⑴ 有关节日英语短文
春节
The Spring Festival is a traditional festival in China.It usually comes in January or February. According to the Luna Calendar,it is the first day of a new year.Since it always comes in pring,we call it Spring Festival.It is a favorite festival of the Chinese people.Children like it best.Children can get lucky money from their grandparents,their parents,uncles,aunts and other elder people.Old people also like it. Because the famiy will get together, they can see their children and grand children.They can
also get lucky money from their children who have worked.
母亲节
Mother"s Day was first suggested in the United States in 1872 by Julia Ward Howe as a day dedicated to peace. A campaign to establish a National Mother"s Day was begun in 1907. It was successful, by 1911 Mother"s Day was celebrated in almost every state in recognition of[1] the influence mothers have in the making of better citizens.
In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed that the birthday of Mrs. Anna Reeves Jarvis, the "mother of Mother"s Day[2] ", would become the National Mother"s Day of the United States. And that from then on, the second Sunday in May would be Mother"s Day in memory of the work Mrs. Jarvis had done to bring families together after the Civil war, her work to bring the whole North and South together, her work to honor all the mothers of America throughout history and on into the future, but most of all to honor Mrs. Anna Reeves Jarvis as America"s National Mother. President Wilson asked that the American people fly the United States flag from public buildings and homes on that day as he said, as a public expression of our love and reverence[3] for the mothers of our country.
Well, what value is Mother"s Day now? As the Congress said in 1914, it reminds people of[4] the influence mothers have had in the making of better citizens. Jarvis was one such mother. On Mother"s Day much attention is given to the important part that each mother plays in giving her children a sense of what is right and what is wrong, what is good behavior and what is bad.
If the observances[5] of Mother"s Day can even in a small way remind mothers of this, then this day will help both the families and the whole country.
圣诞节
Origin of Christmas The name Christmas is short for "Christ's Mass". A Mass is a kind of Church service. Christmas is a religious festival. It is the day we celebrate as the birthday of Jesus. There are special Christmas services in Christian churches all over the world. But many of the festivities of Christmas do not have anything to do with religion. Exchanging gifts and sending Christmas cards are the modern ways of celebrating the Christmas in the orld. The birth of Jesus had a story: In Nazareth, a city of Galilee. The virgin's name was Mary was betrothed to Joseph. Before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband was minded to put her away secretly. While he thought about these things, Gabriel, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and told him did not be afraid to take Mary as wife. And Mary will bring forth a Son, and he shall call his name, Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. Before Jesus births, Joseph and Mary came to Quintus was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up out of Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and of the lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And that, Christmas is the feast of the nativity of Jesus, is on 25th, December every year. But nobody know the actual birthday of Jesus. And the Christmas has become popular when Christmas cards appeared in 1846 and the concept of a jolly Santa Claus was first made popular in nineteenth Century.
复活节
Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the most important feast in the Christian calendar. The churches are filled with worshipers, the altars are decorated with flowers, and the music proclaims the joy of the season.
Easter Sunday falls sometime between March 22 and April 25. It falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon following March 21. The date of Easter Sunday was established by the church council of Nicaea in A.D. 325.
Easter Sunday ends a period of preparation for the feast of Easter. This 40-day period of prayer and fasting, called Lent, begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday, the day before Easter. The week from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday is known as Holy Week. Good Friday marks Christ's crucifixion; and Easter Sunday, his resurrection.
The custom of a sunrise service on Easter Sunday can be traced to ancient spring festivals that celebrated the rising sun. The custom developed further in the Middle Ages, when celebrations at sunrise were also popular. People gathered to pray as the sun appeared and then went in procession to their churches.
The new clothes worn on Easter Sunday are a symbol of new life. The custom comes from the baptism on Easter Sunday of early Christians who were led into church wearing new robes of white linen. The present-day Easter parade has a parallel in the Middle Ages, when people walked about the country-side on Easter, stopping along the way to pray. Nowadays many people walk in Easter parades to show and see new spring clothes, especially hats.
⑵ 有关<节日>的英文文章.
St. Valentine's Day(情人节)
In 496 AD Saint Pope Gelasius named February 14 as "Valentine's Day". Although it's not an official holiday, most Americans observe this day.
Whatever the odd mixture of origins, St. Valentine's Day is now a day for sweethearts. It is the day that you show your friend or loved one that you care. You can send candy to someone you think is special. Or you can send roses, the flowers of love. Most people send "valentines" a greeting card named after the notes that St. Valentine's received in jail. Valentine can be sentimental, romantic, and heartfelt. They can be funny and friendly. If the sender is shy, valentines can be anonymous.
Americans of all ages love to send and receive valentines. Handmade valentines created by cutting hearts out of color paper, show that a lot of thought were put into making them personal. Valentine's can be heart-shaped, or have hearts on them. In elementary schools children make valentines for their classmates and put them into a large decorated box. On February 14, the teacher opens the box and distributes the valentines to each student. After the student read their valentines they have a small party with refreshments.
For teenagers and alts, major newspapers throughout the country have a Valentine's Day offer. Anyone can send in a message, for a small fee of course, destined for a would-be sweetheart, a good friend, an acquaintance or even a spouse of fifty years. The message is printed in a special section of the newspaper on February 14.
⑶ 有关中国节日的英文短文
The Happy Spring Festival
Spring festival is on the first day of the first lunar month. Chinese people most like the Spring Festival. During Spring Festival, Chinese people like having meals with their families, playing fireworks in the open air. My sisters and I played fireworks on that day. We had many fireworks. They were very beautiful. They were running into the sky and breaking into pieces. They looked like flowers in the sky. We were very happy and excited. After that, I made a wish. I hope that, we can have a happy and healthy life next year and everyone in my family can be happy.
I enjoy the festival very happy.
春节是在第一个月的第一天.中国人最喜欢春节.在春节期间,中国人喜欢和自己的家人一起吃饭,一起放焰火在空旷的地方.在那些日子里,我和我姐姐一起放焰火.我们有很多的焰火.它们非常漂亮.它们升上天空并且使一些地方变得很亮.在天空中,它们看起来像是花.我们很高兴也很兴奋.在这之后,我许了一个愿,我希望,在来年,我们能够高高兴兴并且拥有健康的生活,还有每一个人在我们家庭里都可以开开心心.
我感到在这个节日里非常高兴
⑷ 有关节日的英文小短文(快!)
春节的
Spring Festival
The Spring Festival, is the first day of the lunar year, also called celebrated on the fifteenth day, commonly known as "new". This is our country folk ceremonious and noisiest a traditional festival. The Spring Festival is very long history, which originated in the period of social SuiWei years worshipping god. According to the Chinese lunar calendar, the first month YuanRi, yuan, or $$, New Year, etc, on New Year's day, to use the Gregorian calendar, the period of the republic of China, the Gregorian calendar year to January 1, called the Chinese Spring Festival on January 1 call.
The Spring Festival is coming, means, vientiane recovery grass and trees renewal, seed and a harvest season begins. People just through the long grass withering of ice and snow, cold spring day, hope the coming Spring Festival when, dancing with joy to meet this festival.
For thousands of years, people make in celebration abnormal colorful, every year from Chinese on the 23rd this year, folk play period is called "chun", also called "Saul, st and dirt before the Spring Festival, Chinese people have health is known as the traditional customs
闲多了你可以就写下面的那一段,还有的我在帮你想想
中秋节的
China's traditional Mid-Autumn festival is Spring Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, and han Chinese tomb-sweeping day, and called the four traditional festival. According to records, the ancient emperors also have the spring, autumn death on offering for the lunar calendar is rites feast days, August 15, SanQiu coincides with the name "Mid-Autumn festival", For this festival in autumn, August, say again "autumn festival", "BaYueJie" August will "zhongqiu;" And for the reunion of the faith and relevant
圣诞节的
The meaning of the word refers to the mass of Christ "Christ" (s) ", namely "the mass of Christ's time for dinner. The ceremony of the new testament derived from the last supper. And the mass of Christ "Christ" (s) "this word is a mass of Greek and Latin, because Christ comes from the Greek Χ ρ ι σ ό τ ς, meaning only refers to the jews," the anointed one "to Christ, And from the original mass missa Latin, for dismissal), extended meeting (for Christian Thanksgiving get-together. So sometimes abbreviation for "Xmas". This may be because of the X is similar to the Greek alphabet Χ (Chi), Χ is "Christ" Χ Greek ι σ ό τ ρ ς Christos I (the first letter). To respect other people's beliefs, religious Christmas to fade.
如果你闲多了,你可以删掉些,还有就是那个圣诞节里的一些特殊符号是名字,你不会写没关系,可以直接删除不写
⑸ 关于节日的英语短文
春节
The Spring Festival is a traditional festival in China.It usually comes in January or February. According to the Luna Calendar,it is the first day of a new year.Since it always comes in pring,we call it Spring Festival.It is a favorite festival of the Chinese people.Children like it best.Children can get lucky money from their grandparents,their parents,uncles,aunts and other elder people.Old people also like it. Because the famiy will get together, they can see their children and grand children.They can
also get lucky money from their children who have worked.
母亲节
Mother"s Day was first suggested in the United States in 1872 by Julia Ward Howe as a day dedicated to peace. A campaign to establish a National Mother"s Day was begun in 1907. It was successful, by 1911 Mother"s Day was celebrated in almost every state in recognition of[1] the influence mothers have in the making of better citizens.
In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed that the birthday of Mrs. Anna Reeves Jarvis, the "mother of Mother"s Day[2] ", would become the National Mother"s Day of the United States. And that from then on, the second Sunday in May would be Mother"s Day in memory of the work Mrs. Jarvis had done to bring families together after the Civil war, her work to bring the whole North and South together, her work to honor all the mothers of America throughout history and on into the future, but most of all to honor Mrs. Anna Reeves Jarvis as America"s National Mother. President Wilson asked that the American people fly the United States flag from public buildings and homes on that day as he said, as a public expression of our love and reverence[3] for the mothers of our country.
Well, what value is Mother"s Day now? As the Congress said in 1914, it reminds people of[4] the influence mothers have had in the making of better citizens. Jarvis was one such mother. On Mother"s Day much attention is given to the important part that each mother plays in giving her children a sense of what is right and what is wrong, what is good behavior and what is bad.
If the observances[5] of Mother"s Day can even in a small way remind mothers of this, then this day will help both the families and the whole country.
⑹ 有关节日的英语小短文(60个词)
The
spring
festival
is
important
tradional
festival
in
our
nation.
The
spring
festival
is
very
Lively.
On
the
eve
of
the
spring
festival
we
will
clean
the
house,
we
will
make
dragon
dance
on
spring
festival
and
fire
firecraker.
the
most
hapy
matther
is
that
children
could
wear
new
clothes,
and
recive
money
for
new
year.
The
spring
festival
is
our
favourite
festival春节是我国最重要的传统节日.春节非常热闹,春节前我们要打扫房子,春节时会舞龙,放爆竹专.春节最高兴属的就是孩子,孩子们穿新衣服,收红包.非常高兴.春节是我们非常喜欢的节日
⑺ 有关节日的英语小短文
The Spring Festival
The Spring Festival is a traditional festival in
China.It usually comes in January or February.
According to the Luna Calendar,it is the first
day of a new year.Since it always comes in
spring,we call it Spring Festival.It is a
favorite festival of the Chinese people.Children
like it best.Children can get lucky money from
their grandparents,their parents,uncles,aunts and
other elder people.Old people also like it.
Because the famiy will get together, they can
see their children and grand children.They can
also get lucky money from their children who
have worked.
希望对你有所帮助。
⑻ 有关节日的英语短文(英语版)
The Dragonboat Festival(龙舟节)
The Dragonboat Festival takes place on the fifth day of lunar[lju:nE] month, usually around the summar solstice. It probably started as a festival to celebrate the planting of the rice crop and to pray for a good rainfall. Long ago, people believed that dragons controlled rivers and rain. They put offerings in the rivers so that the dragons would bring rain for crops.
The highlight of the festival today is the dragonboat race.dragonboats are long, narrow boats with a carved dragon's head at one end and a tail at the other. Up to 80 rovers paddle together. A coxswain sits in the front of the boat and shouts directions and sets the pace for the rowers using a large drum. The races are very noisy and exciting. Teams try to trick each other into making a wrong move.Teams often come to blows with each other.
译文:
农历五月初五是中国传统节日龙舟节,大致在夏至前后。这个节日很可能起源于人们庆祝水稻的种植和祈求降雨。以前,人们都相信龙控制着河流和降雨。他们把祭品放进河里,以求龙为他们的庄稼降下甘霖。
现在,这个节日中最精彩的节目就是赛龙舟了。龙舟又细又长,一头有一个精雕细凿的龙头,另一头是龙尾。一条船能由80个水手来划。船长坐在船头指挥方向,并击打大鼓来控制划船的节奏。龙舟赛总是喊声震天,激动人心。比赛团队都试图诱使对方偏离航向。队伍之间还常常打斗起来。
⑼ 急求关于中外所有节日的英文文章(一个节日一篇)
我以前组织起来的,不知你用合不合适,呵呵
在西方,最重要的传统节日是圣诞节。一般而言,圣诞节期间,人们会选择去教堂,唱赞美诗、吃圣餐。圣诞树,是节日期间特有的装饰。孩子们也会从圣诞老人那里得到圣诞礼物。我所在的北京语言文化大学有来自世界不同国家的留学生。从他们那里,我得知过去我们对西方其实由许多误解。以为中国的传统节日是最重视家庭团聚的,好像西方更看重个人自由。其实不是。在西方的一些国家,圣诞节也是家人团聚的最好机会。有的留学生宁肯请假,也要回国跟家人团聚。在西方,人们在过圣诞节的时候,并没有一个固定的统一的形式。比方说,吃圣餐,起源于《新约•福音书》中“最后的晚餐”,即耶稣在被捕前最后的一次晚餐上曾拿起饼和酒说:“这是我的身体和血,是为众人免罪而舍弃和流出的。”基督教会据此而将其演化为圣餐礼。但在吃圣餐的具体做法上,会有很大的区别,天主教中,圣体用无酵面饼表示,信徒不许饮葡萄酒;东正教允许信徒饮葡萄酒,使用发酵面饼;新教则是用一般面包和葡萄酒。罗马教会规定公历12月25日为耶稣圣诞日,东正教和其他东方教派则是在1月6日或7日过圣诞节,时间都不同。
不同的教派会有不同的仪式,不同的地区、不同的民族性格、不同的气候条件都形成不同的过节习惯,相对来说,德国人的圣诞节会安静一些,英国在节日期间则要大吃大喝,开化妆舞会,载歌载舞。在澳大利亚,圣诞老人的形象决不会身穿大衣,头戴皮帽,而多数情况下,是身着短裤、背心,还有赤着胳膊的,这是由于气候的原因。可见,西方文化内部并非没有区别。相反,在节日期间,有一些仪式则是东西方文化共有的。如家人团聚。英国人过新年也有守岁的习惯。所以要讲中西文化的差异,不能绝对化。
中国是具有悠久历史的农业国,她的传统节日主要和农业节气有关例如:一月一,是为春,百物复苏。二月二,龙抬头,也就是播种节,民间讲究吃炒豆子。 三月三,看祖先,(清明节)。四月四,凤摆尾,也就是青苗节,意指五谷出苗,似凤摆尾,民间讲究吃韭菜合子。五月五,是端五,现在的说法是纪念屈原,实际上是纪念五谷收割,民间讲究用粽叶包米谢河神。六月六,逛庙会,农事已结。七月七,鹊桥仙,没有农活的日子,也就是找对象的日子。八月十五,月儿圆,找好对象该结婚的日子。九月九,要登高,民间讲究攀高意指来年更好(也有另一中说法,是避邪)。 十月一,送冬衣,民间讲究上坟添土。 腊月八,吃锅巴,意指已近年更,来春还早,要节约,民间讲究喝五谷杂粥。
【春节】我国传统习俗中最隆重的节日。此节乃一岁之首。古人又称元日、元旦、元正、新春、新正等,而今人称春节,是在采用公历纪元后。古代“春节”与“春季”为同义词。春节习俗一方面是庆贺过去的一年,一方面又祈祝新年快乐、五谷丰登、人畜兴旺,多与农事有关。迎龙舞龙为取悦龙神保佑,风调雨顺;舞狮源于镇慑糟蹋庄稼、残害人畜之怪兽的传说。随着社会的发展,接神、敬天等活动已逐渐淘汰,燃鞭炮、贴春联、挂年画、耍龙灯、舞狮子、拜年贺喜等习俗至今仍广为流行。
【元宵】我国民间传统节日。又称正月半、上元节、灯节。元宵习俗有赏花灯、包饺子、闹年鼓、迎厕神、猜灯谜等。宋代始有吃元宵的习俗。元宵即圆子,用糯米粉做成实心的或带馅的圆子,可带汤吃,也可炒吃、蒸吃。
【寒食】我国民间传统节日。节日里严禁烟火,只能吃寒食。在冬至后的一百零五天或一百零六天,在清明前一、二日。相传,春秋时晋公子重耳流亡在外,大臣介子推曾割股啖之。重耳做国君后,大封功臣,独未赏介子推。子推便隐居山中。重耳闻之甚愧,为逼他出山受赏,放火烧山。子推抱木不出而被烧死。重耳遂令每年此日不得生火做饭,追念子推,表示对自己过失的谴责。因寒食与清明时间相近,后人便将寒食的风俗视为清明习俗之一。
【清明】我国民间传统节日。按农历算在三月上半月,按阳历算则在每年四月五日或六日。此时天气转暖,风和日丽,“万物至此皆洁齐而清明”,清明节由此得名。其习俗有扫墓、踏青、荡秋千、放风筝、插柳戴花等。历代文人都有以清明为题材入诗的。
【端午】我国民间传统节日。又称端阳、重午、重五。端午原是月初午日的仪式,因“五”与“午”同音,农历五月初五遂成端午节。一般认为,该节与纪念屈原有关。屈原忠而被黜,投水自尽,于是人们以吃粽子、赛龙舟等来悼念他。端午习俗有喝雄黄酒、挂香袋、吃粽子、插花和菖蒲、斗百草、驱“五毒”等。
【乞巧】我国民间传统节日。又称少女节或七夕。相传,天河东岸的织女嫁给河西的牛郎后,云锦织作稍慢,天帝大怒,将织女逐回,只许两人每年农历七月初七夜晚在鹊鸟搭成的桥上相会。或说:天上的织女嫁给了地上的牛郎,王母娘娘将织女抓回天庭,只许两人一年一度鹊桥相会。每年七月初七晚上,妇女们趁织女与牛郎团圆之际,摆设香案,穿针引线,向她乞求织布绣花的技巧。在葡萄架下,静听牛郎织女的谈话,也是七月七的一大趣事。
【中秋】我国民间传统节日。又称团圆节。农历八月在秋季之中,八月十五又在八月之中,故称中秋。秋高气爽,明月当空,故有赏月与祭月之俗。圆月带来的团圆的联想,使中秋节更加深入人心。唐代将嫦娥奔月与中秋赏月联系起来后,更富浪漫色彩。历代诗人以中秋为题材作诗的很多。中秋节的主要习俗有赏月、祭月、观潮、吃月饼等。
【重阳】我国民间传统节日。《易经》将“九”定为阳数,两九相重,故农历九月初九为“重阳”。重阳时节,秋高气爽,风清月洁,故有登高望远、赏菊赋诗、喝菊花酒、插茱萸等习俗。唐人有“遍插茱萸少一人”的诗句。
【腊日】我国民间传统节日。这是古代岁末祭祀祖先、祭拜众神、庆祝丰收的节日。腊日通常在每年的最后——个月(腊月)举行,南北朝时腊日已固定在农历十二月初八。有吃赤豆粥、祭拜祖先等习俗。佛教的腊八粥后也渗入腊日习俗。
【除夕】我国民间传统节日。农历十二月三十日晚,家家在打扫一清的屋里,摆上丰盛的菜肴,全家团聚吃“年饭”。此夜大家通宵不眠,或喝酒聊天,或猜谜下棋,嬉戏游乐,谓之“守岁”。零点时,众人争相奔出,在庭前拢火燃烧(古称“庭燎”,取其兴旺之意),并在这“岁之元,月之元,时之元”的“三元”之时抢先放出三个“冲天炮”,以求首先发达,大吉大利。此时,爆竹声、欢叫声响成一片,一派“爆竹声中除旧岁”的景象。
中国的传统节日,基本都是封建社会时期形成并流传下来的,不可避免的打着封建的烙印:等级制、封闭式、家族式,各节日无不以家族、家庭内部活动为中心。节日里,年轻人必须礼拜老人,全家要吃团圆饭,要阖家共庆,阖家节日。即使是春节的互相串门拜年,也基本是在亲属之间。一群陌生人在一起狂欢,那是没有的、不可想象的。即使是户外多人参加的扭秧歌活动,也只是一种表演性质的活动,没有全民狂欢的性质。此外,中国节的另一显著特点是体现着中国吃文化的习俗。每个节日都有不同的特色食品要求,以区别于其他节日。如吃饺子、元宵、粽子、月饼等等。中国的节日体现着中国人的美德和风尚,尊老爱幼,互叙亲情,是我们民族的优良传统,应该继续发扬,所以国人一直坚守着这些中国节的好习俗、好风气。即使喜欢过洋节的人,也没有谁想要摒弃中国节。
中华民族最重要的传统节日主要有生产、生活及祭祀三大类型;除了某些单独的祭祀节日外,在大部分生产与生活类传统节日中,祭祀也是最主要的活动内容之一;此外,这三种类型的节日都被极具中华民族特色的岁时节令作为一条红线贯穿起来。
在中国,春节是春天的重要节日,时间从汉魏以前的农历立春之日逐渐改为农历正月初一,节日食品从早期的春盘、春饼、屠苏酒,到后来的年饭、年糕、饺子等多种多样。古人认为,立春之日是春天的开始,也是一年的开始,于是在这一天便有了劝人耕种的习俗。《后汉书?礼仪志》载:“立春之日,夜漏未尽五刻,京师百官皆衣青衣,郡国县道官下至斗食令史皆服青绩,立青幡,施土牛耕人于门外,以示兆民。”耕种需要强壮的身体,因此在饮食上有了相应的食品。最早出现的是由五种辛辣刺激蔬菜构成的五辛盘即春盘和屠苏酒,目的是强健身体以利耕种。随着时间的推移,春节劝民耕种的意义逐渐淡化,而希望身体强健之义得到加强,并进一步希望新年幸福吉祥、万事如意,于是又出现了新的节日食品,如象征幸福团圆的年饭、象征事业发达的年糕和寓意财源广进、吉祥如意的饺子等。这众多的春节节日食品无不寄托着中国人对幸福生活的祈求和向往。
西方的节日就不同了,它更多地是表现出人们的互动性、众人参与性、狂欢性、热烈情绪的发泄性,以自我为中心,崇尚个性张扬,感恩节、圣诞节、情人节......莫不如此。这与中国节的封闭性、家族性恰好相反。而这些,正是体现了社会发展的需要、社会前进的必然,体现了人类社会的群体性、众人共同参与性,适应了现代社会人们渴望互相交流、群体参与、共同发泄情绪的愿望。它打破了封建的封闭形式,没有了上下级、老人与青年之间的等级束缚,体现了人人平等、自由表现自我的特点。而在吃的方面,则没有那些严格的要求,过什么节并不在吃的不同上。
西方国家和民族的传统节日亦具有生产、生活及宗教三大类型,但由于社会经济形态产生了巨大的历史变迁,前两种类型的传统节日或日益淡化,或逐渐消亡,而让位于宗教性节日;此外,西方文化的多元性,使得其残存的农牧业生产性传统节日大多仅仅具有地域性而非普适性的特征,并且局限于各地区的农村乡镇,或者某种农牧产品的生产地。敬奉土地和祈求丰收是古代从事农业生产的各民族的共同特点和传统习俗,在农业生产力尚不发达的自然经济社会时代尤其如此。作为一年周而复始的年节,本应该是人类社会普遍注重的节日,但在西方,这个节日的重要性及影响力已经让位于基督教的圣诞节。虽然西方各国大多仍然在欢度年节,但它并不是一个严格意义甚至一般意义上的世界性大节,而是世界各地同时欢度的各具地方性、民族性特色的岁时节日。基于不同国家、民族、地区的社会经济形态与历史文化特征,节日分别呈现出不同的生产性、生活性或宗教性的文化特征。还有与中国传统节日有着某种相似内涵的北美洲流行的“感恩节”。但是,这些具有特定地域及历史文化内涵的节日,无疑不会具有跨文化、跨地域的普适性,不可能进行异地移植。自从欧洲大陆被基督教文明浸染后,西方几乎所有影响最大的传统节日都与基督教有关,而且随着基督教跨文明的普世化和欧洲移民向世界各大洲的播散,成为了世界性的节日。
圣诞节逐渐演变成西方国家全民性的重大节日,并像中国的春节一样注重合家团聚、热闹节日。圣诞节有隆重的庆祝活动,尤其是12月 24日晚圣诞前夜,基督徒们走进教堂作弥撒,唱圣诞歌,诵赞美诗等,以庆贺耶酥诞生、圣诞节到来。孩子们则盼望圣诞老人送来糖果、玩具等礼物,而他们会给圣诞老人准备一些夜宵食品。除了庆祝活动,圣诞宴会是圣诞节时必不可少的家庭团聚宴会,但举行的时间和节日食品不一定相同。如意大利、法国等是于圣诞前夜举行家庭宴会,类似于中国的“年夜饭”。意大利人是先吃“年夜饭”, 值得注意的是,多数国家的圣诞宴会上,当全家人围桌而坐时都必须多放一把椅子,空一个座位,因为这是给“主的使者”耶酥准备的。宴会结束后人们便围着象征吉祥快乐、生命永恒的圣诞树尽情唱歌跳舞。
中国传统节日最重要的文化特征是具有极强的世俗性及泛神性,其实也就是非宗教性。这是由于中国早期的社会结构是建立在以自然崇拜与人文精神相结合的习惯势力的基础之上的,是一种有异于西方古代的神本主义及近代人文主义的“人本主义”,其基本的哲学理念与理想的希望值,是主张神灵与人二者之间相互的协调与平衡,即所谓“天人合一”。中国的现代节日文化越来越呈现向世俗化甚至庸俗化而非情感寄托、精神升华转变的趋势。而在西方,人们的社会交往更注重于情感友谊,交换的礼物多注重其情感价值而非物质价值,倒真像中国俗语所说的“君子之交淡如水”、“礼轻仁义重”。
要说中西节日的相同之处,就先要说中西方文化的相同之处:
(一)均倡导积极有为的奋发进取精神
西方基督教加尔文主义的重要内容之一是进取奋进精神,要求人们自制、自省、忠诚、勤奋。这同儒家思想是一致的。马克斯•韦伯有关儒教伦理和新教伦理是格格不入的说法并不准确。孔子关于“学而不厌,诲人不倦”、“发愤忘食,乐以忘忧,不知老之将至”等家喻户晓的名言,正表现出东方人发愤图强、艰苦奋斗的精神。孔子也反对无所事事、无所作为,他说,“饱食终日,无所用心,难矣哉”。孔子这种积极的进取精神和尽职尽责的态度同西方新教伦理的进取精神有很多共同之处。
(二)均倡导人道主义思想
无论欧洲文艺复兴时代的反神权、要求“尊重人”的人文主义思潮,还是18世纪法国资产阶级革命时期的“自由”、“平等”、“博爱”等政治口号,都是反封建的人道主义思想,与2000年前孔子“仁道”、“爱人”的思想,有很多相似之处。孔子的“仁”者“爱人”,“泛爱众,而亲仁”是儒家人道主义思想的高度概括。孔子曰:“夫仁者,己欲立而立人,己欲达而达人”,意即每个人都把自己当成人,也要把别人当成人看待,看别人是人,看自己也才是人,要学会爱广大群众,实施仁道,使每个人成为社会上名副其实的人。这些至理名言与西方人道主义并无根本差别。虽然由于时代不同,提供人道主义所处的时代背景和对象不大一样,在两千多年前的战国时期,儒学的人道主义思想在当时只能是一种学术思想,尚未能被社会普遍接受。而文艺复兴时代的人道主义,则成为新兴资产阶级反对旧封建势力的战斗武器。但“两者都是在社会形态发生根本变化的社会历史变革时期出现的进步思潮。”
由此可见中西方相同的节日中的共通的地方:
共同的节日比如5/1劳动节;3/8妇女节;6/1儿童节就是一种对于人权的尊重。而1/1元旦就是对新的一年的期许和美好的愿望