平安夜(Silent Night)，即聖誕前夕(Christmas Eve，12月24日)，在大部分基督教國家是聖誕節節日之一，但現在，由於中西文化的融合，已成為世界性的一個節日。以下是yjbys網小編整理的關於英語文化：平安夜的由來與傳統，供大家閱讀。
簡介：平安夜(Silent Night)，即聖誕前夕(Christmas Eve，12月24日)，在大部分基督教國家是聖誕節節日之一，但現在，由於中西文化的融合，已成為世界性的一個節日。平安夜傳統上是擺設聖誕樹的日子，但隨著聖誕節的慶祝活動提早開始進行，例如美國在感恩節後，不少聖誕樹早在聖誕節前數星期已被擺設。延伸發展至今平安夜不僅是指12月24日晚了，指的是聖誕前夕，特指12月24日全天，但由於一般節日氛圍在晚上容易調動起來，大型活動都集中在晚上，固被稱作平安夜，更加貼切。屆時，千千萬萬的歐美人風塵僕僕地趕回家中團聚。聖誕之夜必不可少的慶祝活動就是聚會。大多數歐美家庭成員團聚在家中，共進豐盛的晚餐，然後圍坐在熊熊燃燒的火爐旁，彈琴唱歌，共敘天倫之樂;或者舉辦一個別開生面的化妝舞會，通宵達旦地慶祝聖誕夜是一個幸福、祥和、狂歡的平安夜、團圓夜。期待著聖誕節的到來，據說聖誕之夜，聖誕老人會悄悄地給孩子們準備禮物放在長筒襪裡。
Christmas Eve is the evening before Christmas Day, the widely celebrated annual holiday. It occurson December 24 in Western Christianity and the secular world, and is considered one of the most culturally significant celebrations in Christendom and Western society, where it is widely observed, by Christians and by many others, as a full or partial holiday in anticipation of Christmas Day.
Christmas celebrations have long begun on the night of the 24, due in part to the Christianliturgical day starting at sunset, a practice inherited from Jewish tradition and based on the story of Creation in the Book of Genesis: "And there was evening, and there was morning – the first day." Many churches still ring their church bells and hold prayers in the evening; for example, the Nordic Lutheran churches. Since tradition holds that Jesus was born at night (based in Luke 2:6-8), Midnight Mass is celebrated on Christmas Eve, traditionally at midnight, in commemoration of his birth. The idea of Jesus being born at night is reflected in the fact that Christmas Eve is referred to as Heilige Nacht (Holy Night) in German, Nochebuena (the Good Night) in Spanish and similarly in other expressions of Christmas spirituality, such as the song "Silent Night, Holy Night".
Many other varying cultural traditions and experiences are also associated with Christmas Eve around the world, including the gathering of family and friends, the singing of Christmas carols, the illumination and enjoyment of Christmas lights, trees, and other decorations, the wrapping and/or opening of gifts, and general preparation for Christmas Day. Legendary Christmas gift-bearing figures including Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Christkind, and Saint Nicholas are also often said to depart for their annual journey to deliver presents to children around the world on Christmas Eve, although until the Protestant introduction of Christkind in 16th-century Europe, such figures were said to instead deliver presents on the eve of Saint Nicholas' feast day (December 6).
重點解析 Key Phrases/Words
1. occur (v.) 發生，出現，存在
2. Western Christianity 西方基督教(拉丁語:Ecclesiae Occidentales)
3. secular (adj. ) 現世的，俗界的;長期的，長久的;不朽的;一世紀一次的
4. Christendom and Western society 基督教和西方社會
5. in anticipation of 期待著…;預計到…
6. due in part to 因為...的原因
7. liturgical (adj.) 正禮拜儀式的
8. Jewish tradition 猶太傳統
9. in commemoration of (adv.) 紀念
10. varying (adj.) 不同的，變化的
11. be associated with 和...聯絡在一起，與...有關
12. illumination (n.) 照明;闡明，解釋清楚;物照度;彩飾，圖案花飾
13. Santa Claus 聖誕老人
14. depart for (v.) 出發去(某地)
15. deliver (v.) 發表;遞送;交付;
16. Protestant (n.) 新教教徒 (adj.) 新教教徒的;新教的
17. Saint Nicholas' feast day 聖尼古拉斯節(每年的`12月6日是歐洲傳統的“聖·尼古拉斯日”(St. Nikolas day)。傳說每年的這一天，尼古拉斯都會給孩子們帶來糖果和小禮物，而他的隨從克拉普斯(Krampus)則會懲罰那些這一年中做了壞事的孩子。)
拓展閱讀：
平安夜英文祝福語
Merry Christmas, my best friend.
祝我的摯友聖誕快樂。
A Christmas greeting to cheer you, my good friend.
希望聖誕祝福給你帶來歡樂，我的好朋友。
Take your passion and make it come true.
發揮你的熱情，讓理想變為現實。
I hope we can spend the holidays together.
希望我們能一起過聖誕節。
To Hong from your good friends at Qingdao University.
送給紅――北大的一群好友。
Best of luck in the year to come.
願你在未來的一年裡，吉星高照。
A merry yuletide!
聖誕快樂!
