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Another very prominent symbol of Christmas is the Christmas tree. There are several explanations for its origin.
圣诞节另一个显著的象征是圣诞树。关于它的起源有好几种说法。
One story suggests that Martin Luther was walking through a wood on a clear winter night admiring the beauty of the bright stars glowing through the branches of trees.
有一个故事说，在一个清冷的冬季夜晚，马丁·路德走过一个树林，十分惊羡明亮的星光洒过树枝的美丽。
He decided to cut down a small evergreen tree and take it home.
他决定砍下一棵常青树带回家。
He put candles in it to represent the stars he had seen earlier because he wanted to share that beautiful image with his family.
他在树上放上蜡烛代替他看到过的星星，因为他想与家人一起分享那美丽的景色。
Another story tells of the bringing of an evergreen tree inside the home during winter solstice (December 21st) symbolizing the renewal of life in the dead of winter.
另一个故事讲的是，在冬至（12月21日）这一天，把一棵常青树搬回家，象征着在死寂的冬天生命的复苏。
It became associated with Christmas, which occurs only four days later.
把它与圣诞节联系在一起，只因刚好四天之后便是圣诞节。
The Christmas tree was firmly established as a Christmas symbol by the Germans who eventually brought it to America.
德国人把圣诞树确立为一种圣诞节的象征，后来又将之带到了美国。
In Victorian England, people hung cakes and candies on it and later, fruit made of paper adorned the branches.
在维多利亚女王时期的英格兰，人们把蛋糕和糖果挂在树上，以后，又用纸做的水果装饰树枝。
Modern commercial tree decorations appeared in the 1880's at Woolworth's Department Store in the United States, and electric Christmas tree lights made their debut in 1882.
现在商店卖的圣诞树装饰品出现在19世纪80年代美国的伍尔沃斯百货商店，而圣诞树上装彩灯则始于1882年。
The first Christmas cards were sent in the 1840's in both England and America.
第一批圣诞贺卡是19世纪40年代在英格兰和美国寄出的。
Gift giving probably stems from the Bible where it is written that three kings, bearing gifts from the orient, visited Bethlehem when Jesus was born.
赠送礼物可能源于《圣经》，里面写到，耶稣诞生时三个国王带着礼物从东方来访问伯利恒。
We know that St. Nicholas also gave gifts.
我们知道圣·尼古拉斯也送礼物。
A later tradition developed, whereby gifts were given on each of the twelve days of Christmas, from December 25th, when Jesus allegedly was born, to January 6th, when Jesus was apparently baptized (the Epiphany).
后来发展起来的传统是在圣诞节的12天里，从声称耶稣诞生的12月25日，到耶稣公开受洗礼的1月6日（主显节），每天都送礼。
There is a popular song called the "Twelve Days of Christmas" that keeps this tradition alive each year.
有一首叫做《圣诞节的12天》的流行歌曲，使每年的这种传统保持下来。
We understand that Macy's Department Store in New York City introduced the annual Christmas or Santa Claus Parade during the 1880's.
我们知道，每年的圣诞节或圣诞老人是在19世纪80年代，由纽约市的梅西百货公司引入的。
Today, in late November, or early December, a Christmas Parade is held in almost every city and town in Europe and America .
如今，在11月底或12月初，圣诞节几乎在欧美的每个城镇举行。
Early on the night before Christmas (Christmas Eve), children are encouraged to go to bed early if they expect Santa to come.
圣诞节前的晚上（圣诞节前夕），孩子们被鼓励说，如果他们希望圣诞老人来的话，就要早些上床睡觉。
They lay their heads on their pillows with visions of what the next day will bring.
他们把头放到枕头上时，就在幻想第二天会带来什么东西。
Santa is invisible to children since no one has actually seen him, his sleigh, or reindeer on Christmas Eve.
在圣诞节前夕，孩子们是看不见圣诞老人的，因为实际上没有人看见过他、他的雪橇以及他的驯鹿。
On Christmas Day, families usually get together for a roast goose or turkey dinner served with mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and pie or pudding for dessert.
在圣诞节，一家人通常聚在一起吃烤鹅或者烤火鸡，还有土豆泥、肉汤、酸果沙司和作为餐末甜点的馅饼或布丁。
Grown-ups will pour a glass or two of wine or other spirits. Together, families will openly exchange gifts and gratitude.
大人们会倒上一、两杯葡萄酒或其他烈酒。聚到一起时，家人们公开地交换礼物和表达感谢之情。
Children, including cousins, nieces and nephews, often kneel on the floor in front of the tree, excitedly trying to find presents with their names on them.
孩子们，包括堂、表兄弟姐妹，侄儿、侄女，外甥、外甥女，常常跪在树前的地板上，兴奋地寻找上面定有他们名字的礼物。
On that day, warm receptions are extended to everyone, friend or stranger.
那天每一个人都会受到热情接待，不管是朋友还是陌生人。
For many merchants, Christmas has become the economic boom season of the year.
对于很多商人来说，圣诞节成了一年中生意最兴隆的时节。
It is estimated that a major percentage of the annual yield of revenue from sales is generated during the month or more of intense Christmas shopping before Christmas.
据估计，全年销售收入的很大一部分，来自在圣诞节前圣诞大采购的一个多月里。
As a matter of fact, there has been some debate for years that Christmas has become too commercialized and that the true meaning of Christmas is gradually disappearing.
实际上，已经争论多年的话题是，圣诞节太商业化了，而其真正意义在逐渐消失。
An escalating tendency has been to buy more and more expensive gifts each year.
一个日益明显的倾向是每年要买越来越多的贵重礼物。
Some people go into debt, sometimes owing more than they can easily pay back.
有些人负债累累，有时欠的钱比他们能轻易偿还的还要多。
Some people are personally beginning to rethink this commercial approach to Christmas.
有些人已经私下开始反思这种圣诞节的商业行为了。
However, toy manufacturers and their contemporaries in advertising make a killing during this period.
玩具制造商及其广告业的同伙们，在这个期间大大地赚了一笔。
Christmas shopping hits a peak on Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, when stores offer great discounts to unload the unsold Christmas merchandise.
圣诞采购在圣诞节后的一天即节礼日达到高峰，这个时候商店大打折扣，倾销没有卖完的圣诞商品。
This is usually the busiest shopping day of the year.
通常，这是一年中最忙的采购日。
Christmas has spread far and wide across the globe. My wife and I lived in Beijing last year.
圣诞节在全球广泛传播开来。去年，我和妻子住在北京。
During the Christmas season, we saw many Christmas decorations and heard a lot of western Christmas music in department stores. It seemed little different from Toronto, Canada.
在圣诞节期间，我们在百货商店里看到了很多圣诞节装饰品，听到了许多西方圣诞音乐。与加拿大多伦多几乎没什么区别。
We celebrated Christmas much as we would have in Canada, except that we weren't with our families in our homes during that very special family-oriented holiday season.
除了不是和我们的家人在一起，我们就像是在加拿大一样，庆祝了圣诞节，在我们家乡，这个季节是一个特别适合全家一起过的节日。
We have great memories of Christmases of the past and look forward to many more great Christmas memories in the future.
我们对过去的圣诞节还有很深刻的印象，也盼望将来有更多值得回忆的圣诞节。
