外研新標準-必修五-Module 4 Carnival 全國優(yōu)質課一等獎

TheBriefHistoryofChristmas

FromtheOldEnglish'ChristMcesse'~meaningthe'massofChrist'~thestoryofChristmasbeginswiththebirthofababyinBethlehem.ItisbelievedthatChristwasbornonthe25th,althoughtheexactmonthisunknown.Itwasin350A.D.,thatDecember25wasdeclaredtheofficialdateforcelebratingChristmasbyPopeJuliusI.

MembersofthepaganorderhavealwayscelebratedtheWinterSolstice...theseasonoftheyearwhendaysareshortestandnightslongest.Itwasgenerallybelievedtobeatimeofdrunkenness,revelryanddebauchery.ThepaganRomanscalledthiscelebrationSaturnalia,inhonoroftheirgodSaturn.ThefestivitiesbeganinthemiddleofDecemberandcontinueduntilJanuary1st.OnDecember25th,"TheBirthoftheUnconquerableSun"wascelebrated,asthedaysgraduallylengthenedandtheSunbegantoregainitsdominance.ItisageneralpaganbeliefthattheSundiesduringtheWinterSolsticeandthenrisesfromthedead.Withcriesof"JoSaturnalia!",theRomancelebrationwouldincludemasqueradesinthestreets,magnificentfestivebanquets,thevisitingoffriendsandtheexchangeofgood-luckgiftsknownasStrenae...or"luckyfruits."Romanhallswouldbedeckedwithgarlandsoflaurelandgreentrees,adornedwithlightedcandles.Again,aswithSacaea,themastersandslaveswouldexchangeplaces.

SaturnaliawasconsideredafunandfestivetimefortheRomans,butChristiansbelieveditanabominationtohonorsuchapagangod.TheearlyconvertswantedtomaintainthebirthdayoftheirChristChildasasolemnandreligiousholiday...notoneofcheerandmerriment,aswasthepagancelebrationofSaturnalia.

AsChristianityspread,however,theChurchbecamealarmedbythecontinuingpracticeamongitsflocktoindulgeinpagancustomsandcelebratethefestivalofSaturnalia.Atfirst,theholymenprohibitedthistypeofrevelry,butitwastonoavail.Eventually,adecisionwasmadetotamesuchcelebrationsandmakethemintoafestiveoccasionbettersuitedtohonorChrist.

Accordingtosomelegends,thecelebrationofChristmaswasinventedtocompeteagainstthepaganfestivalsheldinDecember.The25thwassacrednotonlytotheRomans,butalsotothePersianswhosereligionofMithraismwasoneofChristianity'smainrivalsatthatperiodintime.TheChurchwas,however,finallysuccessfulinremovingthemerriment,lightsandgiftsfromtheSaturaniliafestivalandtransferringthemtothecelebrationofaChristianChristmas.

PriortotheAmericanCivilWar,theNorthandSouthweredividedontheissueofChristmas.ManyNorthernersconsidereditsinfultocelebrateChristmassinceThanksgivingwasamuchmoreappropriateholiday.IntheSouth,however,Christmasplayedanimportantroleinthesocialseason.Perhapsnotsurprisingly,thefirstthreeAmericanStatestodeclareChristmasalegalholidaywerelocatedintheSouth:Alabamain1836;andLouisianaandArkansas,bothin1838.

IntheyearsfollowingtheCivilWar,Christmastraditionsbegantofilteracrossthecountry.Children'sbooksplayedavitalroleinspreadingthecustomsofChristmascelebrations,particularlythetraditionoftrimmedtreesandgiftsdeliveredbySantaClaus.SundaySchoolClassesencouragedparticipationinsuchcelebrations.Theemergenceofwomen'smagazinesalsoplayedanimportantpartinpromotingthefestivalofChristmas,bysuggestingvariouswaystodecoratefortheholidays,aswellassupplyinginstructionsonhowtomakesuchdecorations.

ThecolorsmostoftenassociatedwithChristmasdecoratingaregreen,red,white,blue,silverandgold.Thesecolorshavebeenusedforcenturiesand,aswithmosttraditions,thereasonmaybetracedtoreligiousbeliefs.Inthisinstance,greenrepresentseverlastinglife,redrepres