聖誕節(merry christmas)原文翻譯 – 頁面 2 – 聖誕節、萬聖節、元宵節

聖誕樹擺放的時間

關於聖誕樹擺放的時間，我們特別翻譯外國網站的原文供大家參考。

以下翻譯自：http://didyouknow.org/christmas/

When to put up the Christmas tree

Traditionally, Christmas trees are put up 12 days before Christmas day, thus on the December 13th, and taken down 12 days after Christmas. But some put up the Christmas tree on December 6th in honor of the day Saint Nicholas died and take it down on Epiphany, January 6th. In Catholic tradition, Christmas trees are put up after noon on Christmas eve.

聖誕樹擺放的時間

傳統上，聖誕樹在聖誕節當天的前12天開始擺放，因此是12月13日開始數12天到聖誕節之後。但有些人在12月6號當天開始放聖誕樹以紀念Saint Nicholas的逝世，並且擺放至主顯節-1月6號。以天主教的傳統，聖誕樹是在聖誕夜的中午過後開始擺放。

聖誕樹裝飾

關於聖誕樹裝飾的由來，我們特別翻譯外國網站的原文供大家參考。

以下翻譯自：http://didyouknow.org/christmas/

Christmas tree decorations

Trees were decorated with apples, cakes and candies for many centuries. Martin Luther was the first to use candles on trees in the late 16th Century. In 1842, Charles Minnegrode introduced the custom of decorating trees to the US in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Martin Luther (1483 – 1546) is said to be the first to have decorated a Christmas tree with candles to show children how the stars twinkled through the dark night.
In 1850s, German company Lauscha, based in Thuringia, began to produce shaped glass bead garlands for Christmas trees. They also introduced the Rauschgoldengel, the Tingled-angel’, dressed in pure gilded tin.
The glass ornaments reached Britain in the 1870s, and North America around 1880.
In 1882, ornaments were complimented by electric Christmas lights. Edward Johnson, a colleague of Thomas Edison, lit a Christmas tree with a string of 80 small electric light bulbs which he had made himself. By 1890, the Christmas light strings were mass-produced. By 1900, stores put up large illuminated trees to lure the customers.

聖誕樹裝飾

用蘋果、蛋糕和糖果來裝飾樹已流傳了很多世紀。馬丁·路德是第一個在16世紀末把糖果放在樹上的人。到了1842年Charles Minnegrode把裝飾聖誕樹的風俗帶到美國威廉斯堡的維吉尼亞州。馬丁·路德 (1483 – 1546)據說是第一個以糖果裝飾聖誕樹，來向孩童解釋星星如何在夜晚發光的人。
1850年，在圖林哥據點的德國公司Lauscha，開始製造有形狀的聖誕樹玻璃珠花環。他們還引進純金箔裝飾的聖誕天使。這種玻璃裝飾品在1870年時傳至英國，而大概在1880年時在北美出現。
在1882年，這些裝飾品開始和聖誕燈飾搭配。Edward Johnson，Thomas Edison的一個同事，自己做了80個小燈泡的燈串將聖誕樹點亮。到了1890年，聖誕燈串被大量製作。1900年，店家開始擺放光亮的聖誕樹來吸引顧客。

聖誕樹的由來

關於聖誕樹的由來，我們特別翻譯外國網站的原文供大家參考。

以下翻譯自：http://didyouknow.org/christmas/

History of the Christmas tree

It is told that Saint Boniface, a monk from Crediton, Devonshire, England who established Christian churches in France and Germany in the 7th Century, one day came upon a group of pagans gathered around a big oak tree about to sacrifice a child to the god Thor. To stop the sacrifice and save the child’s life Boniface felled the tree with one mighty blow of his fist. In its place grew a small fir tree. The saint told the pagan worshipers that the tiny fir was the Tree of Life and stood for the eternal life of Christ.

It is also told that Saint Boniface used the triangular shape of the fir tree to describe the Holy Trinity of God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. By the 12th Century, Christmas trees were hung from ceilings as a symbol of Christianity. However, in that time, for a reason no one could yet explain, the trees were hung upside down.

聖誕樹的由來
據說Saint Boniface(聖博尼法斯)，一個來自英國德文郡克雷迪頓的修道士，於第七世紀，在法國和德國建立了天主教教堂，有一天碰到一個聚集在一顆大橡樹之下，準備要向雷神祭祀一個小孩的異教徒團體。為了阻止此祭祀並拯救這個孩子的性命，博尼法斯用拳頭重擊一下把樹擊倒。在那個地方長出了一小顆冷杉。聖博尼法斯告訴異教徒參拜者那個小冷杉就是代表耶穌綿延不絕的生命之樹。

傳說中Saint Boniface還用冷杉的三角形來描述上帝之父，上帝之子以及上帝聖靈的復活主日。到了12世紀，聖誕樹被從天花板吊起作為基督教精神的象徵。然而，在那時不知為何，樹都是被倒掛著的。

聖誕節之父或者聖誕老人

關於聖誕節之父或者聖誕老人的由來，我們特別翻譯外國網站的原文供大家參考。

以下翻譯自：http://didyouknow.org/christmas/

Father Christmas or Santa Claus

The figure of Father Christmas (Santa Claus) is based on the patron saint of children, Saint Nicholas (270-310AD), who became one of the youngest bishops ever at age 17. At age 30 he became the Bishop of Myra, a port town on the Mediterranean Sea, that is part of modern-day Turkey. He hailed from a rich home and became well known for supporting the needy. He would often be seen, clad in red and white bishop’s robes and riding on a donkey, handing out gifts to children.

During the Middle Ages, many churches were built in honor of Saint Nicholas. In the 11th century, his remains were enshrined in a church in the Italian city of Bari. It is told that the first Crusaders visited Bari and carried stories about Nicholas to their homelands. The anniversary of his death, 6 December, became a day to exchange gifts.

During the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, Martin Luther tried to stop the venerating of saints and the feast of Saint Nicholas was abolished in some European countries. The gift giver took on other names: in Germany, he became Der Weinachtsmann (“Christmas Man”), Pre Nol in France, Father Christmas in Britain and the colonies, and many other names.

聖誕節之父或者聖誕老人

聖誕節之父(聖誕老人)的形象是基於一個兒童的守護神(Saint Nicholas) 西元270到310年)，在他17歲的時候便成為最年輕的主教。而在他30歲時成為米拉的主教，米拉是一個地中海上的港城，也就是現今土耳其的一部分。他來自一個富有的家庭並且變成廣為人知的救濟家。他常常批著紅白相間的主教袍出現，並且騎著一隻爐子，發送禮物給孩子們。

在中古世紀，很多教堂為了紀念Saint Nicholas而被建造。在11世紀，他的遺骸被置於位於義大利八里市的教堂神龕中。傳說中第一批造訪八里的十字軍，將有關Nicholas的故事帶到他們的家鄉。每年他的忌日-12月6號，就成了交換禮物日。

在16世紀新教徒宗教改革期間，馬丁·路德試著阻止對於Saint Nicholas的欽仰，廢除了一些在歐洲國家的慶典。禮物的施予者被冠上其他名字: 在德國，他成了Der Weinachtsmann (聖誕男人)，法國是Pre Nol，而英國以及其殖民地是聖誕節之父，還有很多其他國家各有其名字。

有關聖誕節的一些事實

關於聖誕節的一些事實，我們特別翻譯外國網站的原文供大家參考。

以下翻譯自：http://didyouknow.org/christmas/

Quick Christmas facts

The 25th of December is celebrated as the birth date of Jesus Christ. The Bible does not mention Christmas, and early Christians did not observe the birthday of Christ. Christmas as we know it became widely popular only in the 19th Century.

Christmas starts on December 25 and ends 12 days later on January 6 with the Feast of Epiphany also called “The Adoration of the Magi” or “The Manifestation of God.”
The concept of “Peace and Joy” over the Christmas season originates from the pagan blieve in the magical powers of mistletoe. Enemies meeting under a mistletoe had to call truce until the following day

In Finland and Sweden an old tradition prevails, where the twelve days of Christmas are declared to be time of civil peace by law. It used to be that a person committing crimes during this time would be liable to more stiff sentence than normal.
During the Middle Ages, many churches were built in honor of Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of children. Wearing his red and white bishop’s robes, he would ride on a donkey to deliver gifts to children.

有關聖誕節的一些事實
12月25日是慶祝耶穌的誕生。聖經上並沒有談到聖誕節，而且早期的天主教徒並沒有留意耶穌的生日。聖誕節是在19世紀才開始廣為普及的。

聖誕節是在12月25號開始，直到1月6號之後的12天主顯節，又稱東方三賢士或者上帝的顯像。

在聖誕假期瀰漫的和平歡樂概念，源自於益教徒對於懈寄生神奇力量的相信。在懈寄生下相遇的敵對雙方必須休戰到隔天。

在芬蘭和瑞典，有一個古老傳統流傳，聖誕節之後的第十二天被稱作是法定的公民和平時間。過去當一個人在這時期認罪，將會被賦予較平常更為嚴厲的罪刑。
在中古時期，很多教堂為了紀念Saint Nicholas-兒童的保護神而被建造

聖誕節的普及

關於對聖誕節的普及的了解，我們特別翻譯外國網站的原文供大家參考。

以下翻譯自：http://didyouknow.org/christmas/

Christmas becomes popular

The popularity of Christmas was spurred on in 1820 by Washington Irving’s book The Keeping of Christmas at Bracebridge Hall.

In 1834, Britain’s Queen Victoria brought her German husband, Prince Albert, into Windsor Castle, introducing the tradition of the Christmas tree and carols that were held in Europe to the British Empire.

A week before Christmas in 1834, Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol (in which he wrote that Scrooge required Cratchit to work). It was so popular that neither the churches nor the governments could not ignore the importance of Christmas celebrations.

In 1836, Alabama became the first state in the US to declare Christmas a legal holiday.

In 1837, T.H. Hervey’s The Book of Christmas also became a best seller.

In 1860, American illustrator Thomas Nast borrowed from the European stories about Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of children, to create Father Christmas (Santa Claus).

In 1907, Oklahoma became the last US state to declare Christmas a legal holiday. Year by year, countries all over the world started to recognize Christmas as the day for celebrating the birth of Jesus.

聖誕節的普及

聖誕節在1820年由於華盛頓·歐文的著作-The Keeping of Christmas at Bracebridge Hall，促使聖誕節更為流行。

在1834年，英國維多利亞女皇帶他的德國老公-亞伯特王子到溫莎城堡裡面，向他介紹從歐洲留傳至英國王室的聖誕樹以及聖誕故事傳統。

1834 年聖誕節的前一周，查爾斯．狄更斯出版了一本聖誕歌頌(中文譯: 小氣財神) (裡頭寫到守財奴Scrooge如何壓榨Cratchit不斷工作)。其受歡迎的程度讓教會和政府都不得不注意到聖誕節的重要性。

在1836年，阿拉巴馬成為美國第一個正式慶祝聖誕節的一州。

在1837年，T.H. Hervey的書- The Book of Christmas 也成為當時最暢銷書。

1860年，美國漫畫家湯瑪斯‧奈斯特取自歐洲關於Saint Nicholas(兒童守護神)的故事，創造出聖誕節之父(聖誕老人)。

在1907年，奧克拉荷馬州成為美國最後正式慶祝聖誕節的一州。年復一年，全世界的國家都開始認定聖誕節是為了慶祝耶穌誕生的日子。

正式但非普遍的聖誕節

關於對正式但非普遍的聖誕節的理解，我們特別翻譯外國網站的原文供大家參考。

以下翻譯自：http://didyouknow.org/christmas/

Christmas official, but not generally observed

In 325AD, Constantine the Great, the first Christian Roman emperor, introduced Christmas as an immovable feast on 25 December. He also introduced Sunday as a holy day in a new 7-day week, and introduced movable feasts (Easter). In 354AD, Bishop Liberius of Rome officially ordered his members to celebrate the birth of Jesus on 25 December.

However, even though Constantine officiated 25 December as the birthday of Christ, Christians, recognizing the date as a pagan festival, did not share in the emperor’s good intentions. Christmas failed to gain universal recognition among Christians until quite recently.

In England, for instance, Oliver Cromwell banned Christmas festivities between 1649 and 1660 through the so-called Blue Laws, believing that Christmas should be a solemn day.

When many Protestants escaped persecution by fleeing to the colonies all over the world, interest in joyous Christmas celebrations was rekindled there. Still, Christmas was not even a legal holiday until the 1800s. And, keep in mind, there was no Father Christmas (Santa Claus) figure at that time.

正式但非普遍的聖誕節

在西元325年，康士坦丁大帝，也就是第一位羅馬帝國君王，將12月25號定為固定的聖誕節。他還制定了星期天是七天一週的第一天，並推行了非固定的慶典(復活節)。在西元354年，羅馬萊比流斯正式命令他的教徒在12月25日這天慶祝耶穌誕生。

然而，即使康士坦丁大帝正式宣布12月25日這天為耶穌的誕辰，康士坦丁將此日期視為異教徒的慶典，並沒有分享帝國的善意。聖誕節在天主教直到近期才獲得普遍認定。

例如，在英國，奧利弗•克倫威爾在1649年到1660年間透過所謂的藍色法律，嚴禁聖誕節的慶典，認為耶誕節應該是莊嚴的日子。

當很多新教徒藉由逃往各國殖民地來擺脫迫害時，慶祝歡樂聖誕節的興致重新燃起。然而，直到1800年，聖誕節都還不是一個正式的節日。記住，那時候也還沒有聖誕節之父(聖誕老人)的存在。

早期的聖誕節

關於早期的聖誕節的描述，我們特別翻譯外國網站的原文供大家參考。

以下翻譯自：http://didyouknow.org/christmas/

The early Christians

To avoid persecution during the Roman pagan festival, early Christians decked their homes with Saturnalia holly. As Christian numbers increased and their customs prevailed, the celebrations took on a Christian observance. But the early church actually did not celebrate the birth of Christ in December until Telesphorus, who was the second Bishop of Rome from 125 to 136AD, declared that Church services should be held during this time to celebrate “The Nativity of our Lord and Saviour.” However, since no-one was quite sure in which month Christ was born, Nativity was often held in September, which was during the Jewish Feast of Trumpets (modern-day Rosh Hashanah). In fact, for more than 300 years, people observed the birth of Jesus on various dates.

In the year 274 AD, solstice fell on 25th December. Roman Emperor Aurelian proclaimed the date as “Natalis Solis Invicti,” the festival of the birth of the invincible sun. In 320 AD, Pope Julius I specified the 25th of December as the official date of the birth of Jesus Christ.

AD is short for Anno Domini, or “Year of our Lord,” as proclaimed by the Roman Catholic Church. Some non-Christians prefer the alternative designation “CE” for “Common Era.”

為了躲避羅馬異教徒慶典期間的迫害，早期基督徒只在家裡擺設冬青樹來慶祝農神節。由於基督徒成員漸漸增加而他們的習俗也日漸普遍，基督徒的慶典便取而代之。但早期的教堂並沒有慶祝耶穌的誕生，直到德肋斯福祿-西元125到136年間羅馬的第二位主教，聲稱教堂服務應該在這時候來慶祝”我們上帝以及救世主的誕生”。然而，既然沒有人知道基督真正出生的月份，耶穌誕生通常是在九月舉行，也就是猶太的吹角節(現代猶太的新年)。事實上，300多年來，人們遵從的耶穌生辰都不同天。

在西元274年，冬至點剛好是12月25號。羅馬皇帝Aurelian宣布這天為” Natalis Solis Invicti”所向無敵太陽神的生日。在西元320年，教皇朱利斯一世明確指出12月25號是耶穌基督正式誕辰日。

AD是 Anno Domini的縮寫，或者(我們上帝之年)，由羅馬天主教堂所定。有一些非天主教徒傾向用替代稱號”CE”代表”通用年代。

Christmas 名子的由來

關於Christmas這個名子的由來，我們特別翻譯外國網站的原文供大家參考。

以下翻譯自：http://didyouknow.org/christmas/

『The word “Christmas” means “Mass of Christ,” later shortened to “Christ-Mass.” The even shorter form “Xmas” – first used in Europe in the 1500s – is derived from the Greek alphabet, in which X is the first letter of Christ’s name: Xristos, therefore “X-Mass.”

Today we know that Christ was not born on the 25th of December. The date was chosen to coincide with the pagan Roman celebrations honoring Saturnus (the harvest god) and Mithras (the ancient god of light), a form of sun worship. These celebrations came on or just after the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, to announce that winter is not forever, that life continues, and an invitation to stay in good spirit.

But there’s much more to the fascinating history of Christmas! Where did the Christmas tree originate, why are Christmas candles important, etc.? The answers are all here.』

聖誕節的英文Christmas是指 ”Mass of Christ”- 基督的彌撒，之後簡寫為Christ-Mass。而後來縮寫的形式X’mas初見於1500年代的歐洲，是由希臘字母衍生而來，其中X是基督名字- Xristos的第一個字母 (希臘文的Ch是寫成X )，所以才有”X-Mass”

今日我們知道基督並不是在12月25號誕生的。這一天的選定是為了和異教徒羅馬人紀念Saturnus (農神)以及Mithras (古老的太陽神)慶典，一個對太陽表達敬仰的形式一致。這些慶典都是在羅馬冬至(12/25-北半球一年當中白晝最短的一天)當天或者之後舉行，宣示冬天不會永久，而生命不停延續，也是一個保有好精神的號召。

但對於聖誕節還有更多迷人的歷史，例如聖誕節的起源，以及為什麼聖誕蠟燭如此重要等等。在這裡，可以找到所有答案。