圣诞习俗溯源
吕文新：这是一篇《新西兰先驱报》的“专访”，实际上是奥克兰理工大学招生办策划的软广告。由于被采访对象中有曾与我同一个办公室的同事，他们讲的故事我以前也从未听过，特此翻译出来并配上从网上搜来的图片，与朋友们分享。
1. Christmas lights
1. 圣诞彩灯
计算与数学工程系主任韩墨里博士介绍说：
圣诞彩灯的发明，是基于安全防火的原因，给传统上点在圣诞树上的蜡烛寻找一种安全防火的替代品。1880，爱迪生把他在曼哈顿的实验室用彩灯装饰起来，希望吸引人们的眼球，以赢得市政府的合同。两年后，他的得力助手约翰逊，把类似的彩灯挂在了纽约的圣诞树上。1895年，美国总统克利夫兰令人把白宫的圣诞树用彩灯点亮，引起了人们对这种装饰方法的极大兴趣。
在1900年前后，发生了很多起由彩灯引起的火灾。为此，十五岁的少年萨达卡——一个灯具店老板的儿子，于1917年发明了尺寸很小的安全彩灯泡。过了二十年后，他的发明得到了普及。
2. Santa
2. 圣诞老人
文史专业副教授法尼尔介绍说：
如果你问起圣诞老人的起源，很多人都会说那是可口可乐编的故事。尽管听起来很有趣，其实完全不是那么回事儿。圣诞老人始于圣尼克拉——三世纪土耳其的希腊大主教。
圣尼克拉以慈悲著名，并经常在圣诞节期间悄悄给人送礼品。后来，新教徒把他和荷兰民间故事中骑着白马进城参加圣诞庆典的白胡子老者的形象合二为一。在十九世纪的英国，圣诞老公公的形象设计得比较亲民。在十九世纪初，美国版的，融合了各种传奇人物的圣诞老人形象开始在全世界传播。在一首广为流传的美国歌曲《平安夜》里，详细地描述了圣诞老人的长相，还提到了他的驯鹿。到了二十世纪二十年代，可口可乐公司开始把圣诞老人打造成他们的市场营销工具。
3. Fruit Mince Pies
3. 水果馅饼
面点专业讲师斯特尼介绍说：
十二世纪时，十字军从中东给英国人带回了各种烹饪香料，发明了这种香肉馅饼。
几个世纪以后，英国议员皮派斯在他1662年的日记里提到了这种馅饼。在十七世纪时，这种馅饼还是肉馅的呢。有小羊肉的，小牛肉的，配有各种葡萄干、姜、肉豆冠干皮或干粉、桂皮、桔皮、盐和极少量的糖。到了十八世纪时，当便宜的糖从奴隶种植园进口英国后，这种馅饼开始变得越来越甜。到了十九世纪，圣诞节香肉馅饼已经甜成了今天的样子，而且里面一点儿肉馅也没有了。
4. Christmas Crackers
4. 圣诞拉炮
传媒设计系主任吉得戴尔博士介绍说：
1840年，伦敦糖果店的工人汤姆在德国旅行时，发现了一种叫做“嘣嘣”的糖。那是一种包了软纸的杏仁糖。汤姆回到英国后，开始在自己的店里仿制，卖得很好，尤其是在圣诞节期间更受欢迎。第二年，汤姆在糖纸里包进一张小纸条，写上吉祥话，销量倍增。
汤姆不断地在琢磨怎样能让他的圣诞糖果维持火爆。有一天，当他往壁炉里添柴火时，听到了干柴燃烧时发出的炸响，产生了灵感。经过几次并不专业的化学试验，他利用包装纸在被快速拉开时产生的摩擦，模仿出爆炸声。他发明的圣诞拉炮里包的不再是糖果了，名字也不叫“嘣嘣”了，而是个全新名字——“哥萨克”。但他保留了吉祥话纸条，并附上一个神秘小礼物。
5. Christmas Cards
5. 圣诞卡
传媒设计系主任吉得戴尔博士介绍说：
圣诞卡是由社会改革家亨利科尔于1842年发明的。但是，直到十九世纪六十年代，当扑克牌流行起来以后，才造就了圣诞贺卡这个行业。
最初的圣诞卡是类似于名信片一样的扁方形纸片，人们可以在上面剪贴，还可以贴到壁炉边上，贴的贺卡数量多，就表示爱你的人很多。到二十世纪二十年代，开始流行如今常见的可折叠的圣诞卡。早期英国圣诞卡的图案多是冬青树和铃铛，新西兰的圣诞卡图案则是山水风光，与现今的名信片差不多。
6. Christmas Trees
6. 圣诞树
科技系主任吉尔曼副教授介绍说：
圣诞树的概念起自于1846年，维多利亚女王一家围坐在一颗圣诞树下的照片登报之日。
维多利亚女王和她的丈夫阿尔博特都是德国人。德国人过圣诞节的传统起自十六世纪。美国人看了王后一家和圣诞树的照片后，马上学了起来。他们还为圣诞树装饰自己设计制作的小物件。而德裔美国人则保持他们的传统，以苹果，坚果和杏仁曲奇饼来装饰圣诞树。虽然世界其他国家都用真的松树当作圣诞树，可是在新西兰，这个外来品种的松树却属于“害”树，因其在新西兰的土地上生长过快，对本地树种造成威胁。
7. Christmas stockings
7. 圣诞袜
时装设计系主任常博士介绍说：
虽然没有圣诞袜起源的明确解释，但是有很多种不同的说法。一种说法是，荷兰人于十六世纪发明的，本来是在木屐（而不是袜子）里面塞满干草，喂给圣诞老人的驯鹿。北美人则声称，是他们的十九世纪的漫画家纳斯特在为韦伯斯特创作的圣诞故事画插图时，最先创造出了圣诞袜。
最常见的说法是来自圣尼克拉帮助一个穷爸爸和他的三个女儿的故事。那位穷爸爸没有钱给女儿做陪嫁，却死要面子不肯接受别人的馈赠。圣尼克拉便在圣诞前夜自烟囱悄悄进钻他的家中，在女孩们刚洗过并晾在壁炉边的袜子里塞满金币。可以想见，第二天早晨，当女孩们起床后穿袜子时，该有多么的惊喜。
8. Red and green colour theme
8. 红绿主题
艺术设计系的主任米考教授介绍说：
剑桥的最新研究成果显示，圣诞节的红绿主题源自十四到十六世纪的教堂彩色玻璃。
采用红色与绿色是因为它们的对比强烈，也因为这两种颜料在那时比较容易得到， 并且与北半球圣诞节时的气候相符合。常青植物预示着春天和新生命的开始，红色取自冬青树、浆果、红苹果等装饰物，当然也可以说是取自圣诞老人的主题色。
9. Pavlova
9. 百露华（帕芙洛娃）
新闻专业讲师，《美食》杂志前主编巴尼斯博士介绍说：
现在还不能确定到底是哪个国家最先发明了百露华蛋糕。新西兰、澳大利亚、俄罗斯、德国和美国都声称自己是第一人。但有一点可以肯定，此蛋糕的名字取自俄罗斯著名芭蕾舞演员安娜帕芙洛娃。
在新西兰，百露华有据可查的历史起自1911年。现在的百露华，是像棉花糖一样软的甜点， 最初的百露华可不是这样的。如今的以冰糖草莓为主体的百露华应该始于奥克兰。在1926年，配方里被添上了四层果冻。不管怎样做，我们今天所见的百露华，已经完全不像老一辈所描述的那样了。
10. Christmas Dinner
10. 圣诞晚餐
餐饮艺术专业的讲师克利荷介绍说：
几个世纪以来，我们现在所说的圣诞晚餐，已经与以往大不相同了。早期，圣诞晚餐上主打牛肉与鹅肉。到了维多利亚时代，开始兴起火鸡肉。火鸡肉本是富人家里才能享用得起的，可是由于火鸡个头大，更适合家里人口多的广大中产阶级家庭， 到二十世纪时，火鸡成了圣诞晚餐的主菜。
我们现在常吃的圣诞节甜点，应该是源自于乔治王时代的“第十二夜”蛋糕——那是一种以水果和蔬菜为主的甜点，用于纪念耶稣降生后的第十二夜——一月五日。
11a. Advent candle
11b. Advent Calendar
11. 降临节日历
文史系副教授法尼尔介绍说：
降临节日历上的每个日子后面都藏有糖果、巧克力或其它神秘小礼物，用来倒数圣诞节来临的日子。降临节本应从十一月的最后一个礼拜日倒数，而不是像现在的十二月一日起，那是不够准确的。
在十八世纪，降临节日历只是简单地在房门上写一排数字而已。后来，改用了一种标着数字的蜡烛——这个传统至今还存在着。再后来，人们在硬纸板做的日历小门里面藏入小画片，写有小诗的纸条，或是小玩具。而现在，里面只塞巧克力了。
12. Christmas Presents
12. 圣诞礼物
文史系副教授法尼尔介绍说：
人们通常认为，圣诞礼物源自给小耶稣送礼物的三位智者。
实际上，在北欧国家里，早在圣诞节这一习俗出现之前，就有了在整个冬天里互赠礼物和食物的传统。仅仅在圣诞日当天才互赠礼物的传统始于十八世纪，后来被维多利亚女王给发扬光大。她还引领了其它一些圣诞习俗。
13. Boxing Day
13. 节礼日
市场经济专业的讲师开普敦讲师介绍说：
节礼日的传统可以追溯到十九世纪三十年代，本是市政及家政服务人员、邮差、以及各种勤杂人员的节日。他们的雇主们或主顾们会赠给他们每人一个圣诞大礼盒，以表示对他们一年辛苦工作的感谢。盒子里面装的都是送给他们家人的好东西。
关于节礼日的起源，还有更早的记载。英国议员皮派斯在他1662年的日记里提到，在老派英国家庭里，在圣诞节次日，主人会请仆人带回一盒礼物给他们的家人。因为仆人们在圣诞节期间只顾为主人家服务了。可是，三百五十年后的今天，节礼日已经变味成疯狂购物节了。
吕文新：新西兰的圣诞节正值夏季。下面是我女儿在小学时，参加圣诞大游行时唱的儿歌。
圣诞老人穿短裤
Santa in shorts
我们都喜欢圣诞假日如三伏
半夜也可坐在外面不用进屋
我们希望天热得穿不住衣服
热得圣诞老人穿出他的短裤
圣诞老人穿短裤
圣诞老人穿短裤
圣诞老人今晚就要穿短裤
兄弟姐妹们在一起嬉笑追逐
就等着把火鸡肉放上烧烤炉
妈妈说夏天很热但感觉很酷
爸爸说泡在游泳池里很舒服
圣诞老人穿短裤
圣诞老人穿短裤
圣诞老人今晚就要穿短裤
我们都喜欢圣诞假日如三伏
半夜也可坐在外面不用进屋
我们希望天热得穿不住衣服
热得圣诞老人穿出他的短裤
圣诞老人穿短裤
圣诞老人穿短裤
圣诞老人今晚就要穿短裤
吕文新
二〇一六年圣诞节
译于新西兰惠灵顿
附1：
NZ Herald, Dec 16, 2016
The real stories behind 13 Christmas traditions
A group of AUT academics have joined forces to present the stories behind some of our best-loved but often misunderstood Christmas traditions.
Here are their explanations of some customs we often take for granted.
1. Christmas lights
"The concept of hanging fairy lights during the holiday season came from the need to have a fire-safe alternative to putting candles in trees," says Professor Enrico Haemmerle, head of engineering,computer and mathematical sciences.
Haemmerle says during the Christmas season in 1880, Thomas Edison strung up his lab with lights on the outside as a stunt to try and win the electricity contract for Manhattan. "Edward H Johnson, Edison's right handman, had another crack two years later when he lit up his Christmas Tree in New York with the familiar lights. In 1895 President Grover Cleveland stirred public interest in the budding tradition when he asked that the White House Christmas tree be strung with the lights.
"By the turn of the century, a lot of families lost their homes to the flames of Christmas. In response, 15-year-old AlbertSadacas, the son of a light shop owner, invented the tiny safety-conscious bulbs in 1917.They started becoming commonplace from the 1930s."
2. Santa
"If you ask someone about the true origins of Santa, they'll probably tell you he was invented by Coca-Cola," says Lorna Piatti-Farnell, Associate Professor of Cultural History. "But as fun as that idea is, it's not true at all."
Santa really starts with Saint Nicholas, a Greek Orthodox Bishop from 3rd century Turkey, says Piatti-Farnell.
"St. Nick was known for his charitable works and secret gift-giving, especially around the time of the year we now associate with the Christmas season. Saint Nicholas as a symbol was eventually picked up by the Protestant church, who merged him with Sinterklaas, a mythical Bishop from Dutch folklore, who would ride into town on a white horse, just in time to celebrate the winter.
"In 15th Century Britain, the English Christmas icon of Father Christmas was born. He was invented as a personification of Christmas itself, and so his attitude and personality was representative of the holiday's traditions and values. Eventually, as American culture began spreading throughout the world in the 1800s, Father Christmas began taking on similar attributes to Santa Claus, an American figure directly inspired by Sinterklaas, Saint Nicholas and even a little from Odin, the Norse God, whose gift giving had been celebrated during the Germanic winter festival Yuletide.
"In terms of his appearance, the image of Santa was popularised by the famous American poem "A Visit from St. Nick", known more commonly today as 'The Night before Christmas', which described Santa in great detail,and included the first recorded mention of his reindeer. It wasn't until the 1920s that Coca-Cola started using Santa Claus as a marketing tool."
3. Fruit Mince Pies
"The spicy mince pie itself can be traced as far back as the 12th century, when the Crusaders brought spices back to England from the Middle East," says patisserie lecturer Arno Sturney.
"Centuries later, British MP Samuel Pepys mentioned the pies in his diary on Christmas day 1662. In the 17th century, the filling still contained real meat like minced cooked mutton and beef suet, along with currants and raisins with ginger, mace, nutmeg, cinnamon, orange rind, salt and a tiny quantity of sugar. The mince pie began to get sweeter in the 18th century when cheap sugar arrived from slave plantations. By the 19th century, the Christmas mince pie had adapted to be as we know it today, with most recipes dropping the meat entirely."
4. Christmas Crackers
"Back in 1840, London sweet shop worker Tom Smith discovered the French confectionary known as the Bonbon while on a trip to Paris," says head of communication design Dr Peter Gilderdale.
"Tom's Bonbon was a sugared almond wrapped in tissue paper, which he started making and selling in his store back in England. Demand boomed during the Christmas season, so Tom added a small love note into the tissue paper of each Bonbon and profits were once again high that following December.
"Still trying to figure out how to make his Christmas treats even more successful, Tom's Eureka moment came when he threw a log on the fire and heard the crackle and pop it made as it burned. After some amateur chemistry, Tom perfected the pop caused by friction when the wrapping was opened. He dropped the sweet and the 'Bonbon' name, calling his new crackers Cosaques, but he kept the love note and added a surprise gift."
5. Christmas Cards
"Christmas Cards date back to 1842 to social reformer Henry Cole," says Gilderdale. "The idea of sending well-wishes didn't become commercial until the 1860's when Charles Goodall and Son's cards became popular. Christmas cards were originally flat and square like postcards so that people could scrapbook them or attach to their mantle piece. The amount you had showed how loved you were. By the 1920's the folded card we have today became the norm. Whilst early cards from England had holly and bells, New Zealand cards featured iconic local landscapes that aren't too dissimilar from postcards today."
6. Christmas Trees
This idea really took off in 1846 when a picture of Queen Victoria and her family around a Christmas tree was released, says Professor Len Gilman, head of science.
"Victoria's husband Prince Albert was German, and in Germany Christians had had the tradition since the 16th Century. The Americans saw the royals' tree and it soon took off there too. They decorated with homemade ornaments. German Americans continued to use traditional elements of apples, nuts and marzipan cookies. While trees are a major Christmas tradition around the world, in New Zealand pine trees can be pest and a threat to local plant life."
7. Christmas stockings
There's no factual history to explain this tradition but there are plenty of theories, says head of fashionDrYvonne Chan.
"Some claim stockings were a ritual invented by the Dutch in the 16th century, originally with clogs, filled with hay for Santa's reindeer. North America also claims cartoonist Thomas Nast invented the idea in his 19th century illustrations for a Christmas themed story by George P Webster. The most common legend though, tells the story of St.Nicholas providing charity for a poor father of 3 daughters. The father, impoverished and struggling, was unable to provide enough money for his daughters to ever get married. Knowing the father would refuse to take any money from him directly, St. Nicholas climbed down the family's chimney in the middle of the night and left a bunch of gold coins in each of the girls' freshly laundered stockings which were drying by the fire. St. Nick swiftly disappeared, leaving the gift to be discovered by the ecstatic family the next morning."
8. Red and green colour theme
Recent research from the University of Cambridge has found that the red and green dates back to panels from churches from the 14th to 16th centuries, says Professor ThomasMical, head of art and design.
"It's likely the red and green were used because they are such contrasting colours, and because of pigment availability at the time. The colours also align with the weather in the Northern Hemisphere at Christmas. Evergreen plants signalled the start of spring and new life and beginnings. Red relates to berries on holly, apples which were used as decorations, and of cause, Santa."
9. Pavlova
"The exact origin is still unknown but everyone from New Zealand to Australia to Russia to Germany to America have all laid claim," says journalism lecturer and former editor of Cuisine Magazine, Dr Lyn Barnes. "One thing we know for sure is that it is named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. In NewZealandthe first recorded proof of Pavlova dates back to 1911, but it isn't the marshmallowy treat we know today. Then, Pavlova was a strawberry based iced or glace dessert that was first found in Auckland and then Oamaru. It went on to be described as a four layer jelly in 1926, so the pavlova we know today definitely isn't the pavlova our ancestors would remember. "
10. Christmas Dinner
"What we know as Christmas dinner has changed a lot over the centuries," says culinary arts lecturer John Kelleher. "Beef and goose were common meats in the early days and it wasn't until the Victorian era that turkey became common.Initially it was reserved for the wealthy, but the size of the bird made it ideal for feeding large communities of the middle class, making it the dominant dinner mainstay by the 20th Century. As for Christmas dessert, way back in the Georgian era, what we now know as the Christmas Cake may have had its origins in the Twelfth Cake. This fruit and vegetable based dessertwaspart of a celebration known as the Twelfth Night on January 5th.
11. Advent Calendars
"The name Advent Calendar is actually inaccurate," says Piatti-Farnell. "The Advent season, which is an ancient Christian celebration of the weekends leading up to Christmas, usually falls somewhere around the end of November each year, and not necessarily December 1st, which is where modern Advent Calendars begin. In the 18th Century, the advent calendar used to be as simple as painting the doors of houses with the number of days until Christmas, before it was adapted to lighting candles- a tradition that still exists. Then, people began exchanging little pictures or poems or games, then items of food, before landing more commonly on chocolate."
12. Christmas Presents
"The obvious answer would be the three wise men, who brought gifts for the baby Jesus upon his birth," says Piatti-Farnell. "But the act of exchanging presents during winter festivities also has roots in pre-Christian Scandinavia, where people would gift each other with food, not just on Christmas day, but all winter long. Giving gifts specifically on Christmas day was established in the 18th century, and popularised by Queen Victoria, along with many other Christmas traditions."
13. Boxing Day
"The term Boxing Day dates back to the 1830's when the tradespeople and public servants like postmen or errand boys would be celebrated," says marketing, sales and retail lecturerDrSommer Kapitan. "As a thank you for their year of service, these individuals would receive a Christmas box of goodies from their masters or customers, usually containing food or money."
HoweverKapoitansays the origins of the Christmas Box potentially go back even further.
"In Samuel Pepys' 1663 diary, he mentions an old English custom wherein masters would give their servants a box of gifts to take home to their families, since the servants would have spent Christmas day tending to the masters themselves. More than 350 years later, the concept of Boxing Day has shifted dramatically to the shopping day we know today."
附2:
Santa wear your shorts：
We all love a warm warm Christmas
Sitting outside on a summer night
We're all wishing for a warm warm Christmas
Maybe Santa Claus will wear his shorts tonight.
Santa wear your shorts
Santa wear your shorts
Santa wear your shorts tonight
Brother keeps smiling, sister does too
We'll put our Christmas turkey on the BBQ
Mom is happy cause warm weather's cool
And dad is happy cause he's swimming in the pool.
Santa wear your shorts
Santa wear your shorts
Santa wear your shorts tonight
We all love a warm warm Christmas
Sitting outside on a summer night
We're all wishing for a warm warm Christmas
Maybe Santa Claus will wear his shorts tonight.
Santa wear your shorts
Santa wear your shorts
Santa wear your shorts tonight
