Issue 2
December 21’
HFCC Library Newsletter
Address: 33 Inverness Road, Kowloon Tel: 2337 9123
Myra Lee 5C 1
Table of Contents Editors’ choices of Christmas readings Christmas is a time to love (“The Christmas Chronicles”) Christmas is a time to give (“The Last Christmas”) Book sharing by Ms Perpetua Lee Book sharing by Ms Anita Chan Questions on “'Twas the night before Christmas” and Christmas Riddles Library Prefects’ Choices of E-Book Editorial Board Acknowledgement
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Read + Share = Fun!
Editors’ choices of Christmas Readings
Title: A Christmas Carol Author: Charles Dickens https://hfcchk.ebook.hyread.com.tw/searchList.jsp?search_field=FullText&search_input=A +christmas+carol
Vinci Ng 5D What is on your mind when you hear people mentioning Christmas? Is it really a universally jubilant festival? In A Christmas Carol, Scrooge, the protagonist, is extremely well-off. However, he is not a happy man. This boils down to his selfishness and his cold-hearted persona. This book spreads Christmas warmth as it advocates the ideas of generosity, empathy and compassion. Let's find out more about the true meaning of Christmas by knowing more about how Scrooge is ripe for change after his encounter with the Christmas ghost! Don’t hesitate! Borrow it from the Hyread before it’s too late! May your Christmas be blessed with this incredible masterpiece. Merry Christmas!
Title: Christmas Stories and Legends Author: Phebe A. Curtiss https://hfcchk.ebook.hyread.com.tw/bookDetail.jsp?id=3993 Amber Chung 4A This book contains seventeen Christmas stories across time and age. Each short story unveils how people display their affection towards others in this jolly festival. For example, in “Paulina’s Christmas”, a little girl leads a lost-in-the-woods, starving stranger to a warm, cosy shelter regardless of her desperation to spend Christmas with her exiled father. Eventually, the stranger reveals his true identity and they experience the most pleasant, warm-hearted Christmas ever. I am quite touched by the beauty of humanity. Similarly, in the story “The Legend Of The White Gift”, the best present you can give and receive at Christmas is the expression of pure, true and unselfish love. Let’s share the joy of a meaningful Christmas with those around you, whether you know them or not. Merry Christmas, everyone! 3
Read + Share = Fun!
Editors’ choices of Christmas Readings
Title: The Christmas Books Author: William Thackeray https://hfcchk.ebook.hyread.com.tw/bookDetail.jsp?id=3998#
Angie Shing 4B Like Charles Dickens, William Makepeace Thackeary wrote Christmas stories on a yearly basis. The Christmas Books comprises several of his works, and, though unrelated to Christmas, would be apt for a light read during the jubilant Christmas time. Among the four stories which have amused me equally, my favourite one is “The Rose and The Ring”. The plot revolves around a usurper of the throne, a gracious prince deprived of his kingdom, an excessively haughty princess, a modest princess, and the rose and the ring. Originally written as a children’s Christmas story ( a “fireside pantomime” as described by the writer), this story is actually a fairy tale satire. Through the witty and ridiculous plot, the writer criticizes the attitude of the monarchy and debunks the ideals of marriage and appearance. For instance, the shallow and superficial princess was only drawn into a marriage due to the enchanting appearance of the prince. The humorous part does not solely lie on the absurd plot, though. The witty names of the characters would surely have you burst out in laughter. Padella, the former king of the kingdom of Crim Tartary, is an Italian word for frying-pan. Can you believe it? To discover more of Thackery’s humour, do not hesitate to borrow this book from the e-library. Wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year! Fun fact: William Thackeray and Charles Dickens were the two most eminent writers of their eras. They are often deemed as literary rivalry.
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Christmas is a time to love Clem
The Christmas Chronicles ent Clar Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaeDa_Uempk
Cecily Tse 5C
ke Moo re
When it comes to Christmas movies, classics like Home Alone, Elf, Disney’s A Christmas Carol and Love Actually usually spring to our mind. Why don’t you add a new 2018 holiday adventure and comedy film to your list? Netflix’s The Christmas Chronicles might be your next favorite Christmas movie. The movie follows the story of siblings Teddy and Kate, as they encounter Santa Claus on Christmas Eve and embark on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Kate has always believed in Santa Claus, unlike her older brother Teddy who has lost his spirit after the death of their father, and engages in malicious activities. On Christmas Eve, Kate catches Teddy stealing a car in a parking lot on tape. She threatens to show the video to their mom, but changes her mind and comes up with a better idea that if Teddy helps her capture Santa Claus on camera, she will destroy the tape. They set up hidden cameras and tripwire in the living room, and stay vigilant all night in the hope of seeing Santa. He really shows up in the flesh, that means Santa is real! Things then take a wrong turn when Kate decides to make their presence known. The sleigh crashes to Chicago thousand miles away from the children’s home; Santa’s magic hat, the reindeers and his sack of presents is lost. If Santa doesn’t deliver all the presents on time, the whole world will enter another Dark Age where wars and hatred reign. And so, Kate and Teddy help Santa Claus to save Christmas itself. “Christmas spirit is more powerful than you could ever imagine. People need Christmas to remind themselves of how good they can be!” said Santa Claus. This festival is about love, hope and miracles. Apart from that, the Santa Claus in this movie is unlike any other Santa I have seen on the big screen. He doesn’t do “Ho ho ho”, instead, I am surprised to find that he has a great sense of humor and is pretty conscious about his image.
Amber Chung 4A Christmas is the season to give: Last Christmas ‘“Last Christmas, I gave you my heart…’” The chorus of the holiday earworm has long been prevalent during Christmas. But imagine you take those lyrics literally... Kate (starring Emilia Clarke) is a down-on-her-luck singer who spends her time in-between auditions, getting drunk, and screwing up at work. By the time she meets Tom (starring Henry Golding), things have changed. Thanks to Tom’s infectious enthusiasm for life, Kate is enlightened to show the ambitious, passionate and joyful side of hers. Love is powerful. Love is influential. Love those who are around you, in need, and most fundamentally, yourself. Remember to “look up” to get away from distractions, and make every moment in your life counts. Wait, how does the song “Last Christmas” relate to the movie? Find out more while you are enjoying Christmas with your loved ones! Trailer: https://youtu.be/z9CEIcmWmtA
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“Look up!”
Christmas traditions all over the world Myra Lee 5C
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Have you wondered how Christmas is celebrated in different parts of the world? Here’s a quick guide that gives you ideas of what people of different nationalities celebrate this festive season! 7
Australia (Surfing Santa)
As Australia is located in the Southern Hemisphere, Aussies tend to enjoy a warm Christmas with loved ones on beach. In 2015, a pack of 320 surfers set the Guinness World Record for the biggest surf lesson ever. Although the event was held at Sydney's world-famous Bondi Beach, the surfers’ Christmas spirit continued to sweep across the country.
The Philippines (Parol and the Giant Lantern Festival)
New Zealand (one-of-a-kin d Christmas Parol is an ornamental, Tree) Pohutukawa is titled New Zealand's native Christmas tree.
Not only does this evergreen tree blossom around Christmas time, but it also possesses clusters of blazing red flowers. Learn more about Pohutukawa from this website.
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star-shaped lantern from the Philippines. This iconic Christmas symbol and the Giant Lantern Festival (a nine-day novena before Christmas) were first introduced to San Fernando in 1931. Learn more about parol lantern and the Giant Lantern Festival from this website.
Ukraine (fortunate spider)
Japan (Kentucky Fried Chicken) Japanese started to celebrate Christmas with buckets of “finger licking good” chicken ever since the 70s, thanks to an effective marketing campaign. For almost 50 years, Colonel Sanders has been dressing up as Santa Claus for each and every Christmas.
Spider web ornaments originated from Legend of Christmas Spider, an Eastern European folklore. Once upon a time, a widow and her children found their dream of having a decorated Christmas tree, shattered. Not in their wildest dreams did they expect a spider to be embellishing the tree with cobweb outside of their itsy-bitsy hut the next morning. This Christmas miracle implanted in many Ukrainians’ hearts, years later the spider web is conceived as symbol of luck and as well as a Christmas ornament.
Russia (Christmas in January) Russian Orthodox Church adheres to the Julian calendar where Christmas falls on 7 January. For this particular reason, most Russians celebrate Christmas in January rather than in December. 9
Finland (Christmas sauna) Gävle Goat, the world’s largest straw goat, is found suffering at Castle Square every Christmas. Since its first appearance in 1966, the poor goat had been burnt down 37 times. Learn more about Gävle Goat from its official website.
Norway (eating sheep’s head) Salt-cured, smoked, steamed and served whole, steps to putting together a Norwegian delicacy—Smalahove a.k.a. sheep’s head. Norwegian shares delight of indulging in offal around Christmas time. Get to know more about this terrific Norwegian meal on this website.
Sweden (Gävle Goat) Well, we all know Santa Claus comes from Finland. It may be surprising to know that Finns visit sauna instead of Santa’s hometown. Sauna has been a constituent of Finnish culture for centuries, indeed the means by which Finns clean physically and spiritually. Finns enjoy their sauna all year round, especially on the holly jolly Christmas. 10
Italy (Christmas witch) In Italian folklore, Befana is an old woman who visits children with gifts on the Epiphany Eve (the night of January 5). Apart from delivering gifts to the children, she also sweeps the floor of houses that she visited. Her helping hand will sweep away troubles and start one’s new year with a clean slate.
Spain (lottery time) El Gordo, the Spanish Christmas Lottery, is the second oldest lottery in the world and renowned for its large sum of jackpot offered. During the Spanish Civil War, El Gordo was relocated to Valencia to take place and returned to Madrid after the war.
Austria (evil brother of Santa Claus) Krampus, a half-goat, half-demon monster that punishes misbehaving children at Christmas time. Perhaps the adults had had unpleasant childhood experience with Krampus, encouraging them to dress up as krampus and parade on the street around this time of the year.
Germany (pickle on the tree) After the children went to bed on the night of Christmas Eve, one of the parents would hide the pickle ornament deep in branches of the Christmas tree. On next morning, the child who first find the pickle ornaments’ hiding spot on the tree will receive an extra gift from Santa. 11
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Mexico (smashing piñatas) Seven points of the Posada piñata represent the seven deadly sins–– envy, sloth, gluttony, greed, lust, wrath and pride. The treats that fall out from the piñata then suggests the forgiveness of sins and a new beginning.
Venezuela (roller skating to mass) Venezuelans enjoy attending Midnight Mass( Misas de Aguinaldo) and some of them would roller skate to the mass. In Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, skating becomes so popular that the government would close the streets until 8 in the morning so that families could skate in safety. 12
Colombia (pulling pranks) Day of the Innocents (December 28) is the day when people pull pranks, play practical jokes on other. Please click the picture below to see how Gloria and Manny from The Modern Family celebrate Christmas with this tradition.
Christmas Celebration at Hogwarts
(written by Ms Deborah Lun) As a muggle, I have always wondered how the wizards and witches celebrate Christmas at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After talking to Luna Lovegood, who is an alumnus of this wizarding school, here’s what she told me: Students may choose either to go home for a few weeks or to stay at school. For those who choose to celebrate Christmas inside the castle, they will be served with mouth-watering Christmas delicacies like roast turkeys, chipolatas, eggnog, and boiled potatoes. While enjoying the feast inside the Great Hall, they will also be amazed by the eye-catching decorations. Looking up at the ceiling, they will find snowflakes falling down (don’t worry, they won’t be frozen as the magical snow is dry and warm.) At the same time, thanks to the help of Hagrid and the professors, twelve gigantic Christmas trees decorated with glittering Christmas ornaments are placed inside the Great Hall.
For third-year students, they even have the chance to visit the Hogsmeade village (They do have students forgetting to let their parents sign the permission form. In that case, Professor McGonagall will not let them leave the campus >.<). Instead of messing around, students are strongly advised to stay close to their professors as they are told that ‘You-know-who’ may visit the village to purchase Christmas treats :P
Source: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/wiki/Christmas
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Read + Share = Fun!
Book Sharing by Ms Perpetua Lee “意識省察: 改變一天生活的十五分鐘祈禱"
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Book Sharing by Ms Anita Chan "Lunch with the FT: 52 Classic interviews"
Preview of the book(First Vol): https://books.google.com.hk/books/about/Lunch_with_the_FT.html?id=LznJE-rTpF8C&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_r ead_button&hl=en&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false
Preview of the book(Second Vol): https://books.google.com.hk/books?id=MzeODwAAQBAJ&lpg=PP1&dq=lunch%20with%20the%20FT&pg=PP1#v=onepa ge&q=lunch%20with%20the%20FT&f=false
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Are you ready for Christmas? We are sure that you are feeling christmassy after reading about the christmas traditions around the globe! But are you really all in for christmas? The following questions will surely test your Christmas spirit. So be prepared to scratch your heads over these questions! The link to the quiz is placed at the end of the page. The fastest ten responders with the most correct answers will receive a prize from Ms Candice Ng. The winners will have a gmail sent to you on Christmas day. While you are enjoying your holidays, don’t forget to hand in the quiz by 22 December!
Christmas Riddles 1. These are found in the Harry Potter books and in Lord of The Rings too. They help make Christmas gifts that Santa brings to you. What are they? 2. There was a Christmas movie released in 2019 starring the leading actress from Game of Thrones and leading actor from Crazy Rich Asians. What is the title of the movie? 3. A fictional reindeer created by Robert Lewis May as the ninth and youngest of Santa Claus's reindeer. 4. Written by John Masefield, this book tells the story of a boy who is returning home from boarding school for Christmas. He is given a magical box which contains which of these, according to the title? 5. What’s the name of the ghost in Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol? 6. Dylan Thomas wrote a book about Christmas. It was called “A Child’s Christmas in ___”. Which country fills in the gap?
Answer these riddles to win a prize!!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScca0q36Rs_Ew_lenqyI tlZ785yACVTKIRfBP4SWb2rfR57WA/viewform?usp=pp_ url 16
Questions on “A Visit from St. Nicholas” Do you know that much of our modern idea of Santa Claus comes from a very famous poem, “A Visit from St Nicholas”? This poem is more commonly known by its first line, “ ’Twas the night before Christmas”, this poem popularised the image of St Nick as a jolly fat man wearing fur-trimmed red robes, and most of Santa’s reindeer. This poem can also be accessed in our E-book collection: https://hfcchk.ebook.hyread.com.tw/bookDetail.jsp?id=3968 Answer the following questions and receive a Christmas surprise! Twas the night before Christmas 'Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads; And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled down for a long winter's nap, When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below, When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
Q1. Who is St.Nicholas? Q2. What poetic device is used in “sugar-plums danced…”?
Q3. What poetic device is used in “…such a clatter”?
With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
Answer these questions to win a prize!!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScca0q36Rs_Ew_lenqyItlZ785yACVTKIRfBP4SWb2rf 17 R57WA/viewform?usp=pp_url
"Now, DASHER! now, DANCER! now, PRANCER and VIXEN! On, COMET! on CUPID! on, DONNER and BLITZEN! To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!" As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky, So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too. And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. As I drew in my hand, and was turning around, Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound. He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack. His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow; The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath; He had a broad face and a little round belly, That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
Q4. What poetic technique is used in this line “Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”
Q5. What sound technique is used in “prancing and pawing”?
Q6. What poetic technique is used in “looked like a peddler…”?
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself; A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread; He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose; He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT! Clement Clarke Moore
Answer these questions to win a18prize!!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScca0q36Rs_Ew_lenqyItlZ785yACVTKIRfBP4SWb2rfR57WA/viewform?usp=pp_url
Book sharing from our Library Committees Yuki Niu 4C
“古代帝王祕事知多少?:從唐太宗到成吉思 汗” 雅瑟, 凡禹著 許多同學可能會覺得中國歷史科著重教授各 朝代的政治體系、事件的起因和影響等主題 ，缺乏趣味性。然而，所謂歷史自然是由人創 造出來的，而皇帝便是最能影響歷史的人之 一。本書講述了由唐太宗到成吉思汗的皇帝 們的一些趣事和秘事，能幫助大家更好的瞭 解皇帝們都是怎樣的人，除過處理政事以外 還做過什麼值得紀念的事等。有了這些鮮活 的故事，說不定能讓同學們對中國歷史稍微 感些興趣呢？
https://hfcchk.ebook.hyre ad.com.tw/bookDetail.jsp ?id=68054
Edna Chau 5B “九型人格奇遇記” 張麗華著
https://hfcchk.ebook. hyread.com.tw/book Detail.jsp?id=23646 3
生活中我們經常會遇到不同的人，每個人都有 不同的人格，而這本書列出了九種不同的人 格。例如有一種人格是渴求被愛和恐懼不被 愛。書中用輕鬆幽默的寫法講述了不同的故事 ，讓我們更加了解這些人格是怎樣形成的。更 加指出了每種人格都有健康和不健康的一面， 亦有提及應該如何去避免和減少不健康的一 面的發生。人是很複雜的，每種型號的人都有 許多變化，因此都還有需要學習的地方。這本 書能讓我們更加了解自己和身邊的人的人格。 19
Book sharing from our Library Committees Venice Chan 5C
“回憶暫存事務所 ” 八千子著著
不知道大家有沒有看過東野圭吾的小 說《解憂雜貨 店》,如果你喜歡看《解憂雜貨店》 ,那麼這 本書你一定不能錯過。故事講述宛真和三郎為失去 親人的人們設計貼心服務 ,替「客人們」彌 補遺憾,當中更有很多感人的故事 值得我們發掘,有 假裝孫女讓母親能安心離去的 ,亦有扮演 孩兒替「客人」照顧父母 ,等等各種「客製化家人」。究 竟家人對我們的意義的甚麼 ?是不是家 人就能做到互相理解呢 ?是不是家人就能喜歡彼此 呢?如果同學們對為其他人解決疑難 ,化 解遺憾的故事感興趣 ,不妨到網上閱讀這本電子書。
https://hfcchk.ebook.hyread.com.tw/bookDetail.jsp?id=205349#
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Editorial Board
(left to right)
Vinci Ng 5D (10) Amber Chung 4A (12) Ms Candice Ng ( Teacher Adviser ) Angie Shing 4B (20) Myra Lee 5C (16)
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Acknowledgement Ms Cara Cheng Ms Anita Chan Ms Perpetua Lee Ms Kenny Ma Ms Deborah Lun
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