平安夜英语：Christmas Eve，或者Silent Night
平安夜活动英文介绍
Christmas Eve (December 24) is traditionally the day for decorating churches and homes. It marks the beginning of the period formally known as Christmastide.
Christmas traditionally started at sunset on 24 December. Our ancient ancestors considered this to be Christmas Evening (Christmas Eve for short).
What happens on Christmas Eve in Britain?
Father Christmas
Night time on Christmas Eve is a very exciting time for young children. It is the time when Father Christmas (Santa) comes.
Children leave mince pies and brandy for Father Christmas, and a carrot for the reindeer (驯鹿).
Christmas stockings
From 1870, children have hung up Christmas stockings at the ends of their beds or above the fireplace.
Children hang Christmas stockings or bags up ready for Father Christmas, who will hopefully fill them up with presents, if the children have been good.
Christmas Eve superstitions (迷信行为)
An old tale says that bread baked on Christmas Eve will never go mouldy (发霉的).
At midnight, a certain type of rose slowly opens and re-closes its petals (花瓣) to salute the birthday of Jesus.
Also at midnight, all the sheep in the fields turn and bow toward the East.
The traditional Christmas Eve drink
To add good cheer to the merry-making of English Christmases, posset (牛奶酒) was drunk on Christmas Eve. It was made of hot milk combined with spices, lemon and sugar, and bits of oatcake and bread were added.
The posset was taken with a spoon, and lucky, indeed, was the fortunate youth or maiden who drew out the lucky coin or the wedding-ring which had been dropped in the posset-pot!
