Interesting, if you consider many of the international readers in our Community will have no special link to Christmas, knowing about it of course (Indians for example also have a holiday on Dec. 25), but not celebrating it in one way or the other. Lost in (intercultural) translation? Somewhere, somehow one could argue. What about using the similarly neutral holidays/ holiday season in the English version?     

Another example, quite obvious this time, will be long remembered by former Hoofdgebouw-dwellers paying their daily visits to the toilets and being confronted for many years with the dilemma on when to turn the lights off. Indeed, turning the lights off while still being on the toilets as urged by the notoriously known sign one can find (also in other buildings) “Don’t forget to turn off the lights on the toilets”. Or using common sense and turning the lights in the toilets off when leaving? So lost in translation? No doubt here. But no blame for it, because prepositions are tricky. Consider in time vs on time or in the street(s) vs on the street(s) - see this link for an overview of the latter. Another linguistic confusion is the way Student Sports Centre is spelt: TU/e recommends the use of US English so Centre should be Center.

Anyway, we all have difficulties from time to time to translate our thoughts. Get help locally! CLIC, the language Center at STU, offers assistance for translations and editing work. Also, if it is about academic terminology, TU/e has an official Terminology List set up and regularly edited by CLIC. 

For this moment: Happy New Year everyone (keeping in mind that some cultures or religions have their own moments to celebrate it)!