陳淑英
pring is a time for new life. Flowers begin to bloom(盛開) after the long winter. Birds begin to build nests to lay their eggs in. In forests and fields, many animals have babies this time of year. Days begin to get longer and the sun gets warmer. People begin to enjoy the outdoors and all the beautiful weather of spring.
The most important holiday in spring, especially for Christians(基督徒), is Easter. This Christian holiday is not on the same date every year, but its always on a Sunday. It can be any Sunday between March 22 and April 25. Many people celebrate Easter by buying new clothes. Children celebrate by hunting for colored eggs that their parents have hidden around the house. People also give Easter baskets filled with candy and other goodies (糕餅;糖果) to one another to celebrate the day.
But the holiday is more than new clothes and good things to eat. On Easter, many people go to the church to celebrate Jesus resurrection(復(fù)活) from the dead. The Bible tells about Jesus and his death and resurrection. Jesus died because of peoples sins(罪). But he rose again and gave forgiveness and new life to everyone who believes in him. Isnt that something to celebrate in spring?
Most people color them. Some people hide them. Others just eat them. But no matter what one does with Easter eggs, they are an important Easter tradition throughout the Western world.
From Honolulu to Helsinki, people from many different cultures celebrate Easter. In both America and Belgium, children look for Easter eggs hidden on lawns and in bushes. In America, children believe the eggs are hidden by the Easter bunny(復(fù)活節(jié)兔子). But in Belgium, the hidden eggs are supposed to have fallen from church bells.
In Bulgaria, red Easter eggs are blessed (幸運(yùn)的) in churches, Bulgarian families also hit these Easter eggs together to see whose has the strongest shell(殼). The winner looks forward to good fortune(運(yùn)氣) that year.
Still dozens of other Easter traditions exist. In parts of Austria, for example, children sing from door to door and are rewarded with colorful eggs. This year, Easter falls on April 12. On this day, whatever tradition people follow, theyre sure to have an exciting time.
天是新生命的季節(jié)。長冬過后,花朵開始盛開,鳥兒開始筑巢下蛋。在森林和田園中,許多動(dòng)物都在一年的這個(gè)時(shí)候生育。白天逐漸變長,太陽逐漸變暖。人們開始享受戶外活動(dòng)和春天的美好氣侯。
春天最重要的節(jié)日,尤其對基督徒而言,就是復(fù)活節(jié)。這個(gè)基督教的節(jié)日,不見得每年都在同一天,但都是在星期日。從3月22日至4月25日之間的任何一個(gè)星期日都可能是復(fù)活節(jié)。許多人會(huì)買新衣來慶祝復(fù)活節(jié),小孩子的慶祝方式則是尋找爹媽在家里四處藏好的彩蛋。人們也會(huì)互相贈(zèng)送裝滿糖果和點(diǎn)心的復(fù)活節(jié)籃子,來慶祝這個(gè)節(jié)日。
但這個(gè)節(jié)日的意義不僅限于新衣和好吃的東西。在復(fù)活節(jié),許多人會(huì)上教堂慶祝耶酥死而復(fù)生。《圣經(jīng)》中談到耶酥,談到他的死和復(fù)活。耶酥因人們的罪而死,可是他又復(fù)活了,赦免每一個(gè)相信他的人,并賜給他們新生命。這豈不是一件值得在春天慶祝的事嗎?
許多人將它們上色,有些人將它們藏起來,其他人則是吃掉它們,無論你怎么處置復(fù)活節(jié)蛋,它們是西方世界各地的一個(gè)重要傳統(tǒng)。
從檀香山到赫爾辛基,許多不同文化的人都慶祝復(fù)活節(jié)。在美國及比利時(shí),孩童尋找藏在草坪及矮樹從中的復(fù)活節(jié)蛋。在美國,孩子們相信這些蛋是復(fù)活節(jié)兔子給藏起來的;但是在比利時(shí),藏起來的蛋被認(rèn)為是由教堂鈴鐺上掉下來的。
在保加利亞,復(fù)活節(jié)紅蛋在教堂中被祝福,然后,大家輪流一起敲打這些蛋,比賽誰的蛋殼最堅(jiān)硬,贏者可以期待那一年獲得好運(yùn)氣。
還有許多其他的復(fù)活節(jié)傳統(tǒng)。例如,在奧地利的一些地區(qū),孩童挨家挨戶唱歌而且以得著彩蛋為獎(jiǎng)賞。
今年的復(fù)活節(jié)是在4月12日,在那一天,無論人們遵循什么傳統(tǒng),都一定會(huì)度過快樂的時(shí)光。