Cultural English - Christmas - Part Two
英语文化--圣诞节 (二)
Michael: It seems that the whole world has gone Christmas mad!
Billy: Why do you say that Michael?
Michael: Everywhere I look I see Xmas decorations and everywhere I go I hear Xmas carols!
Billy: Well, decorations and carols and two important aspects of the Christmas festival.
Michael: What about Xmas cards? Have you sent yours yet?
Billy: You know that I am always well organized. I bought cards in July, arranged my address book in September, wrote the cards in November and posted them two weeks ago.
Michael: What about your Xmas shopping? I bet you have not finished that yet!
Billy: I did all of that July during the sales, so I could save a fortune.
Michael: I have so much to learn!
迈克尔：看起来整个世界都在为圣诞节而疯狂！
比利：你为什么这么说，迈克尔？
迈克尔：我无论看哪里都能看到圣诞装饰品，无论去哪都能听到圣诞歌声。
比利：圣诞装饰品和圣诞歌曲是圣诞节两个很重要的方面。
麦迈克尔：那圣诞卡呢？你的圣诞卡寄走了吗？
比利：你知道我做事向来是有条理的。我在七月份买的卡，九月份安排我的地址簿，十一月份写卡片，两周以前把卡寄出去的。
迈克尔：那圣诞购物呢？我敢说你还没买完。
比利：我在七月份大减价的时候就全都买完了，这样我可以省很多钱。
迈克尔：我要学得太多了！
Christmas decorations: decorate the tree with green and red ribbons, shiny balls and small electric lights
圣诞装饰品：用绿色和红色的丝带、闪光的球和小电灯泡装饰圣诞树。
My sister always managed the Christmas decorations because I fell off the roof putting the lights up.
圣诞装饰品一直由我姐姐负责安排，因为我在挂灯的时候从房顶上掉了下来了。
2) Carols: Christmas songs
圣诞歌
Some of the best-known Christmas carols are Jingle Bells, Oh Come All Ye Faithful, We wish You A Merry Xmas and Away in a Manger.
一些著名的圣诞歌曲有“铃儿响叮当”，“来吧，所有虔诚的基督徒”，“祝你圣诞快乐”和“耶稣诞生”。
Christmas has changed and developed over the last 2,000 years. Many traditions have been dropped while others have emerged. Originally a European celebration, Xmas has spread throughout the world.
Let's have a quick look at how some of the main traditions started:
圣诞节在过去的两千年中得到了变化和发展。很多圣诞节的传统已经被废弃同时也出现了一些新的传统。最初只在欧洲庆祝的圣诞节已经发展成为世界性节日。
我们来简单回顾一下圣诞节一些主要传统的起源：
An Englishman named John Calcott Horsley helped to popularize the tradition of sending Christmas greeting cards when he began producing small cards featuring festive scenes and a pre-written holiday greeting in the late 1830s.The efficient post offices of England and the United States made the cards nearly overnight sensations. At about the same time, similar cards were being made by the first American card maker, in Albany, New York, by a German who immigrated to America in 1850.
一位叫约翰·卡尔科特·霍斯利的英国人使寄圣诞贺卡的传统得到推广，1830年末他开始生产以喜庆景象和预先写好的节日问候为特色的小卡片。颇具效率的英国和美国邮局几乎是在一夜之间就让这些卡片引起了轰动。差不多同一时间，美国第一位卡片制造商，一位1850年移民到美国的德国人在纽约阿尔伯尼制造了类似的卡片。
Caroling also began in England. Wandering musicians would travel from town to town visiting castles and homes of the rich. In return for their performance, the musicians hoped to receive a hot meal or money.
圣诞歌也起源于英国。流浪的乐手们从一个城镇到另一个城镇拜访城堡和富有的家庭。这些乐手们希望得到一顿热饭菜或一些钱作为他们演出的回报。
In the United States and England, children hang stockings on their bedpost or near a fireplace on Christmas Eve, hoping that it will be filled with treats while they sleep. In Scandinavia, similar-minded children leave their shoes on the hearth. This tradition can be traced to legends about Saint Nicholas. It is believed that three poor sisters could not marry because they had no money for a dowry. To save them from being sold by their father, Saint Nick left each of the three sisters gifts of gold coins. One went down the chimney and landed in a pair of shoes that had been left on the hearth. Another went into a window and into a pair of stockings left hanging by the fire to dry.
在美国和英国，孩子们会在圣诞前夜在他们的床柱上或壁炉附近挂上长统袜，希望在他们睡觉的时候里面会装满礼物。在斯堪的那维亚，有着同样愿望的孩子们会把鞋子放在壁炉上。这个传统来源于圣·尼古拉斯的传说。据说有三个姐妹因为没钱办嫁妆而不能结婚。为了不让她们的父亲把她们卖掉，圣·尼克给三个姐妹每个人留下了一些金币做礼物。有一枚金币从烟囱里进来，落在了放在壁炉上的一双鞋子里。另外一枚从一扇窗户进来，落进了放在火边烘干的一双长统袜里。
Christmas can be celebrated in so many ways (or not at all!). Regardless of how you celebrate or spend the day of December 25, remember to be safe and happy.
庆祝圣诞节的方式有很多种（或者根本不庆祝！）。不管你怎样庆祝或度过12月25日这天，记住要在快乐的同时保证安全。
A very Merry Xmas from all at Xianzai.com and thanks for your support throughout the year.
现在网全体员工祝你有一个快乐的圣诞节，并感谢您这一年来的支持。
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