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圣诞节的英文介绍,
要做一个关于圣诞节的演讲,请各位帮忙提供关于圣诞节任何事情的英文介绍!

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圣诞节的传说：童贞女受孕上帝之子
Christmas Day-December 25-which celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, the founder of the Christian religion, is the biggest and best-loved holiday in the Christian World.
According to the Bible, the holy book of Christians, God decided to allow his only son, Jesus Christ, to be born to a human mother and live on earth so that people could understand God better and learn to love God and each other more. "Christmas"- meaning "celebration of Christ "- honors the time when Jesus was born to a young Jewish woman Mary.
Mary was engaged to be married to Joseph, a carpenter, but before they came together, she was found to be with child. Because Joseph, her husband, was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
Although the exact date of the birth of Jesus nearly 2,000 years ago is not known, the calendar on the supposed date divides all time into B.C. (Before Christ )and A.D. ( a Latin phrase, Anno Domini, "in the year of our Lord.") For the first 300 years, Jesus' birthday was celebrated on different dates. Finally, in the year 354, church leaders chose December 25 as his birthday.
参考译文（来自互联网）
12月25日的圣诞节是庆祝基督教创始人耶稣基督生日的日子,是基督教世界最大的、人们最喜爱的节日.
据基督教徒的圣书《圣经》说,上帝决定让他的独生子耶稣基督投生人间,找个母亲,然后就在人间生活,以便人们能更好地了解上帝、学习热爱上帝和更好地相互热爱.“圣诞节”的意思是“庆祝基督”,庆祝一个年轻的犹太妇女玛丽娅生下耶稣的时刻.
玛丽娅已和木匠约瑟夫订婚.可是,在他们同居之前,约瑟夫发现玛丽娅已怀孕.因为约瑟夫是个正派的人,又不想把这件事说出去让她丢脸,所以他想悄悄地和她分手.
他正在考虑这事时,上帝的天使出现在他的梦中,对他说,“不要嘀咕了,把玛丽娅娶回家.她怀的孩子来自圣灵.她将生下个男孩子,你们给孩子起名叫耶稣,因为他将从罪恶中拯救人们.”
尽管耶稣的确切生日并不清楚,大约是在2000年前,但是日历按着假定日期把时间分为公元前（耶稣基督诞生前）和公元后（A.D. 是拉丁文缩写,意思是“有了我们主--耶稣的年代”）.在公元后的头三百年间,耶稣的生日是在不同的日子庆祝的.最后,在公元354年,教堂的领导人把12月25日定为耶稣基督的生日.
The History of Christmas
The history of Christmas dates back over 4000 years. Many of our Christmas traditions were celebrated centuries before the Christ child was born. The 12 days of Christmas, the bright fires, the yule log, the giving of gifts, carnivals(parades) with floats, carolers who sing while going from house to house, the holiday feasts, and the church processions can all be traced back to the early Mesopotamians.
Many of these traditions began with the Mesopotamian celebration of New Years. The Mesopotamians believed in many gods, and as their chief god - Marduk. Each year as winter arrived it was believed that Marduk would do battle with the monsters of chaos. To assist Marduk in his struggle the Mesopotamians held a festival for the New Year. This was Zagmuk, the New Year's festival that lasted for 12 days.
The Mesopotamian king would return to the temple of Marduk and swear his faithfulness to the god. The traditions called for the king to die at the end of the year and to return with Marduk to battle at his side.
To spare their king, the Mesopotamians used the idea of a "mock" king. A criminal was chosen and dressed in royal clothes. He was given all the respect and privileges of a real king. At the end of the celebration the "mock" king was stripped of the royal clothes and slain, sparing the life of the real king.
The Persians and the Babylonians celebrated a similar festival called the Sacaea. Part of that celebration included the exchanging of places, the slaves would become the masters and the masters were to obey.
Early Europeans believed in evil spirits, witches, ghosts and trolls. As the Winter Solstice approached, with its long cold nights and short days, many people feared the sun would not return. Special rituals and celebrations were held to welcome back the sun.
In Scandinavia during the winter months the sun would disappear for many days. After thirty-five days scouts would be sent to the mountain tops to look for the return of the sun. When the first light was seen the scouts would return with the good news. A great festival would be held, called the Yuletide, and a special feast would be served around a fire burning with the Yule log. Great bonfires would also be lit to celebrate the return of the sun. In some areas people would tie apples to branches of trees to remind themselves that spring and summer would return.
The ancient Greeks held a festival similar to that of the Zagmuk/Sacaea festivals to assist their god Kronos who would battle the god Zeus and his Titans.
The Roman's celebrated their god Saturn. Their festival was called Saturnalia which began the middle of December and ended January 1st. With cries of "Jo Saturnalia!" the celebration would include masquerades in the streets, big festive meals, visiting friends, and the exchange of good-luck gifts called Strenae (lucky fruits).
The Romans decked their halls with garlands of laurel and green trees lit with candles. Again the masters and slaves would exchange places.
"Jo Saturnalia!" was a fun and festive time for the Romans, but the Christians though it an abomination to honor the pagan god. The early Christians wanted to keep the birthday of their Christ child a solemn and religious holiday, not one of cheer and merriment as was the pagan Saturnalia.
But as Christianity spread they were alarmed by the continuing celebration of pagan customs and Saturnalia among their converts. At first the Church forbid this kind of celebration. But it was to no avail. Eventually it was decided that the celebration would be tamed and made into a celebration fit for the Christian Son of God.
Some legends claim that the Christian "Christmas" celebration was invented to compete against the pagan celebrations of December. The 25th was not only sacred to the Romans but also the Persians whose religion Mithraism was one of Christianity's main rivals at that time. The Church eventually was successful in taking the merriment, lights, and gifts from the Saturanilia festival and bringing them to the celebration of Christmas.
The exact day of the Christ child's birth has never been pinpointed. Traditions say that it has been celebrated since the year 98 AD. In 137 AD the Bishop of Rome ordered the birthday of the Christ Child celebrated as a solemn feast. In 350 AD another Bishop of Rome, Julius I, choose December 25th as the observance of Christmas.
参考：
圣诞节来历：
每年12月25日是全世界大多数基督徒纪念耶稣诞生的日子.
教会开始并无圣诞节,约在耶稣升天后百余年内才有.据说：第一个圣诞节是在公元138年,由罗马主教圣克里门倡议举行.而教会史载第一个圣诞节则在公元336年.由于圣经未明记耶稣生于何时,故各地圣诞节日期各异.直到公元440年,才由罗马教廷定12月25日为圣诞节.公元1607年,世界各地教会领袖在伯利恒聚会,进一步予以确定,从此世界大多数的基督徒均以12月25日为圣诞节.其实哪一天并不要紧,重要的是应该知道它是为纪念救主耶稣降生.
由于圣经记载耶稣生于夜间,故传统称12月24日夜为"圣诞夜"或"平安夜".
耶稣的降生,有旧约先知预言："必有童女怀孕生子,给他起名叫以马内利（意思为'上帝与我们同在'）."（以赛亚书7章14节,圣经下同）
耶稣降生时,有天使报信："不要惧怕,我给你们大喜的信息,是关乎万民的；因今天在大卫的城里,为你们生了救主,就是主基督.你们要看见一个婴孩,包着布,卧在马槽里,那就是记号了."（路加福音2章10-12节）
耶稣降生时,有博士朝拜,"他们看见那星就大大地欢喜.进了房子,看见小孩子和他母亲马利亚,就俯伏拜那小孩子,揭开宝盒,手拿黄金、乳香、没药为礼物献给他."（马太福音2章10-11节）
耶稣,意指"上帝拯救",因为圣经说："世人都犯了罪,亏缺了上帝的荣耀."（罗马书3章23节）罪使人离开生命的源头,宇宙万物的主宰.罪使人失去公义、仁爱,变得自私、骄傲、贪婪、邪恶.罪破坏人与上帝、人与人之间和睦的关系,使人活在无可奈何的痛苦之中.罪使人将来要面对永远的刑罚和痛苦,"人人都有一死,死后且有审判."（希伯来书9章27节）因为上帝是圣洁、公义的!
但是,上帝又是慈爱的主,他赐给世人自己的独生子--耶稣基督,成为人的样式（就是圣诞）,作我们的救赎主,他要将自己的百姓从罪恶里救出来.（马太福音1章21节）他代替了我们的软弱,担当了我们的罪的刑罚."上帝使我们众人的罪孽都归到他身上",（以赛亚书53章6节）为我们的罪钉死在十字架上.
今天,只要你悔改自己的罪,相信他,接受他做你个人的救主,你的罪就被赦免了,你与上帝就恢复了那起初和睦的关系,你就得了永远的生命.今天你接受耶稣在你的心里,今天就是你的圣诞节,愿上帝今年赐给你一个特别的圣诞节!
各国圣诞节习俗：
法国法国中部的色日尔斯地方,每年圣诞节前后几天必降大雪,白雪皑皑,令人清新.在西方人眼里,白色圣诞是一种吉祥.在法国,马槽是最富有特色的圣诞标志,因为相传耶稣是诞生在马槽旁的.人们大唱颂赞耶稣的圣诞歌之后,必须开怀畅饮,香槟和白兰地是法国传统的圣诞美酒.
芬兰芬兰在12月圣诞节前后,漫山遍野都是怒放的紫罗兰,掩映在白色的大地上,望去一片紫红色,紫色圣诞使人心旷神怡.
英国和德国英国人和德国人一样,圣诞节喝啤酒,吃烤鹅,他们更喜欢利用圣诞节假日外出旅游.
美国美国人过圣诞节着重家庭布置,安置圣诞树,在袜子中塞满礼物,吃以火鸡为主的圣诞大菜,举行家庭舞会.
瑞士瑞士人在圣诞节前4个星期,就将4支巨型的蜡烛点燃,放在由树枝装饰成的一个环里,每周点1支,当点燃第4支后,圣诞节就到了.
丹麦丹麦人对不合意的圣诞礼物,可去商店兑换价格相似的其他商品.
澳大利亚澳大利亚是南半球的国家之一.12月底,正当西欧各国在寒风呼啸中欢度圣诞节时,澳大利亚正是热不可耐的仲夏时节.因此在澳大利亚过圣诞节,到处可以看见光着上身汗水涔涔的小伙子和穿超短裙的姑娘,与商店橱窗里精心布置的冬日雪景、挂满雪花的圣诞树和穿红棉袄的圣诞老人,构成澳大利亚特有的节日图景.这种酷暑和严冬景象的强烈对比,恐怕在西方国家是独一无二的.父母给子女最好的圣诞礼物,莫过于一副小水划.圣诞节弄潮是澳大利亚的一大特征.节日晚上,带着饮料到森林里举行“巴别居”野餐.人们用石头垒的露天灶中用枯树枝生火、上面架一块铁板,把香肠、牛肉、鲜鱼等放上去煎.吃饱喝足后,就跳起“迪斯科”或“袋鼠舞”,一直闹到深夜才结束.喝醉了的,便往草地上一躺,在如雷的鼾声中迎接圣诞老人的莅临.
波兰在波兰每年12月25日、26日举行,家家户户都要装饰圣诞树,大街小巷都有圣诞树上的装饰品出卖.节日里亲友之间相互祝贺,互赠礼品,表示友好.晚间吃饭时桌布下边要放一些草,以示耶稣的降生.晚饭很丰富,但不能吃肉.夜间12时后,全家去教堂礼拜.圣诞节期间,一般不到别人家中做客,但主人盛情邀请者例外.
保加利亚据保加利亚的历法,圣诞节是灵魂出没、妖邪猖狂的日子.因此,人们要借助火来驱妖镇邪.圣诞节前夜,家家都燃起火堆,一直燃到天亮,不得熄灭,否则会招来横祸.由男人取圣诞木点火进屋并高声念道：“圣诞节降临,牛、羊、猪、马长满圈,麦苗出满垅,人人走好运.”在屋里等候的人则齐声回答：“阿门!”

Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual Christian and secular[1] holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus, along with themes such as family, goodwill, giving and compassion. It incorporates Christia...

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Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual Christian and secular[1] holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus, along with themes such as family, goodwill, giving and compassion. It incorporates Christian religious ceremonies with the traditions of ancient winter festivals such as Yule[2] and Saturnalia. Christmas traditions include Nativity scenes, the exchange of gifts, the arrival of Santa Claus, Christmas cards and decorations and the display of Christmas trees.
Christmas is traditionally celebrated on December 25 which is the observed date of Jesus’ birth, as well as the historic dates of the Roman festival of Sol Invictus and the Winter solistice. It is preceded by Christmas Eve and in some countries is followed by Boxing Day. Eastern Orthodox Churches celebrate Christmas on January 7, which corresponds to December 25 of the Julian calendar. These dates are merely traditional; the precise chronology of Jesus' birth and death is still debated.
Christmas is celebrated in most countries around the world, owing to the spread of Christianity and Western culture, mixed with the enduring popularity of exisiting winter celebrations. Various local and regional Christmas traditions are still practiced, despite the widespread influence of American and British Christmas motifs disseminated by film, popular literature, television, and other media.
History
Pre-Christian origins of holiday
Christmas has its origins in several pagan holidays. The celebration known as Saturnalia included the making and giving of small presents (saturnalia et sigillaricia). This holiday was observed over a series of days beginning on December 17 (the birthday of Saturn) and ending on December 25 (the birthday of Sol Invictus, the "unconquered sun"). The combined festivals resulted in an extended winter holiday season. Business was postponed and even slaves feasted. There was drinking, gambling, and singing, and nudity was relatively common. It was the "best of days," according to the poet Catullus.[4]
During the time in which Christianity was spreading throughout the Roman Empire, another similar religion known as Mithraism was also gaining widespread acceptance. The followers of Mithraism worshipped Mithras, a god of Persian origin, who was identified with Sol Invictus. [citation needed] The followers of Mithraism, consequently, adopted the birthday of Sol Invictus as the birthday of Mithras. In 274 AD, due to the popularity of Mithraism, Emperor Aurelian designated December 25 as the festival of Sol Invictus.
Christian origins of holiday
The idea that December 25 is Jesus' birthday was popularized by Sextus Julius Africanus in Chronographiai (221 AD), an early reference book for Christians. Earlier, around 220 AD, the theologian Tertullian declared that Jesus died on March 25, 29, but was resurrected three days later. Although this is not a plausible date for the crucifixion, it does suggest that March 25, nine months before December 25th, had significance for the church even before it was used as a basis to calculate Christmas. Modern scholars favor a crucifixion date of April 3, 33, which was also the date of a partial lunar eclipse (These are Julian calendar dates. Subtract two days for a Gregorian date.).[5]
By 240 AD, a list of significant events was being assigned to March 25, partly because it was believed to be the date of the vernal equinox. These events include creation, The Fall of Adam and Eve, and, most relevantly, the Incarnation.[6] The view that the Incarnation occurred on the same date as crucifixion is consistent with a Jewish belief that prophets died at an "integral age," either an anniversary of their birth or of their conception.[7][8]
This identification did not at first inspire feasting or celebration. In 245 AD, the theologian Origen denounced the idea of celebrating the birthday of Jesus "as if he were a king pharaoh." Only sinners, not saints, celebrate their birthdays, Origen contended.
As Constantine ended the Christian persecution and began the persecution of non-Christians, Christians began to debate the nature of Christ. The Alexandrian school argued that he was the divine word made flesh (see John 1:14), while the Antioch school held that he was born human and infused with the Holy Spirit at the time of his baptism (see Mark 1:9-11). A feast celebrating Christ's birth gave the church an opportunity to promote the intermediate view that Christ was divine from the time of his incarnation.[9] Mary, a minor figure for early Christians, gained prominence as the theotokos, or god-bearer. There were Christmas celebrations in Rome as early as 336 AD. December 25 was added to the calendar as a feast day in 350 AD.[9]
Medieval Christmas and related winter festivals
Christmas soon outgrew the Christological controversy that created it and came to dominate the medieval calendar.
The forty days before Christmas became the "forty days of St. Martin," now Advent. Former Saturnalian traditions were attached to Advent. Around the 12th century, these traditions transferred again to the "twelve days of Christmas" (i.e. Christmas to Epiphany).[9]
The fortieth day after Christmas was Candlemas. The Egyptian Christmas celebration on January 6 was adopted as Epiphany, one of the most prominent holidays of the year during the Early Middle Ages. Christmas Day itself was a relatively minor holiday, although its prominence gradually increased after Charlemagne was crowned on Christmas Day in 800 AD.
Northern Europe was the last part to Christianize, and its pagan celebrations had a major influence on Christmas. Scandinavians still call Christmas Jul (Yule), originally the name of a twelve-day pre-Christian winter festival. Logs were lit to honor Thor, the god of thunder, hence the "Yule log." In Germany, the equivalent holiday is called Mitwinternacht (mid-winter night). There are also twelve Rauhnächte (harsh or wild nights).[10]
By the High Middle Ages, Christmas had become so prominent that chroniclers routinely noted where various magnates "celebrated Christmas." King Richard II of England hosted a Christmas feast in 1377 at which twenty-eight oxen and three hundred sheep were eaten.[9] The "Yule boar" was a common feature of medieval Christmas feasts. Caroling also became popular, and was originally a group of dancers who sang. The group was composed of a lead singer and a ring of dancers that provided the chorus. Various writers of the time condemned caroling as lewd, largely due to overtones reminiscent of the traditions of Saturnalia and Yule).[9] "Misrule" — drunkenness, promiscuity, gambling — was also an important aspect of the festival. In England, gifts were exchanged on New Year's Day, and there was special Christmas ale.[9]
Modern times
In the midst of World War I, there was a Christmas truce between German and British troops in France (1914). Soldiers on both sides spontaneously began to sing Christmas carols and stopped fighting. The truce began on Christmas Day and continued for some time afterward. There was even a soccer game between the trench lines in which Germany's 133rd Royal Saxon Regiment is said to have bested Britain's Seaforth Highlanders 3-2.
In modern times, the United States has experienced some controversy over the nature of Christmas, and whether it is a religious or a secular holiday. Because the US government recognizes Christmas as an official holiday, some have thought that this violates separation of church and state. This has been brought to trial several times, including Lynch v. Donnelly (1984)[15] and Ganulin v. United States (1999).[1] On December 6, 1999, the verdict for Ganulin v. United States (1999). declared that "the establishment of Christmas Day as a legal public holiday does not violate the Establishment Clause because it has a valid secular purpose." This decision was appealed, and upheld by the Supreme Court on December 19, 2000.
More recently, some Christians have protested against what is seen as a secularization of Christmas, leading some to believe that the holiday is under attack from a general secular trend or from persons and/or organizations with a deliberate or unconscious anti-Christian agenda; the attack on Christmas has also been blamed on political correctness. The evidence for this belief lies in what some call "taking the Christ out of Christmas." Specifically, the following items illustrate this trend.[citation needed]
Some businesses have forbidden their employees to say "Merry Christmas," and tell them to say "Happy Holidays" instead.[citation needed]
In many public schools in America, what were once called Christmas pageants are now often called holiday programs or winter programs.[citation needed]
Traditionally, schoolchildren sang Christmas carols at Christmas pageants; carols have increasingly been replaced with non-religious winter songs like Frosty the Snowman and White Christmas.[citation needed]
While nativity scenes were once commonly on public display during the Christmas season, they have become increasingly rare[citation needed], and even the subject of lawsuits.
Santa Claus and other bringers of gifts
Main article: Santa Claus

Saint NicholasIn Western culture, the holiday is characterized by the exchange of gifts among friends and family members, some of the gifts being attributed to Santa Claus (also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Joulupukki, Kris Kringle, Saint Basil and Father Frost).
Father Christmas predates the Santa Claus character, and was first recorded in the 15th century,[19] but was associated with holiday merrymaking and drunkenness. Santa Claus is a variation of a Dutch folk tale based on the historical figure Saint Nicholas, or Sinterklaas, who gave gifts on the eve of his feast day of December 6. He became associated with Christmas in 19th century America and was renamed Santa Claus or Saint Nick. In Victorian Britain, Father Christmas's image was remade to match that of Santa. The French equivalent of Santa, Père Noël, evolved along similar lines, eventually adopting the Santa image.
In some cultures Santa Claus is accompanied by Knecht Ruprecht, or Black Peter. In other versions, elves make the toys. His wife is referred to as Mrs. Claus.
The current tradition in several Latin American countries (such as Venezuela) holds that while Santa makes the toys, he then gives them to the Baby Jesus, who is the one who actually delivers them to the children's homes. This story is meant to be a reconciliation between traditional religious beliefs and modern day globalization, most notably the iconography of Santa Claus imported from the United States.
Christmas Tree and other decorations
Main article: Christmas Tree

Christmas decorations at The Myer Centre in Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaThe Christmas tree is of