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安徽的Lewis问： Rudi你好： 新年到了，我想了解一下西方人庆祝新年的传统方式。我知道人们会在这个时候定下新年决心。新年决心是怎么回事呢？除此之外，还有其它庆祝新年的传统吗？ Rudi： 很多读者在这个时候都会对新年的话题感兴趣。在欧洲和北美洲，庆祝新年的方式会因国家和地区的不同而风格各异。尽管如此，在庆祝这个节日的方式上，人们还是有一些相同的习俗的。希望下面的文章可以满足你的好奇心。Happy New Year! Happy New Year 新年快乐 New Year's Traditions 新年传统 The way that the New Year is celebrated in the West today is not actually that old. In fact, this type of celebration has a history of only 400 years. In the past New Year celebration traditions were quite different as was the date itself. 现代西方庆祝新年的方式其实并没有那么久远的历史。事实上，这种庆祝方式仅仅历经了400个春秋而已。庆祝新年的昔日传统，与昔日的新年日期一样，是十分迥异的。 January 1st is not the most logical time to celebrate the New Year after all. The Babylonians celebrated the New Year as early as 4000 years ago. They ①rang in the New Year in the spring. This makes more sense as spring is a time of rebirth and renewal. 就庆祝新年的日子来讲，1月1日终究不是最合乎情理的时间。巴比伦人早在4000年前就开始庆祝新年了。他们在春天庆祝新年。这一时间更为合理，因为春天是万物复苏、万象更新的时节。 The Romans originally celebrated the New Year in March but in 153BC altered their calendar and declared January 1st as New Year's Day. This did not last, and the date was changed several times after that until Pope Gregory XIII fixed January 1st as New Years day in 1582. From that time Westerners have regarded this date as the first day of the year. 罗马人最初是在3月份庆祝新年的，但在公元前153年的时候，他们变更了历法，宣布1月1日为新年。这并没有持续多久，新年的日期此后又几经修改，直至教皇格里高利十三世在1582年把1月1日定为新年。从那时起，西方人便把这天当作一年的第一天。 As people ②see out one year and welcome another one in they tend to ③take stock of their lives and think about the future. It is common for people to make New Years resolutions at this time. This tradition dates back to the time of the Babylonians. In ancient Babylonia, the most popular resolution was to return borrowed farm tools to their owners. Today, people tend to make resolutions to quit smoking or lose weight. 当人们送走一年迎来新的一年的时候，他们往往会对自己的生活回顾一番并畅想未来。这个时候，人们常常会下定新年的决心。这一传统要追溯到巴比伦人的那个年代。在古巴比伦尼亚，最常见的新年决心便是将借来的农具归还原主。而今，人们则往往会下定戒烟或减肥之类的新年决心。 Traditionally, New Year's Day was seen as an auspicious time. One could affect their luck for the entire year by what one did on this day. Therefore, the first few minutes of the New Year would be spent with family or friends. It was once believed that visitors to one's home could bring good or bad luck. In some countries, a tall dark haired man visiting one's home on New Year's Day was considered very lucky. In Scotland, this first visitor of the year was referred to as the "first foot" (i.e. the first foot inside your door). The best "first foots" were new brides, new mothers or anyone born on January 1st. 传统上，新年被看作是一个吉祥的日子。人们在这天所做的事情可以影响他们整年的运气。因此，新年起始的那几分钟会用于和家人或朋友在一起团聚。人们曾经相信，来访者可以带来好运或晦气。在一些国家，有一名高个、深色头发的人在新年来访被认为是非常吉利的事情。在苏格兰，一年中第一个来访的人被称作“第一只脚”（也就是第一只踏入你家门的脚）。最好的“第一只脚”是新娘子、初为人母的人，或是在1月1日出生的人。 Certain foods were also thought to bring good luck. In Holland, circular shaped food is eaten on New Year's Day as the shape represents the cycle of one year. Olie Bolen (literally "Oil balls") is the most common type eaten by the Dutch. It is a delicious donut type cake. In Cuba, twelve grapes, each representing a month from the preceding year is eaten at midnight. In certain parts of the U.S.A. black-eyed peas are eaten for good luck and green vegetables are believed to bring money in the New Year. 某些食物也被认为是可以带来好运的。在荷兰，新年当天会吃圆状食品，因为这种形状代表着一年的周而复始。Olie Bolen（字面意思是“油丸”）是荷兰人最常吃的一种食品。它是一种美味的油炸圈饼式糕点。在古巴，午夜时分会吃下十二粒葡萄，而每粒葡萄则代表着前一年的一个月。在美国的某些地区，人们会为了得到好运而吃黑眼豌豆，而青菜被认为可以为新的一年带来财运。 Auld Lang Syne 美好往昔 The song Auld Lang Syne is sung at the stroke of midnight in nearly every English speaking country. This tradition is centuries old but the version of the song that is sung today was written by Robert Burns in the 18th Century. "Auld Lang Syne" comes from the old Scotch language and literally means "Old long Ago" or "Good Old days". Check out the full lyrics to this song. 几乎在每一个英语国家，《友谊地久天长》这首歌都会伴随着午夜钟声而唱起。这一传统已有几百年的历史了，但现在所传唱的版本是由罗伯特•伯恩斯在18世纪所创作的。“Auld Lang Syne”是古苏格兰语，它的字面意思是“旧日时光”或“美好往昔”。看看这首歌的完整歌词吧！ Auld Lang Syne Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot and days of auld lang syne? For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne, we'll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne. Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot and days of auld lang syne? And here's a hand, my trusty friend And gie's a hand o' thine We'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet For auld lang syne Recipe 菜谱 Olie Bolen 油丸 INGREDIENTS 原料 Yeast酵母 Salt 盐 3 Tablespoons of sugar 3汤匙糖 1 Cup of warm water 1杯温水 2 Eggs 两个鸡蛋 1/2 Teaspoon of vanilla 1/2茶匙香草 4 Cups of flour 4杯面粉 3 Cups of fruit (Diced apples and raisins) 3杯水果（切成小块的苹果和葡萄干） Cooking oil 烹调油 Confectioner's sugar食用糖粉 INSTRUCTIONS 操作说明 Pour 1/2 cup warm water into the bowl of a large food processor. Sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the water and mix at low speed. Let stand for five minutes. Slowly mix in remaining water, eggs, vanilla and salt. Slowly add flour a cup at a time. Mix on high for about a minute or two. The dough should turn into a ball and roll around the processor. If the dough does not ball up because it's too dry, add water one tablespoon at a time until it does. If your mixture is more like a batter, add flour one tablespoon at a time. Mix in fruit. Remove from food processor. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise until doubled, about 11/2 hours. 在大号食品加工机的碗状容器中倒入半杯温水。往水里撒上酵母和糖，用慢速搅拌。之后静待5分钟。然后慢慢加入剩余的水、鸡蛋、香草和盐。再慢慢加入面粉，每次一杯。调至高速，搅拌一两分钟。此时，面团应已变成球状，在食品加工机中滚动。如果面团没有形成球状，那是因为面太干了，要加水，每次一汤匙，直到它形成球状为止。如果你搅拌好的东西更像是面糊，那就加入面粉，每次一茶匙。之后加入水果，搅拌。从食品加工机中取出面团。将其放到一个已涂过油的碗中，用一块厨巾盖好，让其发酵，直到1个半小时后面发得两倍大为止。 Heat about 2 inches of oil in a large skillet. Punch down dough. Roll the dough into small balls. Drop dough balls into hot oil, frying until golden brown, turning as needed. Drain on paper towels and dust with confectioner's sugar. Serve hot. 往长柄锅中倒油，注满至距锅底约2英寸即可，然后加热。将面团拍扁。把它揉成一个个小球。把面球放到热油里，炸至金黄，可根据需要翻动面球。之后用纸巾将油吸干，并将食用糖粉撒在上面。趁热食用。 New Year Party 新年聚会 A typical New Year party in the West would start on New Year's Eve and continue into the early hours of New Year's Day, with the countdown to the stroke of midnight being the highlight of the night. At this time everybody will link arms to sing Auld Lang Syne. Music, drinking and dancing are common. Many people will drink champagne and make resolutions. 典型的西方新年聚会在除夕之夜开始，一直持续到新年来临后的几小时，当晚的精彩部分是伴随着午夜钟声倒计数秒。此刻，所有人会挽起手来，诵唱《友谊地久天长》。音乐、饮酒和跳舞司空见惯。很多人会喝香槟酒，并定下决心。 At the stroke of midnight churches would ring their bells and motorists would blow their horns. In coastal areas, ship horns are heard and many cities would organize a firework display. In London, crowds gather in Trafalgar Square to hear the chimes of Big Ben. New Yorkers go to Times Square where a large electric apple is lowered to the ground at midnight. In Australia, New Year's Day falls in summer and is often celebrated with outdoor activities such as picnics and carnivals. 到了午夜敲钟时刻，教堂会敲响自己的钟声，开车的人会按响他们的喇叭。在沿海地区，可以听到轮船的鸣汽笛，很多城市还会组织焰火表演。在伦敦，人群聚在特拉法加广场聆听大本钟的和谐之声。纽约人会前往时代广场，那里的电子大苹果会在午夜时分降落到地面上。在澳大利亚，新年在夏季来临，庆祝方式经常是举办一些户外活动，如野餐和狂欢。
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