圣诞节的由来英文版

the name christmas is short for "christ's mass". a mass is a kind of church service. christmas is a religious festival. it is the day we celebrate as the birthday of jesus. there are special christmas services in christian churches all over the world. but many of the festivities of christmas do not have anything to do with religion. exchanging gifts and sending christmas cards are the modern ways of celebrating the christmas in the world.

the birth of jesus had a story: in nazareth, a city of galilee. the virgin's name was mary was betrothed to joseph. before they came together, she was found with child of the holy spirit. joseph her husband was minded to put her away secretly. while he thought about these things, gabriel, an angel of the lord appeared to him in a dream and told him did not be afraid to take mary as wife. and mary will bring forth a son, and he shall call his name, jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.

before jesus births, joseph and mary came to quirnius was governing syria. so all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. joseph also went up out of galilee, out of the city of nazareth, into judea, to the city of david, which is called bethlehem, because he was of the house and of the lineage of david, to be registered with mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. so it was that while they were there, the days were completed for her to bedelivered. and she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

and that, christmas is the feast of the nativity of jesus, is on 25th, december every year. but nobody know the actual birthday of jesus. and the christmas has become popular when christmas cards appeared in 1846 and the concept of a jolly santa claus was first made popular in nineteenth century.

12月25日，是基督教徒纪念耶稣 诞生的日子，称为圣诞节。

从12月24日于翌年1月6日为圣诞节节期。节日期间，各国基督教徒 都举行隆重的纪念仪式。圣诞节本来是基督教徒的节日，由于人们格外重视，它便成为一个全民性的节日，是西方国家一年中最盛大的节日，可以和新年相提并论，类似我国过春节。

西方人以红、绿、白三色为圣诞色，圣诞节来临时家家户户都要用圣诞色来装饰。红色的有圣诞花和圣诞蜡烛。绿色的是圣诞树 。它是圣诞节的主要装饰品，用砍伐来的杉、柏一类呈塔形的常青树装饰而成。上面悬挂着五颜六色的彩灯、礼物和纸花，还点燃着圣诞蜡烛。

红色与白色相映成趣的是圣诞老人 ，他是圣诞节活动中最受欢迎的人物。西方儿童在圣诞夜临睡之前，要在壁炉前或枕头旁放上一只袜子，等候圣诞老人在他们入睡后把礼物放在袜子内。在西方，扮演圣诞老人也是一种习俗。

圣诞节的由来

圣诞节的由来耶稣的生日究竞是哪一天，其实早无据可查。为什么要把12月25日定为圣诞节呢？这是在5世纪中叶由教会规定的。公元354年，在“菲洛卡连”日历中第一次写明12月25日是耶稣的生日，到5世纪西方普遍接受了这个日期为圣诞节。

圣诞树

据称，圣诞树最早出现在古罗马12月中旬的农神节，德国传教士尼古斯在公元8世纪用纵树供奉圣婴。随后，德国人把12月24日作为亚当和夏娃的节日，在家放上象征伊甸园的“乐园树”，上挂代表圣饼的小甜饼，象征赎罪；还点上蜡烛，象征基督。

到16世纪，宗教改革者马丁.路德，为求得一个满天星斗的圣诞之夜，设计出在家中布置一颗装着蜡烛的圣诞树。不过，西方关于圣诞树的来历流行着另一种说法：有个善良的农民，在圣诞节那天，热情地招待了一名流浪的孩子，临别时，孩子折下一树枝插在地上树枝立即长成大树，孩子指着这树对农民说，每年今日，树上都长满礼物，以报答你们的盛情。所以，今天人们所见的圣诞树上总是挂满了小礼物。.荷斯利设计的。卡片上画的是一个贵族家庭，三代人一齐举杯对一位不在场的亲友表示祝贺。当时他印了1000张，没有用完的印刷厂就以每张1先令的价钱卖出。圣诞卡 就这样诞生了。

圣诞歌

长期以来，一直流行的圣诞歌主要有三个，一个是《平安夜 》；一个是《听，天使报佳音》；第三个是《铃铛儿响叮当》。

圣诞老人

圣诞老人原指公元4世纪时小亚细亚专区的主教尼古拉，他因和蔼可亲慷慨济贫万里闻名。到了6世纪，东方把他尊称为圣尼古拉。由于民间有关尼古拉的传说中，都联系到少年儿童和礼物，从此，圣诞老人便成为专门在圣诞节向孩子们送礼物的慈祥老人的形象。到了18世纪，通过文学和绘画，圣诞老人逐渐成为身穿红外衣的白胡子、白眉毛老人形象。

圣诞卡

世界上第一张圣诞卡是1843年英国人亨利.高乐爵士提议，由约翰.卡尔葛圣诞礼物

据《圣经》记载，来自东方的圣人在耶稣降生的时候赠送礼物，这就是圣诞老人为儿童赠送礼品习俗的由来。英国少年儿童在圣诞前夕把长统袜子放在壁炉旁，相信圣诞老人在夜里会从大烟囱下来，给他们带来满袜子的礼物。法国的少年儿童把鞋放在门口，让“圣婴来时把礼物放在鞋里面。”

圣诞大餐

正像中国人过春节吃年饭一样，欧美人过圣诞节也很注重全家人围坐在圣诞树下，共进节日美餐。

圣诞大餐吃火鸡的习俗始于1620年。这种风俗盛于美国。英国人的圣诞大餐是烤鹅，而非火鸡。奥大利人爱在平安夜里，全家老小约上亲友成群结队地到餐馆去吃一顿圣诞大餐，其中，火鸡、腊鸡、烧牛仔肉和猪腿必不可少，同时伴以名酒，吃得大家欢天喜地。

圣诞起源

12月25日的圣诞节是庆祝基督教创始人耶稣基督生日的日子，是美国最大、人们最喜爱的节日。

据基督教徒的圣书《圣经》说，上帝决定让他的独生子耶稣基督投生人间，找个母亲，然后就在人间生活，以便人们能更好地了解上帝、学习热爱上帝和更好地相互热爱。“圣诞节”的意思是“庆祝基督”，庆祝一个年轻的犹太妇女玛丽娅生下耶稣的时刻。

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