十大圣誕傳統(tǒng)及其起源

Discover the fascinating stories behind these festive traditions, from Christmas food and carols to greetings cards and crackers.

從圣誕美食、圣誕頌歌到圣誕賀卡、圣誕拉炮，在圣誕節(jié)的傳統(tǒng)節(jié)目背后都有什么有趣的故事呢?

Having helped set up the Public Records Office (now the Post Office), Sir Henry Cole and artist John Horsley created the first Christmas card in 1843 as a way of encouraging people to use its services.

在幫助創(chuàng)建了郵局之后，1843年亨利?柯爾爵士和藝術(shù)家約翰•霍斯利一起制作了世界上第一張圣誕賀卡，鼓勵人們使用郵政服務(wù)。

Cards cost a shilling (equivalent to almost £5.75 now) and stamps a penny (about 40p at modern prices). Advances in printing brought prices down, making cards hugely popular by the 1860s. By 1900 the custom of sending Christmas cards had spread throughout Europe.

當(dāng)時一張圣誕賀卡價格是一先令(相當(dāng)于現(xiàn)在的5.75英鎊)，一張郵票價格是一便士(相當(dāng)于現(xiàn)在的40便士)。印刷術(shù)的進步讓賀卡和郵票價格降了下來，使得圣誕賀卡在19世紀(jì)60年代曾盛行一時。到了20世紀(jì)，寄圣誕賀卡的風(fēng)俗已在歐洲流傳開來。

While Christmas trees have been around for a millennium in northern Europe, the first one did not appear in the UK until the 1830s. When Prince Albert put up a Christmas tree at Windsor Castle in 1841, he started what became an evergreen trend.

雖然早在千年之前北歐國家就有圣誕樹了，但是直到19世紀(jì)30年代，第一棵圣誕樹才開始在英國出現(xiàn)。1841年，阿爾伯特親王在溫莎堡置辦了第一棵圣誕樹，從那以后圣誕樹就成為了長盛不衰的圣誕傳統(tǒng)。

Early mince pies were made of meat, fruit and spice and inspired by Middle Eastern cuisine brought back by the Crusaders.

早期的肉餡餅受十字軍戰(zhàn)士帶回的中東食譜啟發(fā)，是用肉、水果和香料制成的。

They commonly had 13 ingredients representing Christ and the Apostles, and were formed in a large oval shape to represent the manger. Meat had disappeared from the recipe by Victorian times, although beef suet is often still included.

這種肉餡餅加入了13種配料，代表耶穌和他的十二個使徒。肉餡餅做成橢圓形狀，象征耶穌降生的馬槽。到了維多利亞時期，豬肉從配方中消失了，不過牛油仍是配料之一。

Leaving stockings out at Christmas goes back to the legend of St Nicholas. Known as the gift giver, on one occasion he sent bags of gold down a chimney at the home of a poor man who had no dowry for his unmarried daughters. The gold fell into stockings left hanging to dry. St Nicholas was later referred to by the Dutch as Sinterklaas and eventually, by English-speakers, as Santa Claus.

在圣誕節(jié)掛起長筒襪源于送禮人圣•尼古拉斯的傳說。有一回圣•尼古拉斯把幾袋金子放進一個窮人家的煙囪里，這個窮人沒錢給他的女兒們置辦嫁妝。結(jié)果金子正好掉進了那家人晾著的長筒襪中。后來圣•尼古拉斯被荷蘭人稱為Sinterklaas，最后在英語中轉(zhuǎn)變?yōu)榱薙anta Claus這個名字。

Synonymous with Christmas and the subject of a traditional British folk carol, both holly and ivy were originally used in pre-Christian times to celebrate the winter solstice. As they provide a rare splash of colour in the darkest month of the year, their popularity has endured.

提到圣誕節(jié)，人們就會想起冬青和常春藤，這兩種植物還被寫成了一首英國傳統(tǒng)民謠。在前基督時代，人們用冬青和常春藤裝點房屋來慶祝冬至。在一年中最陰冷的時節(jié)，冬青和常春藤給房間帶來了一抹生機勃勃的綠色，因此幾千年來一直廣受歡迎。

London sweet-maker Tom Smith invented Christmas crackers in the late 1840s, inspired by traditional, paper-wrapped French bonbons. Even though he included mottos or riddles inside each, it was not until he found a way to make them “crack” when pulled apart that sales took off. His sons Tom, Walter and Henry later added hats and novelty gifts.

受傳統(tǒng)的用紙包裹的法國棒棒糖啟發(fā)，倫敦糖果商湯姆•史密斯在19世紀(jì)40年代末發(fā)明了圣誕拉炮。盡管他在每只圣誕拉炮里都會放格言或謎語，但直到他想出法子讓其在拉動包裝紙的時候發(fā)出啪的一聲，圣誕拉炮的銷量才開始飆升。他的兒子湯姆、沃爾特和亨利后來又加進了紙帽子和新奇禮物等創(chuàng)意。

Turkeys originated in Mexico and were first brought to Britain in 1526 by William Strickland. Henry VIII enjoyed turkey and although the bird became fashionable in high society in the late 19th century it was Edward VII who made it de rigueur at Christmas for the middle classes.

火雞原本生長于墨西哥，1526年威廉•斯特里克蘭將火雞帶到英國。亨利八世很愛吃火雞肉，于是吃火雞肉在19世紀(jì)末的上流社會變得很流行，不過在愛德華七世的倡導(dǎo)下，火雞才走入了中產(chǎn)階級的家庭，成為圣誕節(jié)的必備菜肴之一。

Even by 1930, however, it took a week’s wages to buy one and turkey remained a luxury until the 1950s.

然而，即使到了20世紀(jì)30年代，買一只火雞仍然要花掉一星期的工資，直到20世紀(jì)50年代火雞都是一種奢侈的食物。

Also known as plum or figgy pudding, this Christmas staple possibly has its roots as far back as the Middle Ages in a wheat-based pottage known as frumenty. By the mid 17th century, it was thicker and had developed into a dessert with the addition of eggs, dried fruit and alcohol.

圣誕布丁也叫葡萄干布丁或無花果布丁，它可能起源于中世紀(jì)的一種叫作牛奶麥粥的食物。到了17世紀(jì)中期，這種麥粥被做得更稠，逐漸發(fā)展成了加入雞蛋、干果和酒的一種甜點。

In Victorian times plum pudding was a Christmas favourite. It is traditionally made a week before Advent on what is known as “stir-up Sunday”.

在維多利亞時期，圣誕布丁是最受歡迎的圣誕食物之一。依照傳統(tǒng)人們會在基督降臨節(jié)前一周做圣誕布丁，這一天被稱為“喚醒星期日”。

Hanging mistletoe in the home is an ancient pagan practice adopted by early Christians. The word itself is Anglo-Saxon and the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe originated in England. Each kiss required a berry to be plucked until none remained.

在家中掛槲寄生是早期基督徒奉行的一種古老的異教徒做法。槲寄生的英文單詞是古英語，在槲寄生下接吻的傳統(tǒng)則源于英格蘭。每在槲寄生下接一個吻，就要采一顆莓果，直到樹上的莓果都摘光。

Carols were songs and dances of praise and joy in pagan times and the practice of carol singing carried over into the Christian era. Carols have been written through the centuries but the most familiar date from Victorian times. Today, popular songs such as Bing Crosby’s White Christmas and Slade’s Merry Xmas Everybody are just as much a part of Christmas as carols.

頌歌在異教徒時代是表達贊頌和喜悅的歌舞，唱頌歌的做法一直延續(xù)到了基督時代。幾個世紀(jì)以來人們寫了不少頌歌，不過最熟悉的頌歌來自維多利亞時代。今天，平•克勞斯貝的《白色圣誕節(jié)》和斯萊德的《祝大家圣誕快樂》這樣的流行歌曲也成為了圣誕頌歌。