Lovely Actually is my all time favourite Christmas film, and I wait for the evening it's on TV each year. In general my students view movie lessons as time off, so I don't tend to watch movies as a lesson. Instead, I have taken the first scene of the film and made some activities based on that. I found in the past, that students were really interested in the film, and went home and watched it themselves.
The film is based on the interconnecting love stories of the different characters. The first time I watched it I was completely confused as to who was who (I'm not great at films!) but as time went on, I fell in love with this cheesy classic.
Topic: films, love
Level: elementary + (older children due to bad language)
Aim: to introduce a classic Christmas film, to listen to authentic video, to think about the topic of love.
Warm Up: play first scene of the video without sound. Get students (in pairs or teams) to write down all of the things they could see at the airport arrivals gate. Go through the answers on the board, one answer, one group at a time and elicit more information about other things you often see at the airport.
Level: elementary + (older children due to bad language)
Aim: to introduce a classic Christmas film, to listen to authentic video, to think about the topic of love.
Warm Up: play first scene of the video without sound. Get students (in pairs or teams) to write down all of the things they could see at the airport arrivals gate. Go through the answers on the board, one answer, one group at a time and elicit more information about other things you often see at the airport.
Reading and Listening:
Give students the first handout, and get them to guess which words they think will complete the gaps. Then play the video for the first time with sound so they can check their answers.

love_actually_gap_fill.pdf |
Go through the answers and check the understanding of any difficult or unknown words.
Listening:
Play the video one more time, and get students to answer the questions on the second handout.
Play the video one more time, and get students to answer the questions on the second handout.

love_actually_questions.pdf |
Finally, elicit from students the differences between Christmas in their countries and Christmas in the UK.
Speaking:
Put students into pairs, and get them to ask each other questions about Christmas.
Speaking:
Put students into pairs, and get them to ask each other questions about Christmas.

christmas_speaking_questions.pdf |
Student A:
What special traditions does your family have a Christmas?
Where do you usually put your Christmas tree? Who decorates it?
What puts you in a Christmas mood?
What is your best memory of Christmas when you were younger?
Did you enjoy Christmas more in the past or now? Why?
Student B:
How do you think people behave differently at Christmas?
Have you ever donated presents at Christmas? Where to? Would you like to?
What does Christmas mean to you?
How do you feel when Christmas is over and it's the start of a new year?
What do you like/dislike about Christmas?
Student C:
What is the first thing you do on Christmas Day?
What part does religion play in how you celebrate Christmas?
Why do you think that some people don't like Christmas?
What would you do if Christmas was banned in your country?
Has Christmas become too commercialised?
Student D:
Do you receive more presents than you give at Christmas?
How much money do you spend on buying Christmas presents?
Have people forgotten the real meaning of Christmas?
What is the best present you've ever received for Christmas?
What do you do if you get a present you don't like?
What special traditions does your family have a Christmas?
Where do you usually put your Christmas tree? Who decorates it?
What puts you in a Christmas mood?
What is your best memory of Christmas when you were younger?
Did you enjoy Christmas more in the past or now? Why?
Student B:
How do you think people behave differently at Christmas?
Have you ever donated presents at Christmas? Where to? Would you like to?
What does Christmas mean to you?
How do you feel when Christmas is over and it's the start of a new year?
What do you like/dislike about Christmas?
Student C:
What is the first thing you do on Christmas Day?
What part does religion play in how you celebrate Christmas?
Why do you think that some people don't like Christmas?
What would you do if Christmas was banned in your country?
Has Christmas become too commercialised?
Student D:
Do you receive more presents than you give at Christmas?
How much money do you spend on buying Christmas presents?
Have people forgotten the real meaning of Christmas?
What is the best present you've ever received for Christmas?
What do you do if you get a present you don't like?
Where to buy the DVD:
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