The Big Jubilee Read

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 13 April 2022 > Celebrate Shine Bright Lycée

Do some armchair travelling with the Big Jubilee Read: a list of 70 books, ten for each decade of Queen Elizabeth II’s record-breaking reign. As befits its head, the authors and settings range all over the Commonwealth: representing 31 countries on six continents. It includes eight Nobel Literature Laureates, and a lot of Booker Prize … Continue reading “The Big Jubilee Read”

A Historic Milestone

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 07 February 2022 > Celebrate Shine Bright Lycée

Queen Elizabeth II is celebrating her Platinum Jubilee this year, marking 70 years on the throne, a milestone no other British monarch has reached. The Queen marked the anniversary of her accession on 6 February with a quiet ceremony. It is always a sad occasion for her as it was the day her beloved father … Continue reading “A Historic Milestone”

Toasting Robert Burns

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 21 January 2022 > Celebrate

Not many countries have an annual celebration of their national poet. In fact not all countries have a national poet. But Scotland does and millions of people around the world celebrate him on Burns Night every 25 January. The adoption of Robert Burns (1759-1796) as national poet was a natural, organic process born or real … Continue reading “Toasting Robert Burns”

Do You Know About… Christmas Crackers?

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 20 December 2021 > Celebrate

Christmas crackers are such an integral part of British Christmas dinner celebrations but do you know how they were invented? Hint: there’s a French connection. Enjoy our animated slideshow with your students from A2.

Why Black Friday?

Posted by Speakeasy News > Tuesday 23 November 2021 > Celebrate

As Black Friday approaches, we wonder why a specifically American date in the commercial calendar has taken over first the internet and now high-street shops around the world. Black Friday is the day after the U.S. Thanksgiving, which falls on the fourth Thursday in November. It’s a long weekend and approximately a month before Christmas. … Continue reading “Why Black Friday?”

A Native American View of Thanksgiving

Posted by Speakeasy News > Sunday 21 November 2021 > Celebrate

Today, there is growing awareness that the “Thanksgiving story” told to young schoolchildren in the U.S.A., which provides much of the traditional imagery of the holiday, is just that: a story. Many Native Americans denounce the hypocrisy of portraying this origin story of the nation as a peaceful and cooperative meeting of peoples, when in … Continue reading “A Native American View of Thanksgiving”

Josephine Baker Enters the Panthéon

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 18 November 2021 > Celebrate

On 30 November, Josephine Baker will become the sixth woman, and the first black woman, to enter France’s Panthéon, where the country honours its greatest heroes. The Franco-American dancer and singer was an active member of the Resistance in WWII and civil-rights activist in the U.S. Freda Josephine McDonald was born into poverty in St … Continue reading “Josephine Baker Enters the Panthéon”