關於聖誕節的英語文章
今天，小編帶來的是關於聖誕節的一些文章，希望大家會喜歡。下面是小編帶來的，歡迎閱讀!
It is not easy to pin-point the origins of the Christmas feast, today the more important feast of the Christmas season in most western Christian churches. One can only say for certain that the birth of Jesus Christ was being celebrated in Rome by the year 336 A.D.; afterwards the feast was celebrated in other Christian churches throughout the world.
Why it was celebrated on December 25th is another question. No date for the birth of Jesus can be found in the New Testament, which is concerned more with the question "Who is Jesus?" than the date of his birth. Early Christian speculation about his birth date was influenced by the symbolism of the changing seasons, then popular in religious thought, which paid careful attention to the equinoxes and solstices of the sun. Christian scholars speculated that Jesus was conceived at the spring equinox March 25th and therefore was born on December 25th, the date of the winter solstice.
In many of the Christian churches, March 25th is still the Feast of the Annunciation, when the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she was to be the mother of Jesus.
Possible impluse for the feast of Christmas may have came too from the establishment of the pagan feast of the "Unconquered Sun-God" by the Emperor Aurelian in 274 A.D. to be celebrated on December 25, the day of the winter solstice in Rome and throughout the empire. In response, Christians could celebrate the feast of the "Sun of righteousness" Malachi 4,2, Jesus Christ, who called himself " the light of the world."
Christmas Celebrations Around the World
It is interesting to see how different countries celebrate Christmas.We asked some of our friends and this is what they told us about their Christmas celebrations：
Belgium On Christmas Eve，it starts with a drink and “nibbles1”，followed by a “starter” course such as seafood，and then stuffed turkey.The dessert is a kind of cake made with cream.Father Christmas is called “Saint Nicholas” and he brings presents to children on Dec ember 6th，“St.Nicholas Day，” a long time before Christmas.
Brazil Father Christmas is called Papai Noel.Many Christmas customs are similar to those in the USA or UK.For those who have enough money，a special Christmas meal will be chicken，turkey，ham，rice，salad，pork，fresh and dried fruits，often with beer.Poorer people will just have chicken and rice.
Finland Finnish people believe that Father ChristmasSanta Clauslives in the north part of Finland called Korvatunturi，north of the Arctic Circle.People from all over the world send letters to Santa Claus in Finland.There is a even big tourist theme park called “Christmas Land” in the north of Finland，near to where they say that Father Christmas lives.Everyone cleans their houses ready for the three holy days of Christmas--Christmas Eve，Christmas Day，and Boxing Day2.Christmas Eve is very special，when people eat rice porridge3 and plum4 fruit juice in the morning.They will then decorate a spruce5 tree in the home.Many families will visit cemeteries and graveyards to place a candle onto the burial graves of family members.Cemeteries are very beautiful at Christmas-time.
France In France，everyone has a Christmas tree，sometimes decorated in the old way with red ribbons and real white wax candles.Fir6 trees in the garden are often decorated too，with lights on all night.Father Christmas is called Père Noel.The Christmas meal is an important family gathering with good meat and the best wine.Not everyone sends Christmas cards.
Germany Germans love to decorate their house sat Christmas.Many houses will have little wooden frames holding electric candles in their windows，and coloured pictures of paper or plastic which look beautiful from the outside at night.Father Christmas brings presents in the late afternoon of Christmas EveDecember 24th，after people have been to a church meeting.The presents are then found under the Christmas tree.One person in the family will ring a bell and call everyone to come to the room.On Christmas Day，fishcarp7or goose will be cooked.
Latvia Latvians believe that Father Christmas brings presents on each of the 12days of Christmas starting on Christmas Eve.Usually the presents are put under the family Christmas tree.The special Latvian Christmas Day meal is cooked brown peas with baconporksauce，small pies，cabbage and sausage.
Portugal People pretend that Father Christmas brings presents to children on Christmas Eve.The presents are left under the Christmas tree or in shoes by the fireplace.A special Christmas meal of salted dry cod-fish8 with boiled potatoes is eaten at midnight on Christmas Eve.
Russia In the days of the Soviet Union，Christmas was not celebrated very much.New Year was the important time--when “Father Frost” brought presents to children.Now Christmas can be openly celebrated--either on December25th;or more often on January 7th.This unusual date is because the Russian Orthodox church uses the old“Julian”calendar9 for religious celebration days.Special Christmas food includes cakes，pies and “meat dumplings.”
Sweden The most important day is Christmas Eve.A special Christmas meal is eaten on Christmas Eve--hampork，herring10 fish，and brown beans--and this is the time when families give presents to each other.Many people attend a church meeting early on Christmas Day.
世 界 各 地 的 聖 誕 慶 典
瞭解不同的國家怎樣慶祝聖誕節是一件有趣的事情。我們請教了一些朋友。他們對自己國家的聖誕活動是這樣描述的：
比利時 聖誕夜，歡慶活動由小飲和小吃開始，然後是“開胃”菜，如海鮮。接下來的菜是填滿佐料的火雞。甜點是一種帶奶油的蛋糕。聖誕老人叫做“聖尼古拉斯”。他在12月6日這一天為孩子們帶來禮物。“聖尼古拉斯節”時間遠在聖誕節前。
巴西 聖誕老人被叫做“聖誕阿爸”。巴西很多的聖誕節習俗與美國或英國類似。對於那些有錢的人家，特別的聖誕宴有雞、火雞、火腿、米飯、沙拉、豬肉，以及水果和乾果，通常還有啤酒。窮人只是食用雞和米飯。
芬蘭芬蘭人相信聖誕老人聖克勞斯住在芬蘭北部一個叫做科爾瓦山的地方，位於北極圈北部。全世界的人們都把寄給聖誕老人的信發往芬蘭。在芬蘭的北部甚至有一個大型旅遊主題公園被稱為“聖誕地”，就位於傳說中聖誕老人的居住地附近。每家每戶都清掃各自的房屋以迎接聖誕節的三個聖日---聖誕夜、聖誕日和節禮日。聖誕夜是個重要的節日。
人們早上喝米粥和李子汁。然後他們在家中裝飾雲杉樹。很多家庭會前往墓地，在已故親屬的墓上獻上一根蠟燭。聖誕節時墓地都顯得格外漂亮。
法國 在法國，每人都有一棵聖誕樹。有時聖誕樹按傳統的方式用紅綢帶和真正的白蠟燭裝飾。庭院中的冷杉樹也經常被裝飾起來，通宵都亮著小彩燈。聖誕老人被叫做“聖誕阿爸”。聖誕宴是一次重要的家庭聚會，席上滿是美酒佳餚。聖誕卡不是每個人都寄的。
德國德國人喜歡在聖誕節裝飾他們的房子。很多房子的窗戶上都會有用小木架支起來的燈泡蠟燭以及印在紙上或塑料上的彩色圖片，晚上從屋外看上去非常漂亮。聖誕老人在聖誕夜12月24日傍晚人們去教堂聚會之後帶來禮物。禮物放在聖誕樹下。每家有一個人搖著鈴鐺叫所有人去屋裡看禮物。聖誕節人們烹飪鯉魚或者家鵝。
拉脫維亞 拉脫維亞人相信聖誕老人在從聖誕夜開始的12天中每天都帶給人們禮物。通常禮物放在家中的聖誕樹下。獨特的拉脫維亞聖誕節宴有褐豆加火腿醬、小餡餅、洋白菜和香腸。
葡萄牙 人們假裝聖誕老人在聖誕夜給孩子們帶來禮物。禮物放到聖誕樹下面或者壁爐旁的鞋裡。聖誕夜子夜之時，人們開始享用有醃製的鱈魚和煮土豆的特別的聖誕宴。
俄羅斯蘇聯時期，人們不大過聖誕節。新年是一個重要的節日---這時“霜父”為孩子們帶來禮物。現在聖誕節可以被公開慶祝，或者在12月25日，或者更通常在1月7日。選擇後者這個不尋常的日子是因為俄羅斯東正教按照古老的儒略曆確定宗教節日。典型的聖誕宴包括蛋糕、餡餅以及“肉餃”。
瑞典 最重要的日子是聖誕夜。特別的聖誕宴安排在聖誕夜，有豬肉火腿、鯡魚和褐豆。這也是各家互贈禮物的時候。很多人在聖誕節這一天一大早便去教堂參加聚會。