圣诞节的来源 十大圣诞传统及其起源

　　为什么外国人过圣诞节都要吃火鸡、布丁、肉馅饼，玩圣诞拉炮，寄圣诞贺卡，挂起长筒袜，唱圣诞颂歌呢？一起了解下这些圣诞传统的起源。

　　Discover the fascinating stories behind these festive traditions, from Christmas food and carols to greetings cards and crackers.

　　从圣诞美食、圣诞颂歌到圣诞贺卡、圣诞拉炮，在圣诞节的传统节目背后都有什么有趣的故事呢？

　　Christmas cards 圣诞贺卡

　　Having helped set up the Public Records Office (now the Post Office), Sir Henry Cole and artist John Horsley created the first Christmas card in 1843 as a way of encouraging people to use its services.

　　在帮助创建了邮局之后，1843年亨利 柯尔爵士和艺术家约翰 霍斯利一起制作了世界上第一张圣诞贺卡，鼓励人们使用邮政服务。

　　Cards cost a shilling (equivalent to almost ￡5.75 now) and stamps a penny (about 40p at modern prices). Advances in printing brought prices down, making cards hugely popular by the 1860s. By 1900 the custom of sending Christmas cards had spread throughout Europe.

　　当时一张圣诞贺卡价格是一先令，一张邮票价格是一便士。印刷术的进步让贺卡和邮票价格降了下来，使得圣诞贺卡在19世纪60年代曾盛行一时。到了20世纪，寄圣诞贺卡的风俗已在欧洲流传开来。

　　The Christmas tree 圣诞树

　　While Christmas trees have been around for a millennium in northern Europe, the first one did not appear in the UK until the 1830s. When Prince Albert put up a Christmas tree at Windsor Castle in 1841, he started what became an evergreen trend.

　　虽然早在千年之前北欧国家就有圣诞树了，但是直到19世纪30年代，第一棵圣诞树才开始在英国出现。1841年，阿尔伯特亲王在温莎堡置办了第一棵圣诞树，从那以后圣诞树就成为了长盛不衰的圣诞传统。