英美文化史：圣誕節(jié)的故事

英美文化史：圣誕節(jié)的故事

圣誕節(jié)的故事

How did Christmas start? How does the West celebrate Christmas? The real meaning of Christmas: legend or myth? Where did it come from? Where is it going?

圣誕節(jié)是怎樣開始的?西方國家怎樣慶祝圣誕節(jié)?圣誕節(jié)的真正含義是什么?是傳奇還是神話?圣誕節(jié)是從哪里起源的?未來的發(fā)展又會怎樣?

In many countries of the world, the celebration of Christmas on December 25th is a high point of the year. But why? Can it have any real meaning for us today? Is there a "real" Christmas message?

在世界上的許多國家，12月25日是一年中最重要的日子。為什么會這樣?對于今天的人們來說，它有什么真正的意義嗎?真的有圣誕佳音嗎?

Christmas celebrations In the West today

今天的西方國家怎樣慶祝圣誕節(jié)

From November onwards, it is impossible to forget that Christmas is coming.Coloured lights decorate many town centres and shops,along with shiny decorations, and artificial snow painted on shop windows.

從11月開始，圣誕節(jié)即將來臨的想法便已經(jīng)扎根在人們的心中了。許多市鎮(zhèn)的中心廣場和商店都裝飾著彩燈和其他閃亮生輝的點(diǎn)綴，許多商店的櫥窗上都噴涂著人造雪花。

In streets and shops, "Christmas trees" (real or plastic evergreen "conifer" trees) will also be decorated with lights and Christmas ornaments.

街道兩旁和商店里的許多圣誕樹(常青針葉樹，有真的，也有塑料制的)上也掛滿了彩燈和許多圣誕裝飾。

Shopping centres become busier as December approaches and often stay open till late. Shopping centre speaker systems systems will play Christmas "carols”一the traditional Christmas Christian songs, and groups of people will often sing carols on the streets to raise money for charity. Most places of work will hold a short Christmas party about a week before Christmas. Although traditional Christmas foods may be eaten, drink (and plenty of it) means that little work will be done after the party!

隨著12月的日益臨近，購物中心里也越來越繁忙了，常常很晚才關(guān)門。商場的揚(yáng)聲器里也會不斷播放圣誕頌歌，就是基督教傳統(tǒng)的圣誕歌曲;街上也常常有一群人唱著圣誕頌歌進(jìn)行慈善募捐。圣誕節(jié)前一周左右，大多數(shù)公司和工廠都會舉行一次簡短的圣誕晚會。在晚會上人們會吃一些傳統(tǒng)的圣誕食品，但更主要的還是開懷暢飲，因?yàn)楹鹊悯づ浯笞砭鸵馕吨頃Y(jié)束時什么也不用做了。

By mid-December, most homes will also be decorated with Christmas trees,coloured lights and paper or plastic decorations around the rooms. These days,many more people also decorate garden trees or house walls with coloured electric lights, a habit which has long been popular in USA.

到12月中旬的時候，大部分家庭也會用圣誕樹、彩燈、彩紙或塑料飾物來裝點(diǎn)所有的房間。許多人還會用彩燈來裝飾庭院里的樹木或房屋的墻壁，這已經(jīng)成為了美國的一種習(xí)俗。

In many countries, most people post Christmas greeting cards to their friends and family, and these cards will be hung on the walls of their homes.

在許多國家，大多數(shù)人都會給朋友和家人郵寄圣誕賀卡;這些賀卡會被掛在家中的墻上。

Christmas cards

圣誕賀卡

The custom of sending Christmas cards started in Britain in 1840 when the first "Penny Post" public postal deliveries began.(Helped by the new railway system, the public postal service was the 19th century's communication revolution,just as email is for us today.) As printing methods improved, Christmas cards were produced in large numbers from about 1860. They became even more popular in Britain when a card could be posted in an unsealed envelope for one half-penny-half the price of an ordinary letter.

郵寄圣誕賀卡的習(xí)俗始于1840年的英國，當(dāng)時，最早的被稱為“便士郵寄”的公共郵政業(yè)已經(jīng)開始起步。(在新興的鐵路運(yùn)輸系統(tǒng)的輔助下，公共郵政服務(wù)成為了19世紀(jì)的一次通訊革命，正如電子郵件對我們現(xiàn)代人的意義一樣。)隨著印刷方式的不斷改良，從18sa年左右起，圣誕賀卡便開始大批量地生產(chǎn)了。在英國，圣誕賀卡尤其受歡迎，因?yàn)橛貌环饪诘男欧忄]寄一張賀卡只需半便士—比郵寄普通信件便宜一半。

Traditionally, Christmas cards showed religious pictures一Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus, or other parts of the Christmas story, Today, pictures are often jokes,winter pictures, Father Christmas, or romantic scenes of life in past times.

傳統(tǒng)圣誕賀卡上繪制的都是宗教圖案—圣母瑪利亞、約瑟和嬰兒耶穌，或者是其他圣誕故事中的人物。如今的圣誕賀卡上的圖案則通常是笑話、冬景、圣誕老人或者過去生活中的浪漫景象。

The old man with the sack

背著大袋子的老人

"Father Christmas" (or "Santa Claus") has become the human face of Christmas. Pictures will be seen everywhere of the old man with long white beard,red coat, and bag of toys. Children are taught that he brings them presents the night before Christmas {or in some countries on December 6th一St. Nicholas’Day), and many children up to the age of 7 or 8 really believe this is true. In most countries, it is said that he lives near the North Pole, and arrives through the sky on a sledge (snow-cart) pulled by reindeer, He comes into houses down the chimney at midnight and places presents for the children in socks or bags by their beds or in front of the family Christmas tree.

圣誕老人已經(jīng)成為了圣誕節(jié)的代表人物。到處都能看見這個有長長的白胡子、穿著一身紅外衣、背著一袋玩具的老人的圖像。孩子們被告知，圣誕老人會在圣誕前夕(在有些國家，這一天是在12月6日的圣尼古拉斯節(jié))給他們帶來禮物，許多年幼的孩子對此信以為真。在大多數(shù)國家，民間流傳圣誕老人住在北極附近，坐著一副馴鹿拉的雪橇從天而降;他在半夜從煙囪進(jìn)入人們的房子里，然后把禮物放進(jìn)他們床邊的圣誕襪或包里，或者放在家中的圣誕樹前面。

In shops or at children's parties, someone will dress up as Father Christmas and give small presents to children,or ask them what gifts they want for Christmas. Christmas can be a time of magic and excitement for children.

在商店里或孩子們的晚會上，有人會化裝成圣誕老人來給孩子們分發(fā)小禮物，或者問他們想要什么圣誕禮物。對于孩子們來說，圣誕節(jié)簡直是最神奇、最令人興奮的日子。

Who was he?

圣誕老人是什么人?

Father Christmas is based on a real person, St. Nicholas, which explains his other name "Santa Claus" which comes from the Dutch "Sinterklaas". Nicholas was a Christian leader from Myra (in modern-day Turkey) in the 4th century AD.He was very shy, and wanted to give money to poor people without them knowing about it. It is said that one day, he climbed the roof of a house and dropped a purse of money down the chimney. It landed in the stocking which a girl had put to dry by the fire!This may explain the belief that Father Christmas comes down the chimney and places gifts in children’s stockings.

圣誕老人的原型是圣尼古拉斯，這也為他的另外一個名字“Santa Claus”作出了解釋，這個詞源于荷蘭語的“Sinterldaas"。尼古拉斯是公元4世紀(jì)時邁拉(即現(xiàn)在的土耳其)的基督教領(lǐng)袖。他生性靦腆，想用錢財(cái)來接濟(jì)窮人，但又不想讓他們知道。據(jù)說有一天，他爬上了一戶人家的屋頂，將一袋錢從煙囪里扔了下去。這袋錢恰好落入了一個小女孩兒晾在爐火邊的一只襪子里!這也可以解釋為什么人們會認(rèn)為圣誕老人是從煙囪里爬下來的，并且把禮物放在孩子們的襪子里。

Bong Day

節(jié)禮日

In English-speaking countries, the day following Christmas Day is called "Boxing Day". This word comes from the custom which started in the Middle Ages around 800 years ago: churches would open their "alms boxe" (boxes in which people had placed gifts of money) and distribute the contents to poor people in the neighbourhood on the day after Christmas. The tradition continues today一small gifts are often given to delivery workers such as postal staff and children who deliver newspapers.

在講英語的國家，圣誕節(jié)的次日被稱為“節(jié)禮日”。這個名稱源自于大約800年前的中世紀(jì)的一個風(fēng)俗:教堂會在圣誕節(jié)之后的這一天打開“布施箱”(人們把禮物或錢財(cái)放在里面的一種箱子)，把里面的錢財(cái)分發(fā)給附近的窮人，而小禮物通常會送給郵遞員和報童等為人們傳遞物品的人。這個傳統(tǒng)一直延續(xù)至今。

Malting sense of Christmas

圣誕節(jié)的意義

Today in the West, not many people consider the religious meaning to Christmas. Most people in UK or Europe will not go to a religious church meeting,even at Christmas. It has become a busy race to spend money on presents, and get ready for the Day. In UK, our shops stay open till late Christmas Eve and often open again on Boxing Day with the cut-price "sales". (Not much holiday for the poor shop workers!)A visitor from another world would think that Christmas was a festival to the gods of money and shopping.

在如今的西方國家，并沒有多少人會考慮圣誕節(jié)的宗教意義。在英國或歐洲，大多數(shù)人都不會去參加宗教教堂的集會，甚至在圣誕節(jié)也不去。為了迎接圣誕節(jié)的到來，人們都像競賽一樣地忙于購買禮物。在圣誕節(jié)前夕，英國的商家會很晚才關(guān)門，并通常在節(jié)禮日再次開門營業(yè)，而且進(jìn)行打折銷售。(可憐的商場工作人員并沒有很多假日!)沒聽說過圣誕節(jié)的其他國家的游客一定會認(rèn)為圣誕節(jié)就是金錢和購物之神的節(jié)日。

英美文化史：圣誕節(jié)的故事

圣誕節(jié)的故事

How did Christmas start? How does the West celebrate Christmas? The real meaning of Christmas: legend or myth? Where did it come from? Where is it going?

圣誕節(jié)是怎樣開始的?西方國家怎樣慶祝圣誕節(jié)?圣誕節(jié)的真正含義是什么?是傳奇還是神話?圣誕節(jié)是從哪里起源的?未來的發(fā)展又會怎樣?

In many countries of the world, the celebration of Christmas on December 25th is a high point of the year. But why? Can it have any real meaning for us today? Is there a "real" Christmas message?

在世界上的許多國家，12月25日是一年中最重要的日子。為什么會這樣?對于今天的人們來說，它有什么真正的意義嗎?真的有圣誕佳音嗎?

Christmas celebrations In the West today

今天的西方國家怎樣慶祝圣誕節(jié)

From November onwards, it is impossible to forget that Christmas is coming.Coloured lights decorate many town centres and shops,along with shiny decorations, and artificial snow painted on shop windows.

從11月開始，圣誕節(jié)即將來臨的想法便已經(jīng)扎根在人們的心中了。許多市鎮(zhèn)的中心廣場和商店都裝飾著彩燈和其他閃亮生輝的點(diǎn)綴，許多商店的櫥窗上都噴涂著人造雪花。

In streets and shops, "Christmas trees" (real or plastic evergreen "conifer" trees) will also be decorated with lights and Christmas ornaments.

街道兩旁和商店里的許多圣誕樹(常青針葉樹，有真的，也有塑料制的)上也掛滿了彩燈和許多圣誕裝飾。

Shopping centres become busier as December approaches and often stay open till late. Shopping centre speaker systems systems will play Christmas "carols”一the traditional Christmas Christian songs, and groups of people will often sing carols on the streets to raise money for charity. Most places of work will hold a short Christmas party about a week before Christmas. Although traditional Christmas foods may be eaten, drink (and plenty of it) means that little work will be done after the party!

隨著12月的日益臨近，購物中心里也越來越繁忙了，常常很晚才關(guān)門。商場的揚(yáng)聲器里也會不斷播放圣誕頌歌，就是基督教傳統(tǒng)的圣誕歌曲;街上也常常有一群人唱著圣誕頌歌進(jìn)行慈善募捐。圣誕節(jié)前一周左右，大多數(shù)公司和工廠都會舉行一次簡短的圣誕晚會。在晚會上人們會吃一些傳統(tǒng)的圣誕食品，但更主要的還是開懷暢飲，因?yàn)楹鹊悯づ浯笞砭鸵馕吨頃Y(jié)束時什么也不用做了。

By mid-December, most homes will also be decorated with Christmas trees,coloured lights and paper or plastic decorations around the rooms. These days,many more people also decorate garden trees or house walls with coloured electric lights, a habit which has long been popular in USA.

到12月中旬的時候，大部分家庭也會用圣誕樹、彩燈、彩紙或塑料飾物來裝點(diǎn)所有的房間。許多人還會用彩燈來裝飾庭院里的樹木或房屋的墻壁，這已經(jīng)成為了美國的一種習(xí)俗。

In many countries, most people post Christmas greeting cards to their friends and family, and these cards will be hung on the walls of their homes.

在許多國家，大多數(shù)人都會給朋友和家人郵寄圣誕賀卡;這些賀卡會被掛在家中的墻上。

Christmas cards

圣誕賀卡

The custom of sending Christmas cards started in Britain in 1840 when the first "Penny Post" public postal deliveries began.(Helped by the new railway system, the public postal service was the 19th century's communication revolution,just as email is for us today.) As printing methods improved, Christmas cards were produced in large numbers from about 1860. They became even more popular in Britain when a card could be posted in an unsealed envelope for one half-penny-half the price of an ordinary letter.

郵寄圣誕賀卡的習(xí)俗始于1840年的英國，當(dāng)時，最早的被稱為“便士郵寄”的公共郵政業(yè)已經(jīng)開始起步。(在新興的鐵路運(yùn)輸系統(tǒng)的輔助下，公共郵政服務(wù)成為了19世紀(jì)的一次通訊革命，正如電子郵件對我們現(xiàn)代人的意義一樣。)隨著印刷方式的不斷改良，從18sa年左右起，圣誕賀卡便開始大批量地生產(chǎn)了。在英國，圣誕賀卡尤其受歡迎，因?yàn)橛貌环饪诘男欧忄]寄一張賀卡只需半便士—比郵寄普通信件便宜一半。

Traditionally, Christmas cards showed religious pictures一Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus, or other parts of the Christmas story, Today, pictures are often jokes,winter pictures, Father Christmas, or romantic scenes of life in past times.

傳統(tǒng)圣誕賀卡上繪制的都是宗教圖案—圣母瑪利亞、約瑟和嬰兒耶穌，或者是其他圣誕故事中的人物。如今的圣誕賀卡上的圖案則通常是笑話、冬景、圣誕老人或者過去生活中的浪漫景象。

The old man with the sack

背著大袋子的老人

"Father Christmas" (or "Santa Claus") has become the human face of Christmas. Pictures will be seen everywhere of the old man with long white beard,red coat, and bag of toys. Children are taught that he brings them presents the night before Christmas {or in some countries on December 6th一St. Nicholas’Day), and many children up to the age of 7 or 8 really believe this is true. In most countries, it is said that he lives near the North Pole, and arrives through the sky on a sledge (snow-cart) pulled by reindeer, He comes into houses down the chimney at midnight and places presents for the children in socks or bags by their beds or in front of the family Christmas tree.

圣誕老人已經(jīng)成為了圣誕節(jié)的代表人物。到處都能看見這個有長長的白胡子、穿著一身紅外衣、背著一袋玩具的老人的圖像。孩子們被告知，圣誕老人會在圣誕前夕(在有些國家，這一天是在12月6日的圣尼古拉斯節(jié))給他們帶來禮物，許多年幼的孩子對此信以為真。在大多數(shù)國家，民間流傳圣誕老人住在北極附近，坐著一副馴鹿拉的雪橇從天而降;他在半夜從煙囪進(jìn)入人們的房子里，然后把禮物放進(jìn)他們床邊的圣誕襪或包里，或者放在家中的圣誕樹前面。

In shops or at children's parties, someone will dress up as Father Christmas and give small presents to children,or ask them what gifts they want for Christmas. Christmas can be a time of magic and excitement for children.

在商店里或孩子們的晚會上，有人會化裝成圣誕老人來給孩子們分發(fā)小禮物，或者問他們想要什么圣誕禮物。對于孩子們來說，圣誕節(jié)簡直是最神奇、最令人興奮的日子。

Who was he?

圣誕老人是什么人?

Father Christmas is based on a real person, St. Nicholas, which explains his other name "Santa Claus" which comes from the Dutch "Sinterklaas". Nicholas was a Christian leader from Myra (in modern-day Turkey) in the 4th century AD.He was very shy, and wanted to give money to poor people without them knowing about it. It is said that one day, he climbed the roof of a house and dropped a purse of money down the chimney. It landed in the stocking which a girl had put to dry by the fire!This may explain the belief that Father Christmas comes down the chimney and places gifts in children’s stockings.

圣誕老人的原型是圣尼古拉斯，這也為他的另外一個名字“Santa Claus”作出了解釋，這個詞源于荷蘭語的“Sinterldaas"。尼古拉斯是公元4世紀(jì)時邁拉(即現(xiàn)在的土耳其)的基督教領(lǐng)袖。他生性靦腆，想用錢財(cái)來接濟(jì)窮人，但又不想讓他們知道。據(jù)說有一天，他爬上了一戶人家的屋頂，將一袋錢從煙囪里扔了下去。這袋錢恰好落入了一個小女孩兒晾在爐火邊的一只襪子里!這也可以解釋為什么人們會認(rèn)為圣誕老人是從煙囪里爬下來的，并且把禮物放在孩子們的襪子里。

Bong Day

節(jié)禮日

In English-speaking countries, the day following Christmas Day is called "Boxing Day". This word comes from the custom which started in the Middle Ages around 800 years ago: churches would open their "alms boxe" (boxes in which people had placed gifts of money) and distribute the contents to poor people in the neighbourhood on the day after Christmas. The tradition continues today一small gifts are often given to delivery workers such as postal staff and children who deliver newspapers.

在講英語的國家，圣誕節(jié)的次日被稱為“節(jié)禮日”。這個名稱源自于大約800年前的中世紀(jì)的一個風(fēng)俗:教堂會在圣誕節(jié)之后的這一天打開“布施箱”(人們把禮物或錢財(cái)放在里面的一種箱子)，把里面的錢財(cái)分發(fā)給附近的窮人，而小禮物通常會送給郵遞員和報童等為人們傳遞物品的人。這個傳統(tǒng)一直延續(xù)至今。

Malting sense of Christmas

圣誕節(jié)的意義

Today in the West, not many people consider the religious meaning to Christmas. Most people in UK or Europe will not go to a religious church meeting,even at Christmas. It has become a busy race to spend money on presents, and get ready for the Day. In UK, our shops stay open till late Christmas Eve and often open again on Boxing Day with the cut-price "sales". (Not much holiday for the poor shop workers!)A visitor from another world would think that Christmas was a festival to the gods of money and shopping.

在如今的西方國家，并沒有多少人會考慮圣誕節(jié)的宗教意義。在英國或歐洲，大多數(shù)人都不會去參加宗教教堂的集會，甚至在圣誕節(jié)也不去。為了迎接圣誕節(jié)的到來，人們都像競賽一樣地忙于購買禮物。在圣誕節(jié)前夕，英國的商家會很晚才關(guān)門，并通常在節(jié)禮日再次開門營業(yè)，而且進(jìn)行打折銷售。(可憐的商場工作人員并沒有很多假日!)沒聽說過圣誕節(jié)的其他國家的游客一定會認(rèn)為圣誕節(jié)就是金錢和購物之神的節(jié)日。