日，慶祝耶穌基督誕生。christmasisachristianholidaythatcelebratesthebirthofjesuschrist英文圣誕一詞源于古英語，意思是基督的彌撒，或基督的節日。thewordchristmascomesfromcristesmaesse,anearlyenglishphrasethatmeansmassorfestivalofchrist至于頻繁使用的圣誕節的簡寫形式“xmas，學者們認為也許是始于13世紀。scholarsbelievethefrequentlyusedshortenedformofchristmas－xmas－mayhavecomeintouseinthe13thcentury.在希臘語里，“x是“基督”的首字母，同時“x也象征耶穌受難的十字架。ingreekxisthefirstletterofchristsname,andalsorepresentsthecrossonwhichwas4世紀，羅馬天主教會將耶穌的誕辰定1225日。inthe4thcenturytheromancatholicchurchchosedecember25asthedayforthefeastofthenativity圣誕節便是于十二月二十五日紀念耶蘇的誕生，andthat,christmasisthefeastofthenativityofjesusison25thdecembereveryyear.但真實的誕生日就沒有人知道了。butnobodyknowtheactualbirthdayofjesus.教會將12月25日定為基督教節日是為了給當時異教的冬至慶祝活動注入基督教的含義。thechurchchosedecember25forachristianholydayinthehopeofgivingchristianmeaningtoexistingpagancelebrationsofthewintersolstice。結果，很多異教習俗逐漸融入圣誕節的慶祝活動。asaresult,manypagancustomsgraduallybecamepartofthechristmascelebration.到了12世紀，圣誕節已成為歐洲最重要的宗教節日。bythe12thcentury,christmashadbecomethemostimportantreligiousfestivalineurope.19世紀，兩個圣誕節習俗，即裝飾圣誕樹和向親友贈送圣誕卡，變得流行起來。inthe19thcentury,twochristmascustomsbecamepopular－decoratingchristmastreesandsendingchristmascardstorelativesandfriends.許多著名的圣誕頌歌也是在這一時期創作的。manywell-knownchristmascarolswerecomposedduringthisperiod.對于大多數過圣誕節的人來說，這個節日是家庭、朋友聚會的日子，享用美酒佳肴的日子，互贈禮物的日子。formostpeoplewhocelebratechristmas,theholidayseasonisanoccasionforgatheringsoffamilyandfriends,feasting,andgivinggifts.圣誕節的慶祝活動對許多工商企業也變得日益重要了。thecelebrationofchristmasbecameincreasinglyimportanttomanykinds圣誕節的重要傳統之一是接受圣誕老人贈送的禮物。oneofthemostimportantchristmastraditionsisreceivinggiftsfromsantaclaus.許多小孩子相信自己在圣誕節收到的禮物來自圣誕老人。圣誕老人是個快活的胖老頭兒，長著白胡子，身穿紅袍，頭戴紅帽。到各家，從煙囪進入屋內，留下禮物。manyyoungbelievethatthepresentstheyreceiveatchristmasaregivenbysantaclaus,whoisajolly,white-beardedfatmaninaredsuitandredhat.accordingtothestory,santaclaustravelsthroughtheairfromsomewherenearthenorthpoleinasleddrawnbyreindeer（馴鹿）andcomesdownthechimneytoleavethepresents.現在，許多國家，包括美國、加拿大、英國和澳大利亞都有圣誕老人把節日禮物送給孩子們。today,santaclausbringspresentstochildreninmanycountries,includingtheunitedstatescanadagreatbritainandaustralia許多商店雇人裝扮成圣manydepartmentstoreshirepeopletowearasantaclauscostumeandlistentochildrensrequests在英國，圣誕老人也“fatherchristmas”ingreatbritainsantaclausisalsofatherchristmas.圣誕節前幾周，孩子們就開始寫信給誕老人，告訴他自己想要什么禮物。duringtheweeksbeforechristmas,childrenwriteletterstofatherchristmasandtellhimwhatpresentstheywouldliketoreceive.然后他們把信扔進壁爐的火里。theythenthrowtheselettersintothefire.他們相信如果上升的氣流把灰燼順煙囪帶了上去，他們的愿望便會得到滿足childrenbelievethatifadraftdrawstheletterupthroughthechimney,theirwisheswillbefulfilled.等。atraditionalchristmasdinnerinamericaincludesstuffedturkey（火雞）,mashedpotatoes,cranberrysauce（越橘醬）andavarietyofotherdishes.烤火雞不但在美國，在加拿大、澳大利亞和新西蘭也是圣誕宴席上最普遍的主菜。roastturkeyisthemostpopularmaincoursenotonlyintheunitedstates,butalsoincanada,australia,andnewzealand.也有的人家不吃火雞，而吃火腿或烤鵝。somefamilieshavehamorroastgooseinsteadofturkey.人們最喜歡的飯后甜點包括甜餡餅或南瓜餡餅、李子布丁和水果蛋糕。favoritedessertsincludemincepieorpumpkinpie,plumpuddingandfruitcake.蛋奶酒是許多家庭喜歡的飲料。eggnogisapopularchristmasbeverage（飲料）inmanyhomes.在英國，圣誕宴在中午舉行，傳統食品有烤火雞或烤鵝、圣誕布丁、甜餡餅和葡萄酒。inbritain,christmasdinneriseatenatnoon,andthedinnerusuallyincludesroastturkeyorgoose,christmaspuddingwithmincepies,andaccompaniedbywine.fromitsmodestbeginnings,christmashasevolvedintothebiggestcelebrationintheworld.nowpleasecontactwetranshesitation!從開始到現在，圣誕節已經發展成為世界上最大的慶祝是不是該好好了解哈勒，那就隨trans來看 據說認真學東的人最美firstthewordfeastpreparedforyoudrunkennessn.沉醉；酩酊feast盛宴；宴會；節期；使人歡快的事物（或活動）ascendv.上升；升高；登高dauntingv使氣餒commissionn傭金；回扣;委員會v.正式委托（譜寫或制作、創作）；任命…為軍官mistletoen槲寄生（結白色小漿果，寄生于其他樹木，常用于圣reconciliationreconciliationn.和解；協調；調解；palmtreenconfectionern.甜食業;糖果店；糖果制造者divinityn.神；神性；stripen.條紋；線條；mintadj.完美的；新造的n.薄荷；薄荷糖；鑄幣廠；v.鑄（幣）yulen.圣誕節firtreen.冷杉樹manifestationinfantn.嬰兒；幼兒；四歲到七歲之間的學童adj.初期的；初創期的oakn櫟樹logn.日志；原木；飛行日志v.記錄；把…載入正式記錄；行駛；采伐（森林的）樹木solsticen.（夏或冬）至hearthn.壁爐爐床fertilityn.豐產；富饒；能生育性；sprinklev.灑；撒；把…撒（或灑）在…上；mulln.亂七八糟〈美口〉仔細考慮[討論]；splinterv.分裂；（使）裂成碎片；boisterousadj.熱鬧的；充滿活力的；活蹦亂跳的ironstoven鐵爐paganadj.異教的；非基督教的；無宗教信仰的n.異教徒nativityn圣誕；耶穌降生；耶穌降生圖centerpiecen.evergreen.常青樹；常綠樹adj.常綠的somberadj.憂郁的；昏pastryn.油酥面團；油酥面皮；油酥糕點secularadj.現世的；世crucifixionn.釘死在十字架上；十字架苦像（耶穌受難的畫像或藝bishopn.主教berryn漿果；莓accoutrementn.裝自己，那就繼續享受下面精彩的文化盛宴吧！！記住有問題哦，么么噠acommondate通用日december25wasasignificantdateforvariousearlytheancientbabyloniansthesonofthequeenofheavenwasbornondecember25.theegyptianscelebratedthebirthofthesonofthefertilitygoddessisisonthesamedate,whileancientarabscontendedthatthemoonwasbornondecembertheromanscelebratedsaturnalia,afeastnamedforsaturn,godofagriculture,ondecember21,thewintersolsticeinthenorthernhemisphere.theybelievedtheshortestdayoftheyearwasthebirthdayofthesun.theromanemperorconstantinewasamemberofthesun-cultbeforeconvertingtochristianityin312.somescholarssuspectthatchristianschosetocelebratechristsbirthondecember25tomakeiteasiertoconvertthepagantribes.referringtojesusasthelightoftheworldalsofitwithexistingpaganbeliefsaboutthebirthofthesun.theancientreturnofthesunphilosophyhadbeenreplacedbythecomingofthesonmessageofchristianity.joyfulandreligious快樂和宗gradually,christmascelebrationsbegantoadopttheoftenboisterous,holidaytraditionsofpagancultures.thestoryofthenativitywastoldthroughmusic,art,anddance.storedchristmaswhenheascendedthethrone.intheamericancolonies,puritans,baptists,quakers,andpresbyteriansopposedthefestivities,whilecatholics,anglicans(episcopalians),dutchreformed,andlutheranschristmascelebrationsbecamemorecommoninamericaduringthemid-1800s.theintroductionofchristmasservicesinsundayschoolsreducedreligiousopposition,whilethecharlesdickensnovelachristmascarolpopularizedtheholidayasafamilyeventchristmastree圣誕thepracticeoftreeworshiphasbeenfoundinmanycultures.often,treeswerebroughtindoorsanddecoratedtoensureagoodcropforthecomingyear.treeshavealsobeenlinkedtodivinity.egyptiansassociatedapalmtreewiththegodbaal-tamar,whilethegreeksandromansbelievedthatthemotherofadoniswaschangedintoafirtree.adoniswasoneofherbranchesbroughttolife.themodernchristmastreewaslikelyborninthe8thcentury,whenst.bonifacewasconvertingthegermanictribes.thetribesworshippedoaktrees,decoratingthemforthewintersolstice.st.bonifacecutdownanenormousoaktree,thatwascentraltotheworshipofaparticulartribe,butafirtreegrewinitsplace.theevergreenwasofferedasasymbolofchristianity,whichthenewlyconvertedgermansbegandecoratingforprincealbert,whowasgerman,introducedthechristmastreetoenglandafterhismarriagetoqueenvictoriain1840.germanimmigrantstopennsylvaniabroughtchristmastreestoamerica.mistletoe槲寄生thedruidsbelievedmistletoefellfromheavenandgrewontotreethatsprangfrommistletoethusrepresentedthejoiningofheavenandearth,andgodsreconciliationwithmankind.akissundermistletoesymbolizedacceptanceandreconciliation.(ps:給大家推薦首比伯的歌mistletoe，mv更贊哦)santaclaus圣誕老人patronsaintofchildrenandsailors,saintnicholaswasacenturybishopfromasiaminor.hewasfamousforgivinggiftstochildren.hisfeastday,december6,becameachildrensholidayinholland,whereheisknownassintnikolaas.englishcolonistsinnewyork(previouslythedutchcolonyofnewpronouncethedutchname.theenglishbegancelebratingthefeastdayonchristmas.krisskringle,anothernameforsantaclaus,developedingermanyaround1600.germanprotestantsrecognizeddecember25,thebirthofthechristchild,christkindl,astheinthenetherlandsandgermany,thesantaclausfigureoftenrodethroughtheskyonahorsetodeliverpresentstochildren.heoftenworeabishopsrobesandwassometimesaccompaniedbyblackpeter,anelfwhowhippednaughtyinadditiontothetraditionofsaintnicholas,thethreewisemengavegiftstothebabyjesus,startingthechristmasgiftreadnamesforsantaaroundtheworldchristmasholly圣誕紅的葉片oneofthemostpopularchristmastimeaccoutrements,hassharpedges,symbolicofthecrownofthornswornbyjesusathiscrucifixion.theredberriesrepresentblood.yulelog圣誕節原木wholivedinthemiddleeast.thegermanictribesofnorthern“y-lay”“childsday.”thecustomoftheyuleloghasbeennotedinfranceanditalyasfarbackasthe1200s.itlaterspreadthroughouteurope.onchristmaseveanenormouslogwouldbecutandplacedinthehearth.thelogwouldbesprinkledwithsalt,oil,andmulledwine,andprayerssaidtoprotectthehousefromthedevilandinsomeregions,thedaughtersofthefamilylitthelogwithsplintersofthepreviousyearslog.inotherregions,theladyofthehousehadthehonoroflightingthelog.asironstovesreplacedgianthearthsinthe1800s,yulelogsbecamedecorative,oftenbeingusedaschristmascenterpiecesanddecoratedwithevergreensandcandles.cooksbegancreatingpastryyulelogs,rolledcakescoveredinchocolateorcoffeeanddecoratedwithsugaredhollyandroses.candycanes棒棒糖somescholarsbelieveaconfectionerdevelopedcandycanestorepresentjesus.theshapeofthejwasforjesus,ortheshepherdsstaff.thewhitecolorsymbolizedpurity,whiletheredstripesindicatedblood.peppermintissimilartohyssop,themiddleeasternmintmentionedinthebible.christmascards圣誕賀卡thecustomofsendingchristmascardsstartedinengland.earlier,someadultshadwrittenchristmasletters.butletterstooktimetowrite;andpeoplewantingtoshareseasonsgreetingswithmanyothershadadauntingtask.in1843,britishbusinessmansirheycoleaskedartistjohncalcotthorsleytoprintsomechristmascards.onethousandcardswereprintedinblackandwhiteandthencoloredbyhand.thecards,whichdepictedahappyfamilyraisingatoasttotherecipient,werecriticizedforpromotingdrunkenness.in1851richardpease,avarietystoreowner,commissionedthefirstprintedchristmascardintheu.s.londonprinterscharlesgoodallsonsbecamethefirsttomass-producechristmascards.in1862theycreatedcardsvariousdesigns,includingrobins,holly,mangers,andandevenlittleredridinghood.（ps：最后獻上比伯另一首