Christmas Day falls on the twenty-fifth of December. It is a very happy day for many boys and girls . Before the term ends in some schools , the children act a nativity① or “birth” play, showing how Jesus② was born in a stable③.
On the twenty-fourth of December, all children are very excited. Usually they are sent to bed early so that their parents can get the presents ready. The younger children think that Father Christmas will come down the chimney or fireplace , so they hang up a sock for him to put presents in. The greedy ones even hang up a pillow-case④ or a sack⑤ to try to get more presents. Later that night, Father or Mother will put presents in the sock, and leave others at the side of the bed.
On Christmas morning, the children wake up very early. Some even turn on the light at two o‘clock, and most of them are awake by six o‘clock although it is not light in England for another hour or two at this time of the year.
Children look for their presents , and the young ones play while the dinner is prepared. At about one o‘clock in the afternoon, the Christmas dinner is brought in . The turkey or chicken is quickly eaten . Children search in their Christmas pudding for new coins which are hidden in it . The rest of the day is full of games and eating until the happiest of all Christmas holidays comes to an end.
翻译：
圣诞节是十二月二十五。对许多男孩和女孩来说这是一个非常快乐的一天。在一些学校学期结束前，孩子们做一个出生①或“诞生”的游戏，显示耶稣②是怎样在马棚出生的。
在十二月二十四号，所有的孩子都很兴奋。通常他们都很早去睡觉以便他们的父母可以准备礼物。年轻的孩子认为圣诞老人会从烟囱或壁炉出来，所以他们挂袜子来装礼物。贪婪的人甚至挂一个枕套或麻袋④⑤设法得到更多的礼物。之后，在晚上，父亲或母亲会把礼物放在袜子里，把其他的礼物放在他们床边。
在圣诞节早上，孩子们很早就醒了。一些孩子甚至在二点就醒了，他们大多数是六点醒来，虽然这时在英国这个季节还有一两个才到黎明。
孩子们寻找他们的礼物，和年轻人玩，直到晚餐准备好。大约下午一点，圣诞晚餐开始。火鸡或鸡很快被吃完。孩子们在他们的圣诞布丁下搜索隐藏的新硬币。其余的一天充满游戏和吃食直到最快乐的圣诞节结束。
【词语解释】
①nativity [n+‘tiviti] n.出生;诞生;(宗教)耶稣诞生
②Jesus [‘dNi:z+s] n.耶稣
③stable [‘steibl] n.厩;马棚;牛棚
④pillow-case [‘pil+ukeis] n.枕套
⑤sack [s$k] n.袋;布袋
【写法指要】
这是一篇用一般现在时写成的记叙文，所以叫做现在记叙文(present narration)。现在记叙文适合于写经常发生的事情，比如圣诞节就是每年都要过的节日。这种记叙文一般按照人物行为情节的时间顺序安排文章结构，本文分为“圣诞前”、“圣诞夜”和“圣诞当天”三个时间顺序的行为情节。
