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圣诞节到了-ChristmasIsing
IlikeChristmas,itisjustlikeourSpringFestival.
MaybetheSpringFestivalismuchmoreimportantandinterestingthanChristmas,butIlikeChristmasDaybetter.BecausewecanspendtimewithourfriendsandclassmatesduringChristmas.Whenitissnowy,Christmasbeesmuchmorelovely,justlikeinfairytales.IcanimagineIaminafairytale,thegirlwhosoldthematchesismyfriend,theuglyduckbeingmoreandmorebeautifulandsoon.Whatabeautifulplace!SowecanalsocallChristmas“SnowyLovelyDay.”
OnChristmasDay,shopsareredandgreen.TherearesomanyChristmascards,Christmashats,Christmasdollsandmanycolourfulthings.Soshopslookverybeautiful.Wecangiveacardoradolltoourfriendsandsay“MerryChristmas.”Bytheway,Ithinkstudyingcanalsobeemuchmoreinteresting.
Christmasising,italsomeansanewyearwille.Let’sstudyhardertowelethenewyear!
ChristmasinUnitedStatesofAmerica(美国的圣诞节)
SantaClauswasborninUSinthe1860'shewasnamedthisashehadawhitebeardandabelly,sohewasnamedSantaClausasthiswastheDutchwordforStNicholas,Sintaklaas.AlthoughtheDutchhadboughthimwiththeminthe17thcentury,hedidnotbeeanimportantpersonatChristmasuntiltheNovelistWashingtonIrvingputhiminanovelthathewrotein1809.ThisfirstSantaClauswasstillknownasSt.Nicholas,hedidsmokeapipe,andflyaroundinawagonwithoutanyreindeer,buthedidnothavehisredsuitorliveattheNorthPole,hedidhoweverbringpresentstochildreneveryyear.
In1863HewasgiventhenameSantaClausandboretheredsuit,pipe,andhisreindeerandsleigh.
NowChristmascelebrationsvarygreatlybetweenregionsoftheUnitedStates,becauseofthevarietyofnationalitieswhichhavesettledinit.
InPennsylvania,theMoraviansbuildalandscape,calledaputz-undertheChristmastree,whileinthesamestatetheGermansaregivengiftsbyBelsnickle,whotapsthemwithhisswitchiftheyhavemisbehaved.
EarlyEuropeansettlersbroughtmanytraditionstotheUnitedStates.ManysettledintheearlydaysintheSouth,thesesettlerswouldsendChristmasgreetingstotheirdistantneighborsbyshootingfirearmsandlettingofffireworks.InHawaiithispracticeisstillinuseasunderthesunnyskies,SantaClausarrivesbyboatandChristmasdinneriseatenoutdoors.
InAlaska,astaronapoleistakenfromdoortodoor,followedbyHerod'sMen,whotrytocapturethestar.Colonialdoorwaysareoftendecoratedwithpineapple,asymbolofhospitality.
InAlaska,boysandgirlswithlanternsonpolescarryalargefigureofastarfromdoortodoor.Theysingcarolsandareinvitedinforsupper.
InWashingtonD.C.,ahuge,spectaculartreeislitceremoniouslywhenthePresidentpressesabuttonandturnsonthetree'slights.
InBoston,carolsingingfestivitiesarefamous.Thesingersareaompaniedbyhandbells.
InNewOrleans,ahugeoxisparadedaroundthestreetsdecoratedwithhollyandwithribbonstiedtoitshorns.
InArizona,theMexicanritualcalledLasPosadasiskeptup.ThisisaritualprocessionandplayrepresentingthesearchofMaryandJosephforaroomattheinn.Familiesplaythepartsandvisiteachother'shousesenactingandre-enactingthedramaand,atthesametime,havingalookateachfamily'scrib.
InHawaii,ChristmasstartswiththeingoftheChristmasTreeShip,whichisashipbringingagreatloadofChristmasfare.SantaClausalsoarrivesbyboat.
InCalifornia,SantaClaussweepsinonasurfboard.
InAmericathetraditionalChristmasdinnerisroastturkeywithvegetablesandsauces.Fordessertitisrich,fruityChristmaspuddingwithbrandysauce.Mincepies,pastrycasesfilledwithamixtureofchoppeddriedfruit.
ThemajorityofAmericanscelebrateChristmaswiththeexchangeofgiftsandgreetingsandwithfamilyvisits.Formany,thedaybeginsonChristmasEvewiththeMidnightMass.AtChristmasitsnowsinmanystates,sodinnerisusuallyeatenindoors.Dinnerusuallyisroastturkey,goose,duckorhamservedwithcranberrysauce,thenplumpuddingorpumpkinpiefollowedbynutsandfruit.
Americanhomesaredecoratedwithholly,mistletoeandbranchesoftrees,mosthaveaChristmastreehungwithelectriclights,tinsel,baubles,andstringsofpopcornandcandycanes.
InColorado,anenormousstarisplacedonthemountain,itcanbeseenformanykilometersaround,whileinBethlehem,Pennsylvania,astarislitinearlyDecember.
PolishAmericansonChristmasEvespreadhayontheirkitchenfloorandunderthetableclothtoremindthemofastableandamanger.WhentheymakeupthetablefordinnertwoextraplacesaresetupforMaryandtheChristChildincasetheyshouldknockatthedoortoaskforshelter.
InPhiladelphia,aprocessioncalledamummersparaderunsforawholedaywithbands,dancersandpeopleinfancydress.
TherearetwohomesforSantaClausintheUnitedStatesoneisinTorrington,Connecticut,whereSantaandhishelpersgiveoutpresents.TheotherhomeisinWilmington,NewYork,whereavillageforSantaandhisreindeerislocated.
InArizonatheyfollowtheMexicantraditionscalledLasPosadas.FamiliesplayoutthepartsofMaryandJosephsearchingforsomewheretostay.Theyformaprocessionandvisittheirfriends'andneighbors'homeswheretheyadmireeachfamily'sNativitycrib.InpartsofNewMexico,peopleplacelightedcandlesinpaperbagsfilledwithsandonstreetsandrooftopstolightthewayfortheChristChild.