Mistletoe 槲寄生
Hanging mistletoe in the home is an ancient pagan practice adopted by early Christians. The word itself is Anglo-Saxon and the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe originated in England. Each kiss required a berry to be plucked until none remained.
在家中挂槲寄生是早期基督徒奉行的一种古老的异教徒做法。槲寄生的英文单词是古英语，在槲寄生下接吻的传统则源于英格兰。每在槲寄生下接一个吻，就要采一颗莓果，直到树上的莓果都摘光。
Christmas carols 圣诞颂歌
Carols were songs and dances of praise and joy in pagan times and the practice of carol singing carried over into the Christian era. Carols have been written through the centuries but the most familiar date from Victorian times. Today, popular songs such as Bing Crosby’s White Christmas and Slade’s Merry Xmas Everybody are just as much a part of Christmas as carols.
颂歌在异教徒时代是表达赞颂和喜悦的歌舞，唱颂歌的做法一直延续到了基督时代。几个世纪以来人们写了不少颂歌，不过最熟悉的颂歌来自维多利亚时代。今天，平 克劳斯贝的《白色圣诞节》和斯莱德的《祝大家圣诞快乐》这样的流行歌曲也成为了圣诞颂歌。
英文来源：每日电讯报
翻译&编辑：丹妮
