need to know are, is it hot there at Christmas ie would a Santa with a surfboard be appropriate.  Do you have turkey and figgy pudding or is turkey just for thanks giving.

I'm in southern California, so it's always warmer here than in northern California.  Where is your company branch located?  Surfing would be done wearing a wetsuit, because the water would still be cold in the winter.

For Christmas dinner, we usually have ham or turkey with all the appropriate fixings.   We have the same thing for Thanksgiving too.  I'm not sure what figgy pudding is (pudding with figs in it ).  And I would never eat tofu molded into a turkey.

I have to admit the Californian one is probably the easiest of the lot - no foreign language, although I might check my spelling with you 

LOL - Since I'm in Los Angeles, we have all kinds of foreign languages.  LA is big melting pot of many nationalities.  Our shop signs are written in many different languages (most of them I can't read).

Actually just a couple of airport questions.  I have only been to San Fransico so don't know if this is just a West coast thing.  When we got off the plane the stewardess told us we were de-planing (as appose to the UK where you disembark).  Also does anyone in the USA actually say 'Have a nice day'.  This is the American thing for me but I don't think I heard anyone say it when we were there.

I've really never paid attention to what the stewardess says as I left the the plane, so I'm not sure if they said "Have a nice day".  Kelly is right though, it is a phrase usually used by service industry people.

[LikORish-Spider]

The sort of things I need to know are, is it hot there at Christmas ie would a Santa with a surfboard be appropriate.  Do you have turkey and figgy pudding or is turkey just for thanks giving.

I'm in southern California, so it's always warmer here than in northern California.  Where is your company branch located?  Surfing would be done wearing a wetsuit, because the water would still be cold in the winter.

For Christmas dinner, we usually have ham or turkey with all the appropriate fixings.   We have the same thing for Thanksgiving too.  I'm not sure what figgy pudding is (pudding with figs in it ).  And I would never eat tofu molded into a turkey.

I have to admit the Californian one is probably the easiest of the lot - no foreign language, although I might check my spelling with you 

LOL - Since I'm in Los Angeles, we have all kinds of foreign languages.  LA is big melting pot of many nationalities.  Our shop signs are written in many different languages (most of them I can't read).

Actually just a couple of airport questions.  I have only been to San Fransico so don't know if this is just a West coast thing.  When we got off the plane the stewardess told us we were de-planing (as appose to the UK where you disembark).  Also does anyone in the USA actually say 'Have a nice day'.  This is the American thing for me but I don't think I heard anyone say it when we were there.

I've really never paid attention to what the stewardess says as I left the the plane, so I'm not sure if they said "Have a nice day".  Kelly is right though, it is a phrase usually used by service industry people.

Said also by sarcastic policemen after they write you a traffic citation and are returning you your driving license.    Not that I have first hand experience, of course.   

[Sharon]

Said also by sarcastic policemen after they write you a traffic citation and are returning you your driving license.    Not that I have first hand experience, of course.   

No of course not   

I'm not sure what figgy pudding is

Figgy pudding is just another name for Christmas pudding, which is a bit like boiled fruit cake but with a twist.  You have it with either brandy butter or custard.  Yummm

These are just the sorts of things I am looking for thank you - just little insights into other countries.  Sometimes I watch so much American tv I forget that is not what real Americans would be like (bit like Brits are not like Miss Marple).  I hadn't even realised one end of California would be a slightly different temperature to the other end at Christmas.

Where is your company branch located? 

We are not actually there yet - still need Arnie to OK some paper work or something.  But I have volunteered to go and train the new staff when it does open