各国新年习俗

【双语】各国新年习俗盘点

Time flies so fast. The year of 2015 is coming! Every country, in its own way, welcomes the new year and says goodbye to the old year. Each has special and interesting traditions to express their hopes and wishes.

光阴似箭，转眼之间，2015年到了！世界各国的人们都在以自己的方式辞旧迎新。这些各具特色的有趣习俗寄托着人们对新年的希望和祝福。

New Year's Eve in Spain is usually for family get-togethers with music and games. People keep 12 grapes ready and as the clock strikes 12 midnight they eat one on each stroke to secure 12 happy months in the coming year. Adults are supposed to make children as happy as possible on New Year's Day because it is believed to be ominous if children quarrel or cry on that day.

元且前夕，西班牙人所有家庭成员都团聚在一起，以音乐和游戏相庆贺。午夜来临，12点的钟声刚开始敲第一响，大家便争着吃葡萄。加果能按钟声吃下12颗，便象征着新年的每个月都一切如意。元旦这天，西班牙人最忌讳孩子打闹和哭啼，认为这是不祥之兆。所以元旦的时候，大人总是会尽量满足孩子们的要求。

Italy's tradition is to throw gadgets on the floor to see them break into

tiny pieces. People also toss out old things in the hopes of forgetting past misfortunes and clearing the decks for good luck in the New Year.

意大利人过新年，家家户户都要收拾旧物，将屋子里一些可以打碎的东西摔个粉碎，还会把旧盆子、瓶瓶罐罐等统统扔到门外，表示去掉厄运和烦恼， 以此辞旧迎新。

New Year's is a time for joy for most places, but not for some regions

in India. People gather to wail together to mourn flying time and a short life, which New Year's marks in their opinion. People in other regions fast to enter the coming year.

在印度有些地方，人们过新年不但不庆祝，反而相抱大哭。因为当地人认为，新年的开始意味着岁月易逝和人生短暂，所以要用哭声来表示自己的感叹。在有些地区，人们则以禁食一天一夜来迎接新的一年。

People in Switzerland enjoy sports on New Year's Day. Some climb mountains, some ski along snow-covered forest trails, and some join stilt-walk competitions. All these activities are meant as wishes for good health in the coming year.

瑞士人有元旦健身的习惯，他们有的成群结队去爬山；有的在山林中沿着长长的雪道滑雪；还有的会举行踩高跷比赛，男女老幼齐上阵，互祝身体健康。

On New Year's Day in Greece, a special cake is made and inside a coin is hidden. The cake is cut into several pieces and shared by family and friends. Legend has it that the person who has the slice of cake with the coin inside will enjoy good luck for the rest of the year. People send him or her their congratulations.

元旦时，希腊人家家都要做一个大蛋糕，然后在里面放一枚银币。主人将蛋糕切成若干块，分给家人或来访的亲朋好友。谁吃到带有银币的那块蛋糕，谁就成为新年最幸运的人，大家都向他或她表示祝贺。

Every British family is supposed to make sure that they have enough wine and meat on December 31, or the result will be poverty in the coming year. Meanwhile, people in some regions contend to be the first person to draw well water, because it is believed to be good luck and to bring happiness to that person in the new year.

元旦前一天，英国人家家户户都必须做到瓶中有酒，橱中有肉。英国人认为，如果没有余下的酒肉，来年便会贫穷。除此之外，在英国一些地区，至今还保留着新年

In Paraguay, people create an effigy and dress him up like a

scarecrow when the new year comes. This effigy is decorated with old newspapers and firecrackers. The scarecrow symbolizes all the bad things of the last year. To get rid of these bad things, every family lights an effigy on fire at midnight.

每逢新年来临，巴拉圭人都会专门制作雕像，然后把雕像打扮成稻草人的样子。通常，人们用旧报纸和爆竹装扮稻草人，并把稻草人竖起来。当地人认为，这样的稻草人象征着过去一年所有的烦恼和不顺。为了彻底告别这些不好的东西，每个家庭都会在午夜时分点火烧掉稻草人。

Buzkashi is a New Year celebration in Afghanistan. Buzkashi

translated into English means

在阿富汗，当地居民每逢新年伊始都要举行激烈的马背叼羊比赛等传统活动。马背叼羊在英语中就是抢山羊比赛。比赛时，人们把无头的山羊尸体放在一个大圆圈中心，两支比赛队伍骑在马背上展开激烈争夺，先抢到山羊者获胜。

January 1st is called Shogatsu in Japan and thought to be best

started by viewing the new year's first sunrise. It is traditional to make a visit called Hatsumoude to a shrine or temple on the first day of the year. Special dishes are served on Shogatsu, but people usually eat

vegetarian dishes in the 3 days following Shogatsu. This is supposed to bring good luck and money in the New Year.

元旦清晨，日本人通常一家老小上街迎接初升的太阳，接着去神社或寺庙参拜，人们称之为

In Mongolia, elderly people dress like shepherds when the new year arrives. They wear leather coats, fur hats and hold whips, making loud noises by cracking the whip in the air. These activities are believed to drive evil spirits away and bless the new year.

每当新年到来之际，蒙古的老人都会装扮成牧羊人的样子，穿着毛绒的皮外套、头戴皮帽、手拿鞭子，同时不停地把鞭子在空中抽得啪啪响，以示驱除过去一年的邪恶，祝福崭新的一年。

你好，2015年！

Another fresh new year is here...

Another year to live!

To banish worry, doubt, and fear,

To love and laugh and give!

新的一年即将到来……

就让我们活得精彩！

抛弃焦虑、怀疑和恐惧,

尽情欢笑、给予和爱！

This bright new year is given me

To live each day with zest...

To daily grow and try to be

My highest and my best!

这新年气象如此盎然,

邀我热诚地度过每天……

每天成长一点并尝试,

做最好的自己——飞的更远。

I have the opportunity

Once more to right some wrongs,

To pray for peace, to plant a tree,

And sing more joyful songs! (William Arthur Ward, American author) 新年给了我新的机会,

去弥补那些做错的事,

去祈祷和平,种一棵树,

唱响更多欢乐之歌！(威廉·亚瑟·沃德,美国作家)