高中英语Unit2 The United Kingdom文章 Christmas In BRITISH ISLES人教版必修五VIP免费

ChristmasinBritishIslesManyofourcurrentAmericanidealsaboutthewayChristmasoughttobederivefromtheEnglishVictorianChristmas,suchasthatdescribedinCharlesDickens'AChristmasCarol.Thecaroling,thegifts,thefeast,andthewishingofgoodcheertoall-theseingredientscametogethertocreatethatspecialChristmasatmosphere.Thecustomofgift-givingonChristmasdatesonlytoVictoriantimes.BeforethenitwasmorecommontoexchangegiftsonNewYear'sDayorTwelfthNight.SantaClausisknownbyBritishchildrenasFatherChristmas.FatherChristmas,thesedays,isquitesimilartotheAmericanSanta,buthisdirectancestorisacertainpaganspiritwhoregularlyappearedinmedievalmummer'splays.Theold-fashionedFatherChristmaswasdepictedwearinglongrobeswithsprigsofhollyinhislongwhitehair.ChildrenwriteletterstoFatherChristmasdetailingtheirrequests,butinsteadofdroppingtheminthemailbox,thelettersaretossedintothefireplace.Thedraftcarriesthelettersupthechimney,andtheoretically,FatherChristmasreadsthesmoke.GiftsareopenedChristmasafternoon.FromtheEnglishwegetastorytoexplainthecustomofhangingstockingsfromthemantelpiece.FatherChristmasoncedroppedsomegoldcoinswhilecomingdownthechimney.Thecoinswouldhavefallenthroughtheashgrateandbeenlostiftheyhadn'tlandedinastockingthathadbeenhungouttodry.Sincethattimechildrenhavecontinuedtohangoutstockingsinhopesoffindingthemfilledwithgifts.ThecustomofsingingcarolsatChristmasisalsoofEnglishorigin.Duringthemiddleages,groupsofserenadescalled"waits"wouldtravelaroundfromhousetohousesingingancientcarolsandspreadingtheholidayspirit.Theword"carol"means"songofjoy."Mostofthepopularoldcarolswesingtodaywerewritteninthe用心爱心专心nineteenthcentury.Thehangingofgreens,suchashollyandivy,isaBritishwintertraditionwithoriginsfarbeforetheChristianera.Greenerywasprobablyusedtoliftsaggingwinterspiritsandremindthepeoplethatspringwasnotfaraway.ThecustomofkissingunderthemistletoeisdescendedfromancientDruidrites.ThedecoratingofChristmastrees,thoughprimarilyaGermancustom,hasbeenwidelypopularinEnglandsince1841whenPrinceAlberthadaChristmastreesetupinWindsorCastleforhiswifeQueenVictoria,andtheirchildren.Theword"wassail"isderivedfromtheAnglo-Saxonphrasewaeshael,whichmeans"goodhealth."Originally,wassailwasabeveragemadeofmulledale,curdledcream,roastedapples,nuts,eggs,andspices.Itwasservedforthepurposeofenhancingthegeneralmerrimentoftheseason.Likemanyoftheancientcustoms,"wassailing"hasalegendtoexplainitsorigin.ItseemsthatabeautifulSaxonmaidennamedRowenapresentedPrinceVortigenwithabowlofwinewhiletoastinghimwiththewords"Waeshael."Overthecenturiesagreatdealofceremonyhaddevelopedaroundthecustomofdrinkingwassail.Thebowliscarriedintoaroomwithgreatfanfare,atraditionalcarolaboutthedrinkissung,andfinally,thesteaminghotbeverageisserved.FormanyyearsinEngland,aroastedboar'sheadhasbeenassociatedwithHolidayfeasting.ThecustomprobablygoesbacktotheNorsepracticeofsacrificingaboaratYuletideinhonourofthegodFryer.OnestorytellsofastudentatOxford'sQueenCollegewhowasattackedonChristmasDaybyawildboar.AllhehadinhishandtouseasaweaponwashiscopyofAristotle,soheshovedthebookdowntheboar'sthroat.Wantingtoretrievehisbook,thestudentcutofftheanimal'sheadandbroughtitbacktothecollegewhereitwasservedforChristmasdinnerwithmuchpompandceremony.ThecelebrationofBoxingDay,whichtakesplaceonDecember26-thefeastofSt.用心爱心专心Stephen,isapartoftheholidayseasonuniquetoGreatBritain.Traditionally,itisonthisdaythatthealmsboxateveryEnglishchurchisopenedandthecontentsaredistributedtothepoor.Also,thisisthedaythatservantstraditionallygotthedayofftocelebratewiththeirfamilies.Itbecametraditionalforworkingpeopletobreakopentheirtipboxesonthisday.BoxingDaybeganinthemid-nineteenthcenturywhenthecustomoftippingbyrichpersonstopersonsinservicepositionshadapparentlygottenoutofhand.Childrenandotherspretendedtobeinthetradesandsolicitedtips.Thecustomwasexpandedtogivingtoanyoneandeveryonewhohadlessmoneythanyoudid,andsoonthestreetsatChristmastimewerefullofaggressivesolicitingoftips.Tocontainthenuisance"BoxingDay"wasdesignatedastheonedayforgivingtothelessfortunate.用心爱心专心