趣味双语过洋节:圣诞节是这么回事(图)

http://www.sina.com.cn 2007年12月25日 11:00   河南报业网-大河报

趣味双语过洋节:圣诞节是这么回事(图)
Santa Claus

  The simple meaning of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ,the son of God in the Christian religion.The word Christmas originated from an old English phrase,“Cristes Masse”,meaning the mass of Christ.The date,December 25,was established by Bishop Liberius of Rome in 354AD.Before then,the birth of Jesus was observed on different days and even to this day no one is certain the exact date of Christ's birth.

  圣诞节最初的意义是为了庆祝耶稣诞辰,耶稣是基督教中上帝的儿子。“圣诞”这个词来源于一个古老的英语术语“Cristes Masse”(基督弥撒)。12月25日这个日期则是公元354年由

罗马利比里奥主教确立。在那之前,庆祝耶稣诞辰的日子各有不同,直到这个日子以前,还没有人知道耶稣诞辰的确切时间。

  Cultural celebrations of Christmas include glittering light displays,the ever-present jolly old Santa Claus,group celebrations and singing called carolling,baked holiday cookies and cakes,decorations of mistletoe and pine wreaths,lighted,ornamented Christmas trees with wrapped presents displayed underneath.

  圣诞传统的庆祝活动和内容有很多,如闪闪发光的圣诞灯饰、喜气洋洋的圣诞老人、集体庆祝活动、圣诞颂歌、节日甜点、用槲寄生(一种装饰性植物——译者注)和松针做成的花环装饰、挂有各种亮闪闪的饰物的圣诞树以及树下包装好的精美的圣诞礼物。

  In Europe,typically,family and friends gather together on Christmas Eve,on Dec 24,for a big turkey dinner,completed with Christmas pudding(a rich cake with brandy source).Everyone shares their stories of the year or brings a newsletter to read out for what has happened during the past year.Games are played after the dinner. On Christmas day,Dec 25,a brunch with family is the norm,followed by some light sporting events,such as a country walk,to digest the heavy food.

  欧洲传统的庆祝方式主要为:12月24日,平安夜,很多家庭和家人、朋友聚在一起,吃火鸡大餐,该大餐一般以圣诞布丁(一种有果酱夹心的

蛋糕)作为最后一道甜点。人们互相分享一年来发生的有意思的故事。晚饭后还会有一些活动和游戏。12月25日圣诞节这天,很多家庭一般会在一起吃早午餐,然后做一些强度较小的运动,如户外散步等,用以消化太过丰盛的食物。

  Dec26 is called Boxing Day in the UK,which means everyone opens their box of presents-the most joyful day for the children. In the US,having just celebrated Thanksgiving with turkey,Christmas Eve dinner is more likely to have ham on the menu with a heavy dessert.

  在英国,12月26日被称为节礼日。这是孩子们最喜欢的一天。人们在这天会打开他们的礼品盒,互赠礼物。在美国,因为已在感恩节吃过火鸡,平安夜丰富多样的圣诞大餐多以火腿为主。

  The tradition of having a pine tree as a Christmas Tree is believed to come from Germany. Since the medieval time,lighting a candle on a tree is common to welcome guests.Such practice has evolved into the Christmas celebration.

  把松树作为圣诞树的传统普遍认为来自德国。自中世纪以来,在树上点蜡烛成为欢迎客人的一种习俗。这种习俗后来就演变成了圣诞聚会。

  The formal Christmas Tree was introduced to England about 100 years ago when Queen Victoria married German Albert. The evidence of Victoria's love for Albert is not only expressed through inheriting the German tradition of having a Christmas Tree but also through the gold Albert Statues that Victoria had ordered built for Albert,standing in many places in London.In America,the Christmas Tree idea was brought by German immigrants too.

  正规的圣诞树大约100年前传入英格兰。当时,维多利亚女王嫁给了德国人阿尔伯特。女王很爱阿尔伯特,这一点显而易见——英格兰不仅继承了从德国传来的圣诞树的传统,女王还下令为阿尔伯特建造了许多金制塑像,耸立在伦敦许多地方。美国圣诞树的传统也由德国移民传入境内。

  The custom of sending Christmas cards was initiated in England around 1850.The first cards were decorated with elaborate designs of flowers,birds and landscapes.

  送圣诞卡片的风俗则是1850年左右从英格兰开始。最初的卡片大多以鲜花、小鸟以及风景等图案精心设计而成。

  As for Saint Nicholas,or Santa Claus,the story goes back to the third century.至于圣诞老人(原名圣·尼古拉斯)的起源,则要追溯至3世纪。

  Legend has it,Saint Nicholas dedicated all his life to helping mankind,especially children. He died on December 6,which marks the Saint Nicholas Day in many European countries and that was when gifts were given to children.

  据说,圣·尼古拉斯终其一生致力于帮助人类,尤其是孩子。他死于12月6日,许多欧洲国家后来便把这一天作为圣诞老人日,也就是给孩子们送礼物的日子。

  He also arrives on different dates to deliver presents to children in different countries,typically from chimneys. The chimney story was this:Santa flew over house tops in a sleigh,he dropped coins by accident and he landed in some stockings hanging next to the fireplace to dry. From then on,red stockings were hung by the chimney in hopes Santa would fill them with gifts.

  在不同的国家,圣诞老人给孩子们送礼物的时间也有所不同,但相同的一点是:孩子们普遍认为圣诞老人通过烟囱为他们送来礼物。关于烟囱的故事来源是这样:圣诞老人驾着雪橇飞过房顶时,不小心掉了一些硬币。于是,他就落在挂在壁炉边等待晾干的那些长筒袜上。从那以后,红色长筒袜就常被挂在烟囱上,希望圣诞老人能够在里面塞满礼物。

  Most countries use fabric stocking while in others,wood shoes are also placed on earth for Santa's gift-drop-ping. In America,the image of Santa Claus was conceived by the famous poem “The Night Before Christmas”,written by Clement Moor.Moor transformed the Santa character from a saint in a long robe to a chubby,rosy-cheeked elderly man in a red suit,riding on a sleigh pulled by a team of reindeer.

  许多国家用针织长筒袜,而在另外一些国家,人们会把一些木制的鞋子放在地上,用来让圣诞老人放礼物。在美国,圣诞老人的形象来源于Clement Moor 那首著名的《平安夜》,由诗中身穿红色长袍、脸颊微红、乘一辆由一队驯鹿拉的雪橇的微胖老圣徒的形象转化而来。

  Christmas Celebrations圣诞庆祝活动

  Christmas Trees &Cards圣诞树和圣诞卡

  Santa Claus 圣诞老人

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