美国节日双语介绍

圣诞节

Christmas is one of the most beautiful holidays of all time. It is the day when Gods son was born on earth. Hence, this day is sacred for all Christians around the world. The Christmas season gives rise to a number of Christmas traditions that come along. Here are a few of them that are celebrated with zest and enthusiasm worldwide for centuries.

圣诞节一直是个美好的节日。这是上帝之子诞生的日子，因此对世界各地的基督徒来说，这一天是非常神圣的。圣诞季节自然少不了各种圣诞传统。下面这些传统，可是几个世纪以来一直世界各地的人们一直热闹欢庆的习俗。

On this day, many go to church, where they take part in special religious services. During the Christmas season, they also exchange gifts and decorate their homes with holly, mistletoe, and Christmas trees.

圣诞节当天，许多人会去教堂，在圣诞节，他们还会交换礼物，及用冬青、榭寄生和圣诞树来装饰自己的家。

Preparation of the Christmas cake

烘烤圣诞蛋糕

This was an English tradition which started centuries ago. On Christmas eve, plum porridge was served to the people. As years passed, various other things like dry fruits, honey and spices were used. Soon this porridge got replaced with the Christmas cake. Christmas cakes are made using eggs, butter, confections, fruits, etc. Today a Christmas cake is an integral part of a Christmas menu.

这项英式传统早在几个世纪以前就流传开了，以前人们在平安夜喝梅花粥。随着时间慢慢推移，人们还会享用果脯、蜂蜜及香料食物等，随后圣诞蛋糕便代替梅花粥出现了。圣诞蛋糕由鸡蛋、黄油、甜点、水果等烘制而成。现如今，圣诞蛋糕已成为圣诞菜谱不可或缺的一部分。

Decorating the Christmas tree

装扮圣诞树

This refers to the tradition of decorating a pine tree using lights, tinsels, garlands, ornaments, candy canes, etc. Today, a Christmas tree is an indispensable part of Christmas celebration.

这个传统指的是用彩灯、金箔、花环、饰品、糖果条等装扮松树。现如今，圣诞树也是欢庆节日不可或缺的一部分。

Lighting up the Christmas candle

点燃圣诞蜡烛

This refers to the tradition of placing a lighted candle outside houses during the Christmas season. A candle signifies hope as it brings light even to the darkest room. In the earlier times, when Christians were persecuted, they were not allowed to practice prayers. Hence, a single candle used to be placed outside the house as a sign that Christian prayers were being conducted inside.

这个传统指的是人们会在圣诞期间在屋子外面放一支点燃的蜡烛。即便在最黑暗的屋子，蜡烛也能带来光明，寓意希望。早些年代，也就是基督徒深受迫害的时候，他们被禁止布道祷告。因此，基督徒们在屋外放一支蜡烛，暗示他们仍在心里默默祷告。

Sending gifts to loved ones

给亲友送礼物

This tradition comes from the story of the three wise men who got gifts for baby Jesus on Christmas. Every Christmas, gifts are exchanged among loved ones, especially children. The story of Santa Claus also comes from this tradition.

这个传统源自一个传说：三位智者在圣诞节给婴儿耶稣送出了礼物。每年圣诞节，亲朋好友尤其是孩子们都会互赠礼物，圣诞老人的故事也源自这个传统。

Singing Christmas carols

唱圣诞颂歌

It refers to the age-old custom of enchanting a number of traditional Christmas songs during the Christmas season. It adds to the joy and fun to the atmosphere. Different Christmas hymns or carols like The First Noel, Jingle Bells, Joy to the world, etc are sung every Christmas as a part of the Christmas celebration.

这是一个古老的习俗：圣诞期间总是回荡着一首又一首圣诞传统歌曲。歌曲给人们带来欢乐，也增添了节日的气氛。每年欢度圣诞之际，《第一个圣诞节》、《铃儿响叮当》、《普世欢腾》等各种圣诞圣歌或颂歌都会奏响旋律。

Distributing Christmas candies

分发圣诞糖果

This is one of the most wonderful traditions of all. Christmas candies are distributed to neighbors during the Yuletide season. On the day of Christmas, all misunderstandings and grudges are forgotten and the community comes together to celebrate the birth of Christ.

这是所有传统中最有趣的一个。圣诞季人们向邻居们分发圣诞糖果;圣诞节那天，所有误会与仇恨统统化解，邻里之间团结一致共同庆祝耶稣的诞生。

Making of Cribs

制作圣诞马槽

This is yet another age-old tradition of Christmas. A crib refers to the Nativity Scene that is prepared using small statues. The first crib ever was made outside a church of St. Francis of Assisi for children to show them how the Nativity scene was like. Since then, this tradition became very popular.

这也是一个古老的圣诞习俗。人们用小雕像和马槽营造耶稣诞生的场景。第一个马槽建在圣法兰西斯一所教堂外面，意在向孩子们展示耶稣诞生的场景。从那以后这个习俗便一直流传了下来。

These traditions have been carried out for decades, yet they are celebrated with more and more exuberance each year. The level of excitement has never gone down. It just keeps getting better and better with time.

这些传统沿袭已有几十年，一年比一年热闹，盛况可谓有增无减。相信随着时间的推移，人们对传统习俗的热情只会越来越高。

复活节

Easter is the Christian commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus as a religious holiday. Over the past year the spring equinox, the first full moon of the first Sunday after Easter. Church of Christ in the early years of the date of Easter, there have been controversial, causing momentary confusion, until 325 AD, the priests of the Church of the meeting before deciding on a day to celebrate the unification of the Easter.

复活节是基督教纪念耶稣复活的一个宗教节日。每年春分过去，第一次月圆后的第一个星期日就是复活节。早年在基督教会中对复活节的日期曾经有过争议，

引起一时混乱，直到公元３２５年，教士会议才决定整个教会统一在一天庆祝复活节。

There are a lot of the traditional Easter celebration, Easter egg is a symbol of the most typical. In ancient times the eggs are often seen as more children and grandchildren and a symbol of resurrection, because it breeds new life. Later, Christians also gives new meaning to the egg that it is a symbol of the tomb of Jesus, the life of the future is born from it and get rid of. Easter eggs are often dyed red to represent the crucifixion of Jesus when the blood flow, but also a symbol of happiness after the resurrection. There is an ancient custom, the egg is cooked to the street children play. Their eggs from rolling down the hillside: Who broke the last egg, will win, all property of all of his eggs. White House to play this game every year, but is rolling eggs on the lawn only.

复活节有不少传统的庆祝活动，蛋就是复活节最典型的象征。古时人们常把蛋视为多子多孙和复活的象征，因为它孕育着新的生命。后来基督教徒又赋予蛋以新的涵义，认为它是耶稣墓的象征，未来的生命就是从其中挣脱而出世。复活节人们常把蛋染成红色，代表耶稣受难时流的鲜血，同时也象征复活后的快乐。还有一种古老的习俗，是把煮熟的彩蛋送给街头的孩子们做游戏。他们把彩蛋从山坡上滚下：谁的蛋最后破，谁就获得胜利，全部彩蛋都归他所有。美国白宫每年也玩这种游戏，只不过是把蛋放在草坪上滚动而已。

Rabbit is a symbol of Easter. Now every Easter, the United States the total size of a candy shop to sell chocolate made with the Easter Bunny and eggs. These eggs and egg is almost small, big melon big surprise, the children eat them with relish. To the relatives and friends, but also be a good gift.

兔子也是复活节的象征。现在每逢复活节，美国大小糖果店总要出售用巧克力制成的复活节小兔和彩蛋。这些彩蛋小的和鸡蛋差不多，大的竟有甜瓜那么大，孩子们吃起来津津有味。送给亲戚朋友，也不失为上佳礼品。

感恩节

Thanksgiving Day is a very important troditional holiday in America. On the fourth Thursday of each November，families and friends gather together for the occasion to celebrate with a traditional turkey dinner，usually in the

mid-afternoon.Thanksgiving Day originated as a celebration of the year’s harvest and is similar to the Mid-Autumn

Festival in China.

感恩节是一个很重要的美国传统节日。每年11月的第四个星期四，人们都会与家人、朋友欢聚一堂，下午3时左右吃传统的火鸡大餐。该节日最初主要是为了庆祝一年的丰收，与中国的中秋节有些相似。

This American tradition started in 1621 before the United States of America was established.It was a huge celebration for a hard-earned harvest in the first year after the

first group of immigrants arriving in the New World.

这个美国传统节日始于1621年，美国成立以前。来源于美洲新大陆第一批移民为庆祝到达新大陆之后第一年的辛苦劳作获得的丰收而举行的盛大宴会。

On September 6，1620，the Mayflower ship set sail from Plymouth，Devon，England，taking all the English Pilgrims to the New World. The English Pilgrims numbered about a hundred people，and left England to escape religious persecution.

1620年9月6日，一批不堪忍受国内宗教迫害的英国清教徒乘坐“五月花”号从英格兰德文郡普利茅斯出发，开始了到美洲新大陆的航行。这批清教徒大约有100人。

The Pilgrims sailed sixty-six days，arrived in the New World in November of the same year. They first settled in a cornfield abandoned by Native Indians and named it Plymouth Plantation.

清教徒们在海上航行了66天，终于在当年的11月到达美洲新大陆。他们最初在当地印第安人废弃的一个玉米地z安顿下来，并把它命名为普利茅斯种植园。

They worked on the land with much difficulty and were beset by a devastating plague in which half of the Pilgrim died in the long winter of 1620. In the spring of 1621，an Indian brave named Squanto and her Wampanoag tribe came to their help.The tribe taught the Pilgrims how to work the earth and plant corn，beans，pumpkins，squash and other crops.

1620年那个寒冷而漫长的冬天，他们在这块土地上费尽千辛万苦地劳作着，困难重重，还遭遇了一场灾难性的瘟疫，一半人在这场瘟疫中死去。到了1621

年的春天，一个名叫Squanto的印第安英雄率其瓦帕浓部落开始主动帮助他们。部落里的人们教这些清教徒怎样耕种土地，怎样种植玉米、大豆、南瓜以及其他农作物。

In late September 1621，the Pilgrims were pleased with

their great harvest. To celebrate their first harvest，the Pilgrims wanted to thank God and the Native Indian. They invited Squanto and the entire Wampanoag tribe to celebrate together in a shared feast.

1621年9月底，他们的辛勤劳作终于获得大丰收，清教徒们欢欣鼓舞。为了庆祝这第一次来之不易的大丰收，他们想要好好感谢一下上帝和当地的印第安人，便邀请Squanto及其瓦帕浓部落参加他们的庆祝盛宴。

The first Thanksgiving dinner is said to have lasted from three days to one week.It was indeed a time of happiness，fellowship and rejoicing for the Pilgrims. They arranged a friendly treaty with the Native American Indians，built houses in the wilderness，and raised sufficient crops to feed themselves for the upcoming long winter.The Pilgrims had become the first generation of settlers in this new land holding so much promise.

这第一次的丰收庆祝盛宴据说从三天一直延长到一个星期。对于清教徒们来说，这的确是一段享受高兴、愉悦、友谊的时间。他们和善良的当地印第安人一起准备了庆祝盛宴，在荒野中盖了房子，并为即将来临的漫长冬天储存了充足的食物。于是，在这块充满希望、憧憬和向往的新大陆上，清教徒们便成了第一代移民定居者。

Fromthen on，Thanksgiving became a holiday for celebrating the harvest in the New World，dates varied from October to November each year over the next 150 years.

从那以后的150多年里，感恩节便成为一个庆祝新大陆丰收的固定节日，在每年的10月或11月举行庆祝活动。

The first National Thanksgiving was declared by the Continental Congress in 1777. On October 3，1789，President George Washington declared that the people of the United States should observe “a day of public thanksgiving and prayer”on Thursday，26November.In 1941，a Congressional Joint

Resolution set the fourth Thursday of November as a

national holiday for Thanksgiving.

1777年，美国大陆会议第一次宣布感恩节为全国性节日。1789年10月3日，美国总统乔治·华盛顿号召美国人民把当年的11月26日(星期四)看作“一个感恩、祈祷的公开纪念日”。1941年，一项国会联合决议把感恩节定为全国性节日，时间定在每年11月的第四个星期四。

情人节

There are varying opinions as to the origin of Valentine's Day. Some experts state that it originated from St. Valentine, a Roman who was martyred for refusing to give up Christianity. He died on February 14, 269 A.D., the same day that had been devoted to love lotteries.

关于情人节的起源有许多种说法。有关人士认为情人节是一个名叫桑特-瓦伦丁的人士发起的。他是罗马人，因为拒绝放弃基督教而于公元前269年2月14日惨遭杀害，这一天也正好是全城盛行彩票抽奖的日子。

Legend also says that St. Valentine left a farewell note for the jailer's daughter, who had become his friend, and signed it "From Your Valentine".

而另外一种说法更具有传奇色彩，相传桑特-瓦伦丁曾留下一本日记给了狱卒的女儿，署名为“你的情人”，据说这名狱卒的女儿就是桑特-瓦伦丁的情人。

Other aspects of the story say that Saint Valentine served as a priest at the temple during the reign of Emperor Claudius. Claudius then had Valentine jailed for defying him. In 496 A.D. Pope Gelasius set aside February 14 to honour St. Valentine.

还有其它的说法也颇为有趣。比如说有人认为在克劳迪亚斯君王统治时期，桑特-瓦仑丁曾经是一名神父，因为公然挑战克劳迪亚斯君王的权威身陷囹圄。所以公元前496年罗马教皇格莱西亚斯特意将2月14日作为一个特别的日子以纪念桑特-瓦伦丁。

Gradually, February 14 became the date for exchanging love messages and St. Valentine became the patron saint of lovers. The date was marked by sending poems and simple gifts such as flowers. There was often a social gathering or a ball.

此后2月14日就成为了一个具有特殊意义的日子。在这天人们向自己心仪的人传递信息以示爱意。而理所当然的桑特瓦仑丁也就成为了为恋爱中的男女们牵线搭桥的人。在2月14日这天人们会特意做诗或者用一些小礼物送给自己心爱的人。而且人们还会组织各种各样的聚会来庆祝这个特殊的节日。

In the United States, Miss Esther Howland is given credit for sending the first valentine cards. Commercial valentines were introduced in the

1800's and now the date is very commercialised.

艾瑟-霍兰德小姐是美国第一位因为发送情人节卡片而受到荣誉奖励的人。早在19世纪初情人节就已处露商业化的端倪。而如今情人节已经完全被商业化了。比如每当每年2月14日来临的时候，一些城镇如罗夫兰、克罗拉多等，这里的人们都要派送大量的为情人节特备的卡片。

The town of Loveland, Colorado, does a large post office business around February 14. The spirit of good continues as valentines are sent out with sentimental verses and children exchange valentine cards at school.

而在这天人们往往吟歌做诗并且把这些写入卡片中送个自己喜欢的人以表达自己的爱意。而在学校里孩子门也喜欢互增贺卡来度过这个特殊的节日。久而久之就形成了一种习俗并且延续至今天。

万圣节

Halloween is a holiday celebrated on October 31. By tradition, Halloween begins after sunset. Long ago, people believed that witches gathered together and ghosts roamed the world on Halloween. Today, most people no longer believe in ghosts and witches. But these supernatural beings are still a part of Halloween.

万圣节前夜是在10月31日庆祝的一个节日，根据传统，万圣节前夜的庆祝活动从太阳落山开始。在很久以前，人们相信在万圣节前夜女巫会聚集在一起，鬼魂在四处游荡。现在，大多数人们不再相信有鬼魂和女巫的存在了，但是他们仍然把这些作为万圣节前夜的一部分。

The colors black and orange are also a part of Halloween. Black is a symbol for night and orange is the color of pumpkins. A jack-o’-lantern is a hollowed-out pumpkin with a face carved on one side. Candles are usually placed inside, giving the face a spooky glow.

黑色和橙色仍然是万圣节前夜的一部分，黑色是夜晚的象征，而橙色代表着南瓜。南瓜灯是用雕刻成脸型，中间挖空，再插上蜡烛的南瓜做成的，带来一个毛骨悚然的灼热面孔。

Dressing up in costumes is one of the most popular Halloween customs, especially among children. According to tradition, people would dress up in costumes (wear special clothing, masks or disguises) to frighten the spirits away.

盛装是最受欢迎的万圣节风俗之一，尤其是受孩子们的欢迎。按照传统习俗，人们会盛装(穿戴一些特殊的服饰，面具或者装饰)来吓跑鬼魂。

Popular Halloween costumes include vampires (creatures that drink blood), ghosts (spirits of the dead) and werewolves (people that turn into wolves when the moon is full).

流行的万圣节服装包括vampires(吸血鬼)，ghosts(死者的灵魂)和werewolves(每当月圆时就变成狼形的人)。

圣帕特里克节

St Patrick's Day is being celebrated by Irish communities a round the world. Here we list 10fascinating facts about the celebration of Ireland's patron saint:

圣帕特里克节（St. Patrick's Day）是每年的3月17日，是为了纪念爱尔兰守护神圣帕特里克。这一节日5世纪末期起源于爱尔兰，如今已成为爱尔兰的国庆节。随着爱尔兰后裔遍布世界各地，现在，圣帕特里克节已经渐渐在一些国家成为节日。圣帕特里克节是全世界爱尔兰团体都在庆贺的节日。下面是关于节日庆祝的10个有趣事实。

1. St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, although he

was born in Britain, around 385AD. Hisparents Calpurnius a nd Conchessa were Roman citizens living in either Scotland

or Wales,according to different versions of his story.

1. 虽然是在公元385年前后出生在不列颠岛，但圣帕特里克是爱尔兰的守护神。根据不同版本的历史记载，他的父母卡尔普尔尼乌斯和孔切萨是居住在苏格兰或者威尔士的罗马公民。

2. As a boy of 14 he was captured and taken to Ireland where he spent six years in slaveryherding sheep. He return ed to Ireland in his 30s as a missionary among the Celtic pagans.

2. 14岁时，圣帕特里克被捕并被带往爱尔兰，在那里他作为奴隶牧羊6年。三十多岁时，圣帕特里克作为凯尔特异教徒传教士回到爱尔兰。

3. Legend has it that he used the native shamrock as a s ymbol of the holy trinity whenpreaching and brought the Lat in alphabet to Ireland.

3. 传说他在传教时使用当地的三叶草作为神圣的三位一体的象征，并且把拉丁字母表介绍到爱尔兰。

4. Miracles attributed to him include the driving of serpen ts out of Ireland. However, evidencesuggests post-glacial Ire land never had any snakes in the first place.

4. 圣帕特里克成功将大毒蛇赶出爱尔兰的传说增加了他的传奇色彩。然而证据显示爱尔兰在冰河期以后从没有过蛇。

5. Wearing green, eating green food and even drinking green

beer, is said to commemorate StPatrick's use of the shamr ock - although blue was the original colour of his vestmen ts.

5. 据说身穿绿色服装，吃绿色食物，甚至喝绿色啤酒是为了纪念圣帕特里克使用三叶草，尽管他的法衣最初是蓝色。

6. St Patrick was said to have proclaimed that everyone sh ould have a drop of the "hard stuff"on his feast day afte r chastising an innkeeper who served a short measure of wh iskey. In thecustom known as "drowning the shamrock", the s hamrock that has been worn on a lapel or hatis put in th e last drink of the evening.

6. 据说圣帕特里克曾训斥了一位卖威士忌缺斤短两的酒馆老板。此后圣帕特里克声明每个人在他的宗教节日都应该喝一滴“烈性酒”。因此在“淹没三叶草”这个众所周知的习俗中，节日里戴在西服翻领或者帽子上的三叶草最后会被放在酒里作为晚上最后一饮。

7. Popular Irish toasts on St Patrick's Day, include: may the roof above us never fall in, and maywe friends beneath it never fall out.

7. 爱尔兰圣帕特里克节的流行祝酒语包括：愿头上屋顶不倒，屋下朋友不分。

8. St. Patrick's Day was first celebrated in America in Bo ston, Massachusetts, in 1737. Around34 million modern America ns claim Irish ancestry.

8. 美国马萨诸塞州的波士顿于1737年首次庆祝圣帕特里克节。大约3400万现代美国人自认为是爱尔兰后裔。

9. It is believed that St Patrick died on March 17 in 46 1AD. It is a national holiday in Ireland, andon the island of Montserrat in the Caribbean, which was founded by Iris h refugees. It is a bankholiday in Northern Ireland and a

provincial holiday in the Canadian province of Newfoundland .

9. 据说圣帕特里克在公元461年3月17日去世。圣帕特里克节是爱尔兰和加勒比地区由爱尔兰难民建立的蒙特塞拉特岛的国定假日，在北爱尔兰是公共假日，也是加拿大纽芬兰省的假日。

10. Dublin has a parade that attracts hundreds of thousands

of people, while in Chicago theriver is dyed green for a few hours. The biggest parade is normally held in New Yo

rk, while thelargest celebration in the southern hemisphere is in Sydney, Australia.

10.在圣帕特里克节，都柏林的游行吸引成千上万的人；在芝加哥河流会被染成绿色几个小时。最盛大的节日游行一般在纽约；南半球规模最大的庆祝是在澳大利亚的悉尼。