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WHATISCHRISTMAS?•ChristmasisaChristianholiday.Itcommemorates（纪念，庆祝）thebirthofJesusChrist（耶稣基督）morethan2,000yearsago.ChristianchurchesholdreligiousservicestocelebrateChristmas.AtmidnightonChristmasEve,mostchurchesholdspecialcandlelightservices.•ButChristmasisalsoasocialandfamilyholiday.Itisafestivalofgoodwill,atimeforfamily,friends,food,andgift-giving.•ManyAmericansshareChristmascookies,decoratetheirhomes,andplacepresentsunderthefamilyChristmastree.ChildrenoftenhangupstockingsforSantaClaus（圣诞老人）tofillwithsmallgifts.Accordingtotradition,Santaarrivesonasleigh（雪橇）pulledbyreindeer（驯鹿）.PresentsareusuallyopenedonChristmasEveorChristmasDay.THEROOTSOFCHRISTMAS•NooneknowsexactlywhenJesusChrist（基督）wasborn.Formanyyears,localChristianchurchescelebratedChrist’sbirthatdifferenttimes.Then,inthead300s,theRomanCatholicChurchsetthebirthdateatDecember25.•Atthattime,oldernon-ChristianfestivalswerecelebratedaroundChristmas.TheRomanscelebratedSaturnalia（农神节，12月17日起持续七天）,afestivalhonoringtheirgodofharvestandgodoflight.OtherEuropeansheldfestivalsinmid-Decembermarkingtheendoftheharvestseason.TheRomanCatholicChurchprobablychoseDecember25togiveaChristianmeaningtotheseolderfestivals.•TheOrthodoxChurch,theChristianchurchintheeast,alsobeganusingDecember25asthebirthdateofJesus.ButtheOrthodoxChurchplacesmoreimportanceoncelebratingJesus’baptism（洗礼）onJanuary6.ChristmastreeSantaClaus（圣诞老人）ChristmasdinnerCelebrationsChristmasTreeEnhancethefestiveatmosphere（['ætmə,sfiə]气氛）Bemadeofevergreen（常绿树）suchascypress（['saipris]柏树）Decoratedwithavarietyofcandles,flowers,toys,stars…ChristmasTreeWesternerswithred,greenandwhitecolorfortheChristmascolors,ChristmascomeseveryhouseholdisdecoratedwithChristmascolors.RedColoredwithChristmasflowersandChristmascandles.GreenistheChristmastree.ItisthemainChristmasornaments（装饰物）,withthecuttothecedar([‘si:də]雪松）,cypress（[’saipris]柏树）towerwasaclassofdecoratedevergreentree.Hangingabovethecolorfullights,giftsandpaperflowers,butalsolit（light的过去式）theChristmascandles.西方人以红、绿、白三色为圣诞色，圣诞节来临时家家户户都要用圣诞色来装饰。红色的有圣诞花和圣诞蜡烛。绿色的是圣诞树。它是圣诞节的主要装饰品，用砍伐来的杉、柏一类呈塔形的常青树装饰而成。上面悬挂着五颜六色的彩灯、礼物和纸花，还点燃着圣诞蜡烛。SantaClausFatherChristmas(anothername)imaginaryfigureAhappyoldmanwithalongwhitebeardandalongredrobe（袍子，礼服)SaintNicholas（圣·尼古拉斯）SantaClausOnespecificallyfortheboytosendagiftonChristmasEvethemysteriousfigure(人物）.LegendtoDecember24everynight,amysteriouspeopledrivingbythe12reindeer（驯鹿）sleigh（坐雪橇走）,goingdoortodoorintothehousefromthechimney（烟囱）,andthensecretlyputpresentsunderthebedofthesocksboy,orheap（n.一堆，堆积）undertheChristmastreenearthefireplace（壁炉）.Whilenoonereallyeverseenthemanlooklike,butpeopleoftendressupaswearingaredChristmashat,bigwhitebeard,aredcoat,wearingredbootslooklike,becausetherearealwaysgiftsonChristmasEve,soaccustomedtocallhimSantaClaus.一位专门为好孩子在圣诞节前夜送上礼物的神秘人物。传说每到12月24日晚上，有个神秘人会驾乘由12只驯鹿拉的雪橇，挨家挨户地从烟囱进入屋里，然后偷偷把礼物放在好孩子床头的袜子里，或者堆在壁炉旁的圣诞树下。虽然没有人真的见过神秘人的样子，但是人们通常装扮成头戴红色圣诞帽子，大大的白色胡子，一身红色棉衣，脚穿红色靴子的样子，因为总在圣诞节前夜出现派发礼物，所以习惯地称他为圣诞老人。ChristmasdinnerMajorfood:turkeyorroastgoosepuddings（布丁）avarietyofcookies(thegoldenbuttercookies,fruitcookiesandsoon)EatingturkeyispopularintheUniteStatesfrom1620.ChristmasdinnerAlthoughthefoodsservedforChristmasdinnermayvaryfromfamilytofamily(andfromcountrytocountry),typicalitemsusuallyfoundatanAmericanfamily’sChristmasdinnerwouldincludeturkeyanddressing（调味料）(orsometimeschicken,duck,gooseorham),potatoesandgravy,sweetpotatoes,greenvegetables,cranberry,sauce,nuts,fruits,fruit-cake,plumpudding,pumpkinandapplepiesandsweets.Eggnogisusuallythefavoritedrinkforthewholefamily.尽管提供食品服务的圣诞大餐可能会有所变动,从每个家庭的(从国家),最典型的项目通常发现，在美国家庭的圣诞晚餐包括土耳其和敷料(或有时鸡、鸭、鹅或火腿)、土豆和肉汤、甜薯、青菜、小红莓、酱油、坚果、水果、水果蛋糕、李子布丁、南瓜和苹果派和糖果。蛋奶酒通常是全家最喜欢喝。ThespecificsoffamilyChristmascelebrationscanhaveasmanyvariationsastherearefamilies.TypicallyfamilieswillopenpresentseitheronChristmasEveorChristmasDay.Membersmayopenthematthesametime,oneatatime,orhavesomeothertypeoffamilytradition.ManyChristianfamilieswillhaveabirthdaycakeforJesus,andsingHappyBirthdaytoHim,inkeepingwithAmericanbirthdaycelebrations.ChristmasisaseasonwherehumanitysaysThankyouforGod'slovebysharingitwithandshowingittoothers.欢乐的圣诞庆祝活动的细节可以有许多因为不同的家庭。典型的家庭就会打开礼物或者在圣诞前夜或圣诞节的日子。成员可打开他们的同时,一次一件,或者有一些其他类型的家庭的传统很多基督徒家庭将举办一个生日蛋糕给耶稣,唱“生日快乐”,以保持他与美国生日庆祝圣诞节是一个人类中说“谢谢”因为神的爱,分享它、展示它给别人。CelebrationsFormanyChinese,Christmasmeanatimeforjoyandfunratherthanareligiousevent.It’spopularwiththeyoungpeopleandtheyareexcitedaboutshopping,eating,datingandhavingpartiesandholdingChristmasevefestivity.Andofcourse,ChildrenareeagertoreceivegiftsfromSantaClaus.对于许多华人,圣诞节意味着时间喜悦和乐趣,而不是一种宗教活动这是受年轻人和他们兴奋的购物、饮食、约会和参加聚会,拿着圣诞夜节日当然,孩子们很愿意收到礼物圣诞老人。Celebrations