文章介绍了美国的多个重要节日，包括感恩节、圣诞节、元旦、情人节、愚人节、复活节、母亲节、父亲节、独立日、劳动节和万圣节前夕。文中详细描述了每个节日的起源、庆祝方式、特色活动和在人们生活中的意义，展现了美国丰富多彩的节日文化。 听力练习：为帮助大家提升实战英语听力能力，后续文章会融入多种英语口音，正常语速，挑战一下能听懂多少！ |
Just like in our country, people in the UK and the US express congratulations to others during festivals. However, the differences between Chinese and Western cultures determine that their festivals are different. As an important part of cultural traditions, festivals are what we must master to learn a language well. The following are some important festivals in the US.
同我国一样，英美国家人士在节日里都要向他人表示祝贺，但中西文化的差异决定了两者的节日各有不同。节日作为文化传统的一个重要组成部分，是我们学好语言所必须掌握的内容。下面就是美国的一些重大节日。
感恩节 Thanksgiving Day (11 月的第四个星期四)
Thanksgiving Day is the most important and most characteristic American traditional festival. Thanksgiving Day originated in 1621. After the Civil War, President Lincoln officially established Thanksgiving Day, but the specific date was designated by the president each year. It was not until 1941 that this festival was officially listed as a federal holiday, and the date was fixed on the fourth Thursday of November.
感恩节是美国最重要的，也是最具有美国传统特色的节日之一。感恩节起源于 1621 年。南北战争以后，林肯总统正式确立感恩节，但每年的具体日期则由总统指定。直到 1941 年这一节日才被正式列为联邦假日，日期也被确定在 11 月的第四个星期四。
Now, every Thanksgiving Day, the whole country is bustling with excitement, and parades in costumes are held everywhere. Many people go to church on that day, and they pray with gratitude according to custom. However, Thanksgiving Day is more of a day for family reunions. Children working in other places rush home to get together and share traditional - flavored turkey and pumpkin pie.
如今每逢感恩节，美国全国上下热闹非凡，各地纷纷举行化装游行。当天去教堂的人也特别多，人们按照习惯感恩祈祷。但感恩节更是家庭团聚的日子。在外地工作的子女纷纷赶回家中团聚，分享传统风味的火鸡和南瓜饼。
自感恩节开始，美国就进入了一种节日气氛。商业界很快就紧锣密鼓地展开了圣诞节的销售高潮。人们忙着购买圣诞卡片、圣诞礼物和布置住宅。学生和职工也忙着安排假期。这种气氛一直持续到圣诞节。
Since Thanksgiving Day, the United States has entered a festive atmosphere. The business community quickly launched a Christmas sales boom. People are busy buying Christmas cards, Christmas gifts and decorating their houses. Students and employees are also busy arranging vacations. This atmosphere lasts until Christmas.
圣诞节 Christmas Day (12 月 25 日)
Christmas is the biggest and liveliest festival in the United States, just like the Spring Festival in our country. Although there is only one legal holiday for Christmas, people generally use the accumulated paid - leave days of the year here. With the weekends and New Year's Day during this period, there is actually a week - long vacation.
圣诞节是美国最大最热闹的节日，就像我国的春节。虽然圣诞节只有一天的法定假日，但人们一般会把一年中积攒的调休假日用在这里，加上这期间的周末和元旦一天，实际上有一个星期的假期。
The preparations before Christmas are busy but joyful. People buy Christmas trees and decorate them at home. The trees are covered with twinkling small lights and ornaments, and there are piles of beautifully - packaged small gifts under the trees. Many families also decorate the outside, making the streets and alleys full of festive atmosphere.
圣诞节前的准备工作是忙乱而又欢快的。人们买回了圣诞树在家中布置起来。树上挂满了一闪一闪的小彩灯和小饰物，树下堆满了一盒盒包装精美的小礼物。不少人家把室外也装饰了起来，使大街小巷都洋溢着节日的气氛。
传说中，圣诞老人骑着鹿车在圣诞之夜驶过千家万户，背着他装满礼物的大口袋从烟囱里爬进来，把给 “好孩子” 的礼物放在孩子们准备好的长筒袜里。
According to legend, Santa Claus rides a deer - drawn cart through thousands of households on Christmas night, climbs in through the chimney with his large bag full of gifts, and puts the gifts for "good children" in the long stockings prepared by the children.
圣诞节本是宗教节日，所以教堂也格外热闹。
Christmas is originally a religious festival, so churches are especially lively.
元旦 New Year's Day
New Year's Day is also a federal holiday. However, it is not as lively as Thanksgiving Day and Christmas. After New Year's Day, people have to go their separate ways and start working for the new year. Therefore, New Year's Day also marks the end of the Christmas holiday. On New Year's Eve, people gather in churches, on the streets, in squares, singing, praying, blessing and repenting. At midnight, church bells ring across the country, and the melody of "Auld Lang Syne" can be heard everywhere. In the sounds of bells and music, people welcome the new year with feelings of farewell, sentimentality and longing for the future.
新年也是联邦假日。但热闹程度不如感恩节和圣诞节。元旦一过，人们又得各奔东西，开始新一年的工作。因此，新年也标志着圣诞假日的结束。除夕之夜 (New Year's Eve)，人们聚集在教堂、街头、广场，唱歌、祈祷、祝福以及忏悔。午夜 12 点整，全国教堂钟声此起彼伏，悠缓的《友谊地久天长》(Auld Lang Syne) 的乐曲到处可闻。在钟声与乐曲声中人们以惜别和感伤以及对未来向往的心情迎来了新的一年。
情人节 St. Valentine's Day (2 月 14 日)
Valentine's Day is also known as St. Valentine's Day. After work on this day, people can be seen everywhere hurrying with bouquets of flowers. Lovers or couples who cannot meet temporarily send letters or cards to express their love. Many stores specialize in selling Valentine's Day gifts.
情人节又称圣瓦伦丁节。这一天下班后时分到处可以看到手持花束匆匆赶路的人。一时不能见面的恋人或夫妻则互寄信件或卡片以表爱情。许多商店专门出售情人节的礼品。
如 “心” 形巧克力、系着红缎带的郁金香花束以及飘着香水味、画着丘比特或两颗相连的心的情人卡。
Such as heart - shaped chocolates, tulip bouquets tied with red ribbons, and Valentine's cards with the smell of perfume, painted with Cupid or two connected hearts.
愚人节 April Fools' Day (4 月 1 日)
April Fools' Day, also known as All Fools' Day, is a European festival with a long history. However, there are still various opinions on its origin. On this day, people can play harmless jokes or do small pranks.
愚人节亦称 All Fools' day，为一历史悠久的欧洲节日，但是至今人们对它的起源众说纷纭。这一天人们可以开一些无伤大雅的玩笑，或搞点小小的恶作剧。
复活节 Easter (每年春分月圆后的第一个星期日)
Easter usually falls in early April, equivalent to Qingming Festival in China. It is a Christian festival commemorating the resurrection of Jesus. Easter eggs have long been famous. People dye boiled eggs in bright colors or paint colorful patterns on them. Every year on Easter, the US president also invites a large group of children to play egg - rolling and egg - hunting games on the South Lawn of the White House. For ordinary Americans, the bright spring festival is a good day for the whole family to go hiking in the suburbs.
复活节一般落在四月初，相当于我国的清明节。这是一个纪念耶稣复活的基督教节日。复活节的彩蛋久享盛名。人们把煮熟的鸡蛋染成鲜艳的颜色，或者手绘上五彩缤纷的图案。每年复活节，美国总统还邀请一大群小孩子到白宫的南草坪上玩滚蛋和找蛋的游戏。对普通的美国人讲，春光明媚的节日正是全家人到郊外远足的好日子。
母亲节 Mother's Day (5 月的第二个星期日)
This festival began in 1907, and in 1919, the US Congress officially named this day as Mother's Day. On Mother's Day, children try every means to make their mothers spend the day happily to thank them for their hard work at home throughout the year. On this day, people often hang national flags at their doorways and wear carnations on their chests. Children will give their mothers a bunch of white carnations. Stores take the opportunity to launch various gifts specially for mothers for filial children to choose.
这一节日始于 1907 年，1919 年美国国会正式命名该日为母亲节。在母亲节里子女想方设法使母亲愉快的度过这一节日，感谢她一年为家中所做的操劳。这一天人们常常在家门口悬挂国旗，在胸前佩戴石竹花，子女们会送给母亲一束洁白的康乃馨。商店里趁机推出各种专门送给母亲的礼物，供孝顺的子女们挑选。
父亲节 Father's Day (6 月的第三个星期日)
Although it was suggested to establish Father's Day long ago, it was not until June 1934 that the US Congress uniformly stipulated that the third Sunday of June is Father's Day. The symbol of Father's Day is a dandelion or white lilac with a green leaf.
虽然很早就有人建议设立父亲节，但是直到 1934 年 6 月，美国国会才统一规定 6 月的第三个星期日为父亲节。父亲节的象征是蒲公英或者衬有一片绿叶的白丁香。
独立日 Independence Day (7 月 4 日)
Independence Day is the National Day of the United States. On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. Celebration activities were held joyfully in this city that night, and soon spread throughout the country. Since then, July 4 has been recorded as Independence Day on the American calendar. Every year on this day, the country holds various grand celebration activities.
独立日是美国的国庆节。1776 年 7 月 4 日，第二次大陆会议在费城通过了《独立宣言》，当天晚上在这座城市举行了欢天喜地的庆祝活动，不久便遍及全国。从那时起，7 月 4 日作为独立日记载在美国的日历上。每年每逢这一天，全国都要举行盛大的各种各样的庆祝活动。
劳动节 Labor Day (9 月的第一个星期一)
People all know that the origin of May 1 International Labor Day is the large - scale strike and parade held by workers in Chicago, the United States on May 1, 1886, for an eight - hour working day. Why is the Labor Day in the United States on the first Monday of September?
人们都知道五一国际劳动节源起于 1886 年 5 月 1 日美国芝加哥的工人为争取八小时工作日而举行的大游行，以及同一天美国全国各地工人举行的大罢工。为什么在美国本土的劳动节却成了 9 月的第一个星期一呢？
Perhaps the reason is that the US government at that time was worried that the powerful workers' movement would endanger the regime, and on the other hand, it had to make a compromise due to the pressure from trade unions demanding a labor day. So in 1894, it suddenly announced that this day in September is Labor Day, and there is a one - day national holiday.
其中的奥妙恐怕还是当时的美国政府担心声势浩大的工人运动会危及政权，另一方面又迫于工会要求设立一个劳动节的压力而作的妥协，遂于 1894 年突然宣布 9 月的这一天为劳动节，全国放假一天。
万圣节前夕 Halloween (10 月 31 日)
Halloween (All Saints' Day) is originally on November 1, but in the United States, more attention is paid to the night of October 31. In the ancient calendar, October 31 was the last day of the year. People believe that witches and elves will come out in full force on this night. Therefore, witches riding brooms flying all over the sky and pumpkin lanterns carved into various grimaces have become the features of this festival.
万圣节前夕 (All Saints' Day) 本是 11 月 1 日，但是在美国更注重的是 10 月 31 日的晚上。在古远的日历中，10 月 31 日曾是一年的最后一天。人们认为这天晚上巫婆和精灵将倾巢出动。因此，骑在扫把上满天飞的恶巫婆和刻成各式鬼脸的南瓜灯成了这一节日的特色。
Halloween is actually a children's festival. On this night, children wearing masks and dressing up as skeletons, ghosts, devils, witches, pirates, etc. go from house to house begging for food, shouting "treat or trick". Adults quickly take out candies and snacks and put them in their pockets, otherwise the children will really play pranks. There are various festivals in the United States. Strangely, there is no Children's Day. Perhaps Halloween can serve as a substitute.
万圣节前夕实际上是儿童的节日。这天晚上，戴着假面具，装扮成骷髅、幽灵、恶魔、巫婆、海盗等模样的儿童成群结队地挨家挨户地乞食，口口声声喊着 “treat or trick (不好好招待，我们就捣蛋)”。大人们则赶紧拿出糖果点心放到他们的口袋里，否则真的会做出恶作剧。美国有各种各样的节日，奇怪的是竟没有儿童节。或许万圣节可以权且充数。
