GOODBYE 2016 - & Good Riddance! - English words for the new year - 2017 - Learn English with Duncan

well hello there this is Misterduncan in

England on the very last day of 2016

so might say that this year has been one

of the most turbulent in a long time

with political upheavals scandals in

sport and of course the unbelievable

number of notable people who have passed

away 2016 has been a very eventful year

indeed on a lighter note how was your

festive holiday did you celebrate

Christmas did Santa Claus bring you

everything you asked for?

I hope so!

so another year is coming to an end

how was 2016 for you did everything go

as planned or were there some unexpected

hurdles along the way to get across the

end of another year brings with it many

things we often end up reflecting over

the past 12 months we look back over the

year and try to work out it it was a

good one or not

did I accomplished everything I set out

to do

did I do enough to make my life better

will I look back and remember this year

fondly or view it with regret

perhaps she will come to the conclusion

that despite all the negativity during

the past 12 months for you it was not a

bad year it could have been much better

but then again it could have been so

much worse

as the year comes to a close we normally

begin making plans for the new one we

lay down some ideas for the following

year perhaps there is a part of your

life with which you are and happy you

might feel as if some changes have to be

made a change of career perhaps maybe

there is some place you have always

wanted to travel to perhaps next year

will be the time to go there we call

these changes resolutions

these are the things we resolve to do

you might just have a couple of

resolutions or maybe a great long list

of things you wish to change these new

year resolutions are a great way of kick

starting the new year in an upbeat and

positive way

with each passing year we all become a

little older

there is nothing we can do to stop this

from happening

it is inevitable unavoidable unstoppable

it is to be expected if there is one

thing i have noticed about life it's

that the older you get the faster time

seems to pass you by

when I was a young boy time seemed to go

by so slowly the hours seemed like days

the days seem to like weeks and the

months seemed like years and the years

seemed like forever youth makes fools of

us all

it feels as if we will live forever time

seems endless

eternity is our playground of course

this is not true when she passed a

certain age time begins to speed up the

years seem like months the months seemed

like weeks the weeks seemed like days

you find yourself asking again and again

what happened to this week where did the

year go

is it really December again?

of course it's not all doom and gloom

there is a bright side to all this age

need not be a hindrance or barrier time

can also be its own reward

with age comes knowledge and wisdom you

are able to cope with things much better

those little surprises that life tends

to throw at you become more bearable

perhaps it is more about your own

attitude to the passing of time rather

than the occurrence itself there are

many things that exist in this world

that can be described as a cliché some

might say that life is one big cliché

we all know the story already we know

how it starts and we certainly know how

it ends but it is up to you to make the

big chunk in the middle the way you

want it to be, after all life is what you make it.

the period of time between christmas and

the new year is a strange one

it feels as if everything is on hold

some people take this time off while if

you go back to work some do it by choice

while others do not

the day after Christmas Day is called

boxing day this was traditionally the

day when servants and tradesmen we're

giving presents for their hard work

during the year the gifts were known as

Christmas boxes so the day became known

as Boxing Day the day when the Christmas

boxes were given out the phrase itself

is still used today it normally relates

to money given it Christmas as a bonus

it is often given before the festive

season arrives these days

boxing day is observed in the UK as a

public holiday

so have you made any new years eve plans?

how will you see in the new year? some

people get together and have a party so

they can see in the new year together in

Scotland the new year is seen as an

important festival it is called harmony

this is the name the Scots give to the

final day of the year the traditional

honey celebrations begin on new year's

eve and go on right through the night

until the next morning it is common for

firework displays to be held as the new

year arrives as the clock strikes twelve

the fireworks will begin most major

cities around the world have firework

displays to coincide with the arrival of

the new year the most famous ones are

Sydney Hong Kong New York and London

so this is the end of 2016 and what a

roller coaster ride it has been but how

was it for you was it a good one that is

all hope that 2017 will be a prosperous

one and however idealistic it might

sound for most of us at peaceful one

i will see you all again next year which

is just around the corner

this is Misterduncan in England saying

thanks for joining me during 2016 and

may I take this opportunity to wish each

and every one of you a joyous happy

fun-filled new year and of course for

the last time ever in 2016...

ta-ta for now.