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首先祝各位圣诞快乐！！
先去维基百科系统地看看圣诞的故事吧
耶稣基督出生的故事已经流传了多个世纪，主要根据基督教福音书中的马太福音和路加福音而来。马可福音及约翰福音没有着重记载耶稣的童年生活，路加的版本写于其他三本之后，比较详尽的介绍了耶稣早期的生活细节。
路加描述说，玛利亚年幼时收到天使加百利的消息，身为處女的她藉由圣灵受孕。当时罗马皇帝奥古斯都有下旨，叫天下人民各归各城人口普查，于是她和丈夫约瑟离开在加利利的拿撒勒城上犹太去，这是居里扭作叙利亚总督之後，头一次报名上册，途中他们经过约瑟祖先大卫生活的伯利恒城，在伯利恒因为在乡村旅店已经没有空房，他们只好寄宿在旅舍外面，玛利亚在那儿的马厩里生下了耶稣，这里的“马厩”根据圣经版本不同而不同，但通常是一个喂食槽或是个畜栏。基督出生在伯利恒，伯利恒是约瑟祖先大卫王的家，这就实现了以色列的预言。後来耶稣家逃到埃及是为了逃避愤怒的大希律王的追杀，因为希律王听说了在伯利恒出生一个新的犹太王。当希律王死后，新的犹太王继位，他并不认识耶稣和他的父母，因此耶稣的生命就没有了威胁，这样耶稣和家人返回了以色列，他们定居在拿撒勒。
同时与基督降生的故事从福音书里传向大众的还包括东方博士（Magi，古波斯祭司）参拜的故事，以及耶稣出生时天使向附近的牧羊人报喜的记录。幾位博士，看见伯利恒方向的天空上有一颗大星，于是便跟着它来到了耶稣基督的出生地。由于他们向当时的希率王打听新的犹太国王，才导致马太福音中耶稣一家的逃难经历。根据圣经版本的不同，东方博士也作“祭司”、“王”或“贤者”；他们可能来自阿拉伯半岛，因为他们献给耶稣的礼物里包括“黄金、乳香和没药”。多年以来，天文学家和历史学家给出了一堆相互矛盾的天文事件的组合以解释这一以前从未看到过的巨星。1
耶稣具体的出生时间已被认定为九月份与十月份之间。现在所庆祝的圣诞节（12月25日）来源于公元后400余年，当基督教成为罗马王国的国教后，为了将当时大众所庆祝的太阳之节（12月25日）与新的国教结合起来，之所以把耶稣的出生日定为现在圣诞节的日期。历史上耶稣的存在是历史学家们公认的（请参考有关调查），但耶稣的神性却一直在辩论中。基督徒们相信耶稣同时是百分之百的人与百分之百的神，某些其它宗教相信耶稣是神的先知，或者是一位伟大的教师。
大英百科对于圣诞节的解释简明扼要：
圣诞节 [Christmas]
民俗与节日, 宗教
基督教节日，定在12月25日，纪念耶稣的诞生。公元336年在罗马就有庆祝活动，定在12月25日极可能与庆祝冬至日和正义之神密特拉神的生日有关。寻欢取乐、互相馈赠礼物的习俗源自12月17日的农神节。古罗马人在新年(1月1日)用青枝绿叶和灯火装饰房屋，并向儿童和穷人赠送礼物。日耳曼人和凯尔特人带来了燃烧大块柴木、品尝糕饼、陈放枞树等礼俗。圣诞节现在已被视为家人团聚的节日，因圣诞老人(参阅圣尼古拉[Nicholas, Saint])给儿童带来礼物之故。圣诞节逐渐发展为世俗节日，许多非基督徒也加入到庆祝的行列。
牛津英语大辞典学术性地介绍了圣诞节的渊源：
Christmas
Christmas, v. colloq.('krɪsməs)[f. prec. n.]
Used in several trivial senses:
†a. trans. (nonce-use.) To provide with Christmas cheer (obs.).
b. trans. To adorn with Christmas decorations.
c. intr. To celebrate Christmas. Hence Christmasing vbl. n.
1594 Chapman Hymn. in Noct. (N.), When loves are Christmast with all pleasure's sorts.
1806 Southey Lett. (1856) I. 351 While you have been Christmassing in the country.
1829 E. Jesse Jrnl. Naturalist 364 ‘Christmassing,’ as we call it, the decorating our churches, houses, and market meats with evergreens, is yet retained among us.
1851 Mayhew Lond. Labour I. 141 In London a large trade is carried on in ‘Christmasing,’ or in the sale of holly and mistletoe, for Christmas sports and decorations.
Ibid. Properly to Christmas St. Paul's would take 50l. worth at least.
1883 Harper's Mag. Jan. 240/1 A pair of‥dolls, which were to constitute the central pivot of her Christmasings.
1884 Daily News 16 Feb. 5/3 Two policemen who had too obviously been ‘Christmassing.’
x
Christmas, n.('krɪsməs)Forms: 2 Cristes m鎠se, 4 cristesmesse, cristmasse, kryst-masse, 4-5 cristemes(e, cristemasse, crystmas(se, 5 cristmes, cristmas, crysmas, 6 cristimas, 6-7 Christmasse, 7-8 Christmass, 6- Christmas, (north. dial. 8 Kesmas, 9 Cursmas, Cursmis).[Late OE. Cristes m鎠se the mass or festival of Christ. See also the by-form Christenmas.]
1. a. The festival of the nativity of Christ, kept on the 25th of December. Usually extended more or less vaguely to the season immediately preceding and following this day, commonly observed as a time of festivity and rejoicing.
a1123 OE. Chron. an. 1101 Her on ?sum ?eare to X?es. m鎠san heold se cyng Heanri? his hired on Westmynstre.
a1134 Ibid. an. 1127 衖s ?ear heald se kyng Heanri his hird 鎡 Cristes m鎠se on Windlesoure.
1340 Ayenb. 213 Ine zuyche festes ase at cristesmesse.
c1340 Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 471 Wel by-commes such craft vpon cristmasse.
c1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon iii. 83 At crystmasse and at ester, men ought to go vysit and see his good frende.
1489 Plumpton Corr. (1839) Introd. 114 The King‥beganne Crysmas at Westmynster.
1495 Act 2 Hen. VII, c. 2 §5 Noon apprentice‥[shall] pley‥at the Tenys‥in no wise out of Cristmas.
1568 Grafton Chron. II. 54 He went to Windsore, where he‥kept his Christmas.
1605 Camden Rem. Proverbs, Christmasse cometh but once a yeare.
1635 Swan Spec. M. (1670) 124 They also say, that a hot Christmas makes a fat churchyard.
1712 Steele Spect. No. 509 ?3 The Beadles and Officers have the Impudence at Christmas to ask for their Box.
1748 H. Walpole Lett., H. Mann 26 Dec., Here am I come down to what you call Keep my Christmas.
1820 W. Irving Sketch Bk. 189 (Hoppe) Revelry was permitted‥through the twelve days of Christmas.
†b. transf. to any similar festivity or revelry.
1697 W. Dampier Voy. (1698) I. iii. 56 Privateers, who resort hither in the aforesaid months [May-Aug] purposely to keep a Christmas as they call it.
c. As int. or expletive. Also with supporting word, as Jiminy Christmas!
1897 Kipling Capt. Cour. iv. 91 Jiminy Christmas! That gives me the blue creevles.
1898 xxff3— Day's Work 217 I've bin down to Track 17, and the freight there—oh, Christmas!
1930 xxff3‘E. Queen’ French Powder Myst. xxxvi. 276 Christmas!‥ How stupid I've been!
1959 N. Marsh False Scent (1960) vi. 192 ‘All right with you, Bertie?’ ‘Oh, Christmas!’ he said. ‘I suppose so.’
2. dial. and nursery lang. Holly and other evergreens used for decorations at Christmas.
a1825 Forby Christmas, the evergreens with which our churches and houses are still decorated at the season of Christmas.
1878 Britten & Holland Eng. Plant-n. Christmas. Ilex Aquifolium. Camb.; Ches. (but only so called when used for Christmas decorations); Hants; Wight; Norf.; Suff.; Suss.
1884 Cheshire Gloss. (E.D.S.) Christmas, evergreens used in Christmas decorations; often Kismus. [So in most dialect glossaries.]
3. attrib. and Comb., as Christmas brand, carol (see carol n. 3b), dinner, game, -hamper, -keeper, morning, night, party, time, etc., etc.
a1500 Songs & Carols 15th C. (1847) 22 (M鋞z.) Yt sprong up on cristmes nyȝt.
a1553 Udall Royster D. iv. ii. (Arb.) 60 I shrew their best Christmasse chekes both togetherward.
1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. Dec. 26 To‥gather nuttes to make me Christmas game.
1588 Shakes. L.L.L. v. ii. 462 Like a Christmas Comedie.
1591 Greene Maiden's Dreame xxxiii, He kept no Christmas-house for once a year.
1596 Shakes. Tam. Shr. Intr. ii. 141 A Christmas gambold, or a tumbling tricke.
1602 2nd Pt. Return fr. Parnass. Prol. (Arb.) 4 Its a Christmas toy indeede.
1632 Lithgow Trav. x. (1682) 475 The best, and most bountiful Christmas-keepers‥that ever I saw in the Christian World.
1636 Prynne Unbish. Tim. Ep. (1661) 25 Playing the part of a Bishop, as a Christmas game-player doth of a King.
1648 Herrick Hesper., Candlem. Day, Kindle the Christmas brand, and then Till sunset let it burn.
1721 R. Palmer Let. 15 Apr. in M. M. Verney Verney Lett. (1930) II. xxiv. 86 In the Christmas, Easter, and Whitsun holidays, our penny post comes but once a day.
1799 Southey Sonn. xv, Watching the children at their Christmas mirth.
a1817 Jane Austen Persuasion (1818) ii. ii. 34, I hope I shall remember in future‥not to call at Uppercross in the Christmas holidays.
1824 B. Hall Jrnl. 31 Dec. in Lockhart Scott, Your Christmas and New Year's parties seem generally dull.
1824 Miss Mitford Village i. (1863) 217 The Christmas-dinner visits of a gay‥neighbourhood.
1826 in Hone Every Day Bk. II. 187 These Christmas bills, these Christmas bills.
1835 J. S. Mill in Examiner 4 Jan. 4/2 They form one of the most agreeable of Christmas presents to a lover of music.
1837 Dickens Pickw. xxviii, How many‥dormant sympathies, does Christmas time awaken!
Ibid. xxx, As he took his seat at the breakfast table on Christmas morning.
1842 Tennyson Morte d'Arthur 305, I‥heard‥The clear church-bells ring in the Christmas morn.
1848 A. Somerville Autobiogr. Working Man ix. 108 The Christmas pantomime‥that season [sc. 1828]‥was Mother Goose.
1850 Tennyson In Mem. xxviii. iii, The Christmas bells‥Answer each other.
Ibid. xxx. ii, Did we weave‥The holly round the Christmas hearth.
1859 M. Lemon (title), A Christmas Hamper.
1890 G. B. Shaw London Music (1937) 289 Passing Her Majesty's Theatre, I saw by the placards that a Christmas pantomime was going on inside.
1893 Ladies' Home Jrnl. Dec. 17/1 My Christmas shopping.
1932 R. Lehmann Invit. Waltz i. viii. 87, I always think with Christmas shopping it's best to get it done in good time.
1934 Discovery Dec. 362/1 In considering what books are suitable as Christmas presents for our friends, it is worth while remembering that many of the younger generation can do with something better than Auntie Omega's Yuletide Annual.
1936 Ibid. Feb. 35/1 The title to fathership of the Imperial family, which the King‥had accepted in one of his Christmas broadcasts.
1965 xxff3‘P. Nichols’ Patchwork of Death (1967) iv. 19 There was the Christmas rush beginning.
4. Special combs. Christmas book, †(a) ‘a book in which people were accustomed to keep an account of the Christmas presents they received’ (Nares); (b) a book published at Christmas, and intended to be in some respect suitable to the season; Christmas bush, (a) any of various Australian shrubs, esp. Ceratopetalum gummiferum of N.S. Wales, used in Christmas decorations; (b) a Bermuda shrub, Cassia bicapsularis, used for hedges; Christmas candle, a large candle formerly burnt at Christmas (see Brand Pop. Antiq. (1870) I. 253); Christmas-card, an ornamental card sent by way of Christmas greeting; (the custom began in England about 1867); also used attrib., esp. = chocolate-boxy (chocolate 5); Christmas daisy, the late flowering Aster grandiflorus; Christmas-day, the 25th of December; Christmas-eve, the evening before Christmas-day; Christmas fern, a N. American evergreen fern; Christmas flower, (a) the Christmas Rose, Helleborus niger; (b) the Winter Aconite, Eranthis hyemalis (Britten & Holland); †Christmas herb (Lyte), the Christmas Rose; †Christmas King = Christmas Lord; †Christmas-log, a large clump of wood customarily burnt at Christmas, a yule-log; †Christmas Lord, the ‘Lord of Misrule’, formerly elected to lead the revels about Christmas-time; Christmas number, the part of a serial publication issued at Christmas; Christmas-pie, a pie eaten at Christmas, esp. a mince-pie; Christmas-pride, the plant Ruellia paniculata of Jamaica; †Christmas Prince = Christmas Lord; Christmas-pudding, the plum-pudding at the Christmas dinner; Christmas-rose, a species of Hellebore (Helleborus niger) with large white flowers, commonly cultivated in gardens, in bloom from December to February; Christmas shield-fern U.S. = Christmas fern; Christmas-tide, the season of Christmas, Christmas-time. See also Christmas-box, tree.
1602 2nd Pt. Return fr. Parnass. v. ii. (Arb.) 65 Looke in my *Christmas booke who brought me a present.
1875 Ruskin Fors Clav. V. 77 As I was looking over Christmas Books of last year.
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1884 A. Nilson Timber Trees N.S.W. 135 *Christmas bush, Ceratopetalum gummiferum.
1888 Mrs. McCann Poet. Wks. 226 Gorgeous tints adorn The Christmas bush with a crimson blush.
1964 Mod. Encycl. Austral. & N.Z. 241/1 Christmas bush.‥ Beautiful small tree or bush with graceful green foliage.
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1625 J. Collinges Caveat for Prof. xxvii. (1653) 112 Like our *Christmas candles.
1703 Country Farmers' Catech. in Brand Pop. Antiq. (1870) I. 287 My daughter don't look with sickly pale looks, like an unlit Chritmas Candle.
1712 J. James Gardening 168 It looks like an Apple-Tree or like a Christmas-Candlestick twisted into several Branches.
1820 W. Irving Sketch Bk., Christmas Eve, Beside the accustomed lights, two great wax tapers, called Christmas candles‥were placed on a highly polished buffet.
1846 Dickens Pictures from Italy 181 Little tapers, like what are called Christmas candles in England.
1940 L. Macneice Last Ditch 21 Your long ear～rings twisted like Christmas candles.
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1883 Ruskin Fors Clav. VIII. 219 There is a *Christmas card, with a picture of English ‘nativity’ for you.
1895 G. B. Shaw Our Theatres in Nineties (1932) I. 203 Christmas-card verse of the ‘rose by any other name’ order.
1907 xxff3— Major Barbara i. 209 Your Christmas card moralities‥are of no use to me.
1910 Westm. Gaz. 3 Jan. 4/2 The New Year's card, that refuge of the laggard Christmas-card sender.
1962 J. B. Priestley Margin Released iii. iv. 183 A sort of Christmas-card past.
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1828 Loudon Encycl. Plants s.v. Aster, A very numerous genus of plants commonly called in England, *Christmas Daisies.
1866 Treas. Bot. s.v. Aster, From their time of flowering Asters are often called Michaelmas Daisies and Christmas Daisies.
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138. Wyclif Sel. Wks. II. 236 On *Cristemasse day.
1568 Grafton Chron. II. 470 King Henry‥did in the honour of Christes birth on Christmas day refreshe all the pore people with victuall.
1655 Evelyn Diary 25 Dec. There was no more notice taken of Christmas day in churches.
1872 Mrs. Alexander Wooin' o't xxv, Christmas Day was all that Christmas Day should be —clear, crisp, bright.
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c1340 Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 734 辵s‥Bi contray caryez ?s knyȝt, til *kryst-masse euen.
138. Wyclif Sel. Wks. I. 311 (title), 辤s is ? gospel ?t is rad on Cristemasse Evyn.
a1613 Overbury Characters, Franklin, The wakefull ketches on Christmas Eve.
1850 Tennyson In Mem. xxx. iv, Sadly fell our Christmas-eve.
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1878 J. Williamson Ferns of Kentucky 99 (heading) Aspidium acrostichoides‥Winter Fern—*Christmas Fern.
1880 J. Robinson Flora Essex Co., Mass. 135 Aspidium acrostichoides, Sw. (Christmas fern.) Rocky woods, Common.
1889 Cent. Dict., Christmas fern, Aspidium acrostichoides, a fern having simply pinnate fronds of firm texture, which remain green through the winter.
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1629 Parkinson Parad. lxxxi. 344 The true blacke Hellebor, or *Christmas flower.
1889 xxff3‘C. E. Craddock’ Broomsedge Cove xix, He stopped to pick a spray of the lilac ‘Christmas flower’.
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1537 in Brand Pop. Antiq. I. 279 In a letter of 1537 the Curate of St. Margaret's, Lothbury‥says, that the people made no more of God than if he had been ‘a *Christmas King.’
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1648 Herrick Hesper., Cerem. Christm., Bring‥the *Christmas Log to the firing.
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c1565 Churchyard Lament. Freyndshypp in Brand Pop. Antiq. I. 279 Jestes and boordes, That *Christmas Lordes were wonte to speke.
1691 Wood Ath. Oxon. in ibid. I. 273 In Merton College‥the Fellows annually elected, about St. Edmund's Day, in November, a Christmas Lord, or Lord of Misrule.
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1857 C. M. Yonge Dynevor Terrace I. xv. 252 What Quarterly was it? Surely the *Christmas number was not out.
1908 Westm. Gaz. 29 Dec. 2/3 The imagination of Christmas-number artists.
1928 Granta 30 Nov., I reckon if forty or so Christmas numbers of the Granta haven't said all there is in the way of little bits about Christmas, it's not for me to start digging skeletons out of the cupboard.
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1643 Plain English 25 As easie to win a Towne‥as to make a breach in the wals of a *Christmas Pie.
1661 Relig. Hypocr. Presbyt. in Brand Pop. Antiq. I. 294 Three Christmass or Minc'd Pies.
1689 Selden Table T. (Arb.) 33 The coffin of our Christmas Pies in shape long, is in imitation of the cratch.
?1725 H. Carey Namby Pamby Jacky Horner Sitting in the Chimney-Corner, Eating of a Christmas-Pie.
1747 H. Glasse Cookery viii, A Yorkshire Christmas-Pye.
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1756 P. Browne Jamaica 267 *Christmas Pride. This plant‥generally blows in the months of December and January.
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1598 Gilpin Skialeth. in Brand Pop. Antiq. I. 279 A player to a *Christmas prince.
1691 Wood Ath. Oxon. ibid. I. 273 The Christmas Prince of St. John's College [Oxford], whom the Juniors have annually‥elected.
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1858 Trollope Dr. Thorne xxi, Doomed to eat his *Christmas pudding alone.
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1688 R. Holme Armoury ii. 104/1 Hellebor, or Christmas Flower‥some call‥the *Christmas or New-Years Rose.
1852 D. Moir Poems, Birth Flowers xv, The Christmas rose Shall blossom, though it be 'mid snows.
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1878 J. Williamson Ferns of Kentucky 98 Pl. 36, Aspidium acrostichoides‥*Christmas Shield-Fern.
1884 W. Miller Plant-n. 164 Aspidium acrostichoides, Christmas Shield-Fern, of N. America.
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1626 Roper Life More 3 in Brand Pop. Antiq. I. 274 [Sir Thomas More]‥would‥at *Christmas tyd sodenly sometymes stepp in among the Players.
1866 G. Macdonald Ann. Q. Neighb. xii. (1878) 233 After this Christmas-tide, I found myself in closer relationship to my parishioners. |
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发表于 2008-12-25 22:05:04
