Christmas in the UK 英式聖誕節

In Britain, Christmas Day is normally spent at home, with the family, and it is regarded as a celebration of the family and its continuity. Preparations start well in advance, with the sending of Christmas cards and installation of a decorated Christmas tree in a prominent place in the home. Although it is now a firmly established tradition, the Christmas tree was first popularised by Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, who introduced the custom from his native Germany in 1840.

　　在英國，聖誕節往往在家和家人一起過，且被視爲對家庭和睦的一種慶祝。準備工作很早就開始了，大家寄賀卡且在家最顯眼的地方裝飾聖誕樹。儘管這已經成爲了根深蒂固的傳統，聖誕樹最早是由維多利亞女王的丈夫，阿爾伯特王子在1840年從德國引入這一風俗，且開始流行起來。

Some houses are decorated with evergreens (plants which do not lose their leaves in winter); a wreath of holly on the front door and garlands of holly, ivy and fir indoors. Bunches of mistletoe are often hung above doorways - any couple passing underneath must exchange kisses! Traditional food is prepared: sweet mince pies, a rich Christmas cake and the Christmas pudding. Everyone has their own favourite recipe, but they’re all packed full of spices, nuts, dried fruit and brandy.

Presents are bought and wrapped, and traditionally placed under the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve. Christmas is both a secular and a religious holiday, and many families like to attend a midnight service at church on Christmas Eve, or celebrate Christmas in church on Christmas morning.

一些房子用常青植物（冬天不會掉葉子的植物）裝點；前門掛聖潔的花圈，屋內用聖潔的花冠，常春藤和皮毛裝飾。一捆捆的槲寄生經常放在門口上方——任何從下走過的情侶都必須互吻！要準備的傳統食物：甜餡的派，一個花式的聖誕蛋糕和聖誕布丁。人人都有自己喜愛的食譜，但都用足了香料，堅果，乾果和白蘭地。禮物是買來包好的，通常都是在聖誕夜擺放在聖誕樹下的。聖誕節也是世俗的宗教節日，許多家庭喜歡在聖誕夜去教堂參加午夜活動，或者在聖誕節早上去教堂慶祝聖誕。

The excitement begins for children on Christmas Eve, when they hang up their stockings (an old sock or, more ambitiously, pillow cases) around the fireplace or at the foot of the bed for Father Christmas to fill with presents. The English Father Christmas or Santa Claus is first recorded in his traditional red and white outfit in a woodcut of 1653, but the story of Santa arriving in his reindeer-drawn sleigh and descending down the chimney to fill children’s stockings with presents derives from the USA.

聖誕節最興奮的要屬孩子了，他們在壁爐邊或者牀角掛起襪子（一隻舊襪子，或者貪心點，一個枕頭），來裝聖誕老人的禮物。英國的聖誕老人或者叫Santa Claus最先在1653年被木刻下來，穿着傳統的紅白服飾，但是關於聖誕老人坐馴鹿拉的雪撬來，並且下到煙囪裏給孩子送禮物的故事卻是來源於美國的。

Practically everyone sits down to a Christmas dinner in the early afternoon of Christmas Day, traditionally roast turkey, but some families prefer goose or roast beef. The turkey is followed by the Christmas pudding, brought to the table flaming hot. Brandy is poured over the pudding, then lit. After dinner, everyone relaxes by going for a walk, playing games, enjoying their presents or watching television.

實際上，人人都在聖誕節那天下午早早地坐下吃聖誕晚餐，烤火雞是傳統食物，但有些家庭更喜歡鵝或者烤牛肉。在聖誕布丁之後上的菜就是熱氣騰騰的火雞。白蘭地斟在布丁上，然後點燃。晚飯後，所有人都去散散步放鬆一下，玩玩遊戲，賞玩他們的禮物或者看看電視。