Christmas in England – Karácsonyi hagyományok Angliában

Karácsonyi szokások Angilában

Christmas decorations have very early origins. Holly, ivy and mistletoe are associated with rituals going back to the Dark Ages. The custom of kissing under a sprig of mistletoe comes from an ancient pagan tradition. It was considered sacred by the British Druids. Among the Romans, it was symbol of peace, and, it was said that when enemies met under it, they discarded their arms and declared a truce. From this comes our custom of kissing under the mistletoe. England was the first country to use it during the Christmas season.

origin: eredet
holly: magyal
ivy: borostyán
mistletoe: fagyöngy
Dark Ages: sötét középkor
custom: szokás
sprig: gally
ancient: ősi
pagan: pogány
sacred: szent
Druids: druidák
enemy: ellenség
to discard: letenni
arms: fegyverek
to declare
truce: fegyverszünetet hirdetni

Among children at Christmas time pantomimes are very popular: song and dance dramatisations of well-known fairy tales which encourage audience participation. Groups of singers often sing carols on Christmas Eve to their neighbours, and children hang a stocking on the fireplace or at the foot of their bed for Santa Claus (also named Father Christmas) to fill. Presents for the family are placed under the Christmas tree.

well-known: jól ismert
fairy tale: mese
to encourage: bátorítani
audience: közönség
participation: részvétel
carol: örömének
Christmas carol: karácsonyi ének
to hang: lógatni, akasztani
stocking: vastag harisnya
fireplace: kandalló
to fill: megtölteni
Christmas tree: karácsonyfa

The old man with the sack, ‘Father Christmas’ (or ‘Santa Claus’) has become the human face of Christmas. There are pictures of the old man with long white beard, red coat, and bag of toys everywhere. Children believe that he brings them presents the night before Christmas and many children up to the age of 7 or 8 really believe this is true. It is said that he lives near the North Pole, and arrives through the sky on a sleigh pulled by reindeer. He comes into houses down the chimney at midnight and places presents for the children in socks or bags by their beds or in front of the family Christmas tree. In return, children leave some snack and milk for the hungry and thirsty Santa.

sack: zsák
human: emberi
beard: szakáll
toy: játék
to believe: hinni
it is said: azt mondják
North Pole: Északi Sark
sleigh: szán
reindeer: rénszarvas
chimney: kémény
midnight: éjfél
to place: elhelyezni
socks: zokni
in return: viszonzásul

Father Christmas is based on a real person, St. Nicholas, which explains his other name ‘Santa Claus’ which comes from the Dutch ‘Sinterklaas’. Nicholas was a Christian leader from Myra (in modern-day Turkey) in the 4^th century AD. He was very shy, and wanted to give money to poor people without them knowing about it. It is said that one day, he climbed the roof of a house and dropped a purse of money down the chimney. It landed in the stocking which a girl had put to dry by the fire! This may explain the belief that Father Christmas comes down the chimney and places gifts in children’s stockings.

to be based on (sg): (valamin) alapul
to explain: megmagyarázni
Dutch: Holland
leader: vezető
Turkey: Törökország
AD: időszámításunk szerint
shy: szerény, félénk
to climb: mászni
roof: tető
to drop: ejteni
purse: erszény
to land: landolni, leérkezni
to dry: száradni
belief: hit, hiedelem

Christmas Day sees the opening of presents and many families attend Christmas services at church. Christmas dinner consists traditionally of a roast turkey, goose or chicken with stuffing and roast potatoes. This is followed by mince pies and Christmas pudding, which might contain coins or lucky charms for children. (The pudding is usually prepared weeks beforehand and is stirred by each member of the family as a wish is made.)

Another traditional feature of Christmas afternoon is the Queen’s Christmas Message to the nation, broadcast on radio and television.

Christmas Day: Karácsony napja (dec. 25-e)
to attend: látogatni
Christmas service: karácsonyi szertartás
to consist (of sg): (valamiből) állni
roast turkey: sült pulyka
goose: liba
stuffing: töltelék
roast potatoes: serpenyős burgonya
to follow: követni
mince pie: húsos pite
coin: érme
lucky charm: talizmán
to prepare: készíteni
to stir: megkeverni
wish: kívánság
feature: jellegzetesség
nation: nemzet
to broadcast: sugározni

The day after Christmas is known in Britain as Boxing Day, which takes its name from a former custom of giving a Christmas Box – a gift of money or food inside a box – to the deliverymen and trades people who served during the year. This tradition survives in the custom of tipping the milkman, postman, dustmen and others of good service at Christmas time.