Christmas Day
In Britain,Christmas Day is normally spent at home,with the family,and it is regarded as a celebration of the family and its continuity.Preparations start well in advance,with the sending of Christmas cards and installation of a decorated Christmas tree in a prominent place in the home.Although it is now a firmly established tradition,the Christmas tree was first popularised by Queen Victoria’s husband,Prince Albert,who introduced the custom from his native Germany in 1840.
Some houses are decorated with evergreens (plants which do not lose their leaves in winter); a wreath of holly on the front door and garlands of holly,ivy and fir indoors.Bunches of mistletoe are often hung above doorways - any couple passing underneath must exchange kisses!Traditional food is prepared:sweet mince pies,a rich Christmas cake and the Christmas pudding.Everyone has their own favourite recipe,but they’re all packed full of spices,nuts,dried fruit and brandy.
Presents are bought and wrapped,and traditionally placed under the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve.Christmas is both a secular and a religious holiday,and many families like to attend a midnight service at church on Christmas Eve,or celebrate Christmas in church on Christmas morning.
The excitement begins for children on Christmas Eve,when they hang up their stockings (an old sock or,more ambitiously,pillow cases) around the fireplace or at the foot of the bed for Father Christmas to fill with presents.The English Father Christmas or Santa Claus is first recorded in his traditional red and white outfit in a woodcut of 1653,but the story of Santa arriving in his reindeer-drawn sleigh and descending down the chimney to fill children’s stockings with presents derives from the USA.
Practically everyone sits down to a Christmas dinner in the early afternoon of Christmas Day,traditionally roast turkey,but some families prefer goose or roast beef.The turkey is followed by the Christmas pudding,brought to the table flaming hot.Brandy is poured over the pudding,then lit.After dinner,everyone relaxes by going for a walk,playing games,enjoying their presents or watching television.
在英國,圣誕節(jié)往往在家和家人一起過,且被視為對(duì)家庭和睦的一種慶祝.準(zhǔn)備工作很早就開始了,大家寄賀卡且在家最顯眼的地方裝飾圣誕樹.盡管這已經(jīng)成為了根深蒂固的傳統(tǒng),圣誕樹最早是由維多利亞女王的丈夫,阿爾伯特王子在1840年從德國引入這一風(fēng)俗,且開始流行起來.一些房子用常青植物（冬天不會(huì)掉葉子的植物）裝點(diǎn)；前門掛圣潔的花圈,屋內(nèi)用圣潔的花冠,常春藤和皮毛裝飾.一捆捆的槲寄生經(jīng)常放在門口上方——任何從下走過的情侶都必須互吻!要準(zhǔn)備的傳統(tǒng)食物：甜餡的派,一個(gè)花式的圣誕蛋糕和圣誕布丁.人人都有自己喜愛的食譜,但都用足了香料,堅(jiān)果,干果和白蘭地.禮物是買來包好的,通常都是在圣誕夜擺放在圣誕樹下的.圣誕節(jié)也是世俗的宗教節(jié)日,許多家庭喜歡在圣誕夜去教堂參加午夜活動(dòng),或者在圣誕節(jié)早上去教堂慶祝圣誕.
圣誕節(jié)最興奮的要屬孩子了,他們?cè)诒跔t邊或者床角掛起襪子（一只舊襪子,或者貪心點(diǎn),一個(gè)枕頭）,來裝圣誕老人的禮物.英國的圣誕老人或者叫Santa Claus最先在1653年被木刻下來,穿著傳統(tǒng)的紅白服飾,但是關(guān)于圣誕老人坐馴鹿拉的雪撬來,并且下到煙囪里給孩子送禮物的故事卻是來源于美國的.
實(shí)際上,人人都在圣誕節(jié)那天下午早早地坐下吃圣誕晚餐,烤火雞是傳統(tǒng)食物,但有些家庭更喜歡鵝或者烤牛肉.在圣誕布丁之后上的菜就是熱氣騰騰的火雞.白蘭地斟在布丁上,然后點(diǎn)燃.晚飯后,所有人都去散散步放松一下,玩玩游戲,賞玩他們的禮物或者看看電視.
Could there be angels waiting in the wings,
How might we call upon their ecstasy?
Rainbows are mere garnish on the days
In which we are the glory and the light.
So may we hear the songs our sunshine sings,
The words which will the wonder of our ways;
May we know how good it is to be
As we celebrate the holidays,
So much in love we weep as angels might
A Good Boy
Little Robert asked his mother for two cents."What did you do with the money I gave you yesterday?"
"I gave it to a poor old woman," he answered.
"You're a good boy," said the mother proudly."Here are two cents more.But why are you so interested in the old woman?"
"She is the one who sells the candy."
好孩子
小羅伯特向媽媽要兩分錢.
“昨天給你的錢干什么了?”
“我給了一個(gè)可憐的老太婆,”他回答說.“你真是個(gè)好孩子,”媽媽驕傲地說.“再給你兩分錢.可你為什么對(duì)那位老太太那么感興趣呢?”
“她是個(gè)賣糖果的.”