圣诞老人的老家
圣诞老人的老家
It’s Official: Santa Is from Greenland
世界各地的圣诞老人首脑们在丹麦的年度峰会上发布了一条公告，圣诞老人的故乡由此盖棺论定：格陵兰岛。来自日本、加拿大、英国、西班牙等12国的130位圣诞公公、圣诞婆婆以及圣诞老人助手参加了这此会议，他们装备了白胡子、红帽子和红袍，忍着暑热平息了关于北欧哪个国家才是自己真正家乡的争论。第40届世界圣诞老人大会主席克尔特•弗莱明说：“他来自格陵兰，这件事板上钉钉。”而对觊觎这一荣誉的对手，格陵兰岛的代表以如下言论堵住了他们的嘴：“格陵兰岛有许多许多的驯鹿，你们难道不知道吗？” 但是，长期与格陵兰岛争夺这一荣誉的芬兰拉普兰地区并没有派代表出席会议。圣诞老人峰会也对自身传统起源于土耳其——4世纪时，基督教圣徒迈拉的圣尼古拉斯正是在那里救助贫困——的历史证据 置之不理。讨论结束后，代表们在《红鼻子驯鹿鲁道夫》的音乐声中巡行哥本哈根。他们在海滩上让脚凉快下来，并享受丹麦的面点和啤酒。心满意足之后，圣诞老人们许诺今年要给孩子们更大的礼物——“只要他们乖。当然，大多数都很乖。不过，政客们得到的礼物就没以前大了，”弗莱明说。
It’s official: Santa is from Greenland, according to an edict from the world’s top Father Christmases at their annual summit in Denmark. Sweating it out in the summer heat in white beards and red hats and robes, 130 Father and Mother Christmases and Santa’s helpers from 12 countries including Japan, Canada, Britain and Spain put an end to debate about which Nordic nation was their real home. "It’s a fact: he comes from Greenland," said Kurt Flemming, chairman of the 40th annual Father Christmas World Congress. Greenland’s delegate quashed rival claims to the title with the argument: "We have lots and lots of reindeer in Greenland. Didn’t you know that?" But Finnish Lapland, traditional rival of Greenland for the title, was not represented at the congress. The Santa summit also ignored historical evidence rooting their traditions in Turkey, where fourth-century Christian Saint Nicholas of Myra 1 helped the poor and needy. After their debate, the delegates paraded through Copenhagen to the strains of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer 2. They cooled their feet on a beach and enjoyed Danish pastries and beer. Suitably cheered, the Santas promised bigger presents for children this year—"if they’ve been nice. And most have. But politicians get smaller ones," said Flemming.
1． Saint Nicholas of Myra：迈拉的圣尼古拉斯。迈拉是小亚细亚南部古城，在今土耳其南部。很多人认为迈拉的圣尼古拉斯就是圣诞老人的原型。
2． 《红鼻子驯鹿鲁道夫》是一首脍炙人口的圣诞歌曲，鲁道夫是传说中圣诞老人的驯鹿的名字。
Remarks：如果圣诞老人有家乡，那它必定只在孩子们天真无邪的心里；挤满疯狂叫卖的商家和偷闲作乐的人群的圣诞街道上，是没有圣诞老人的。
（编辑:youke）
京公网安备11010802022018号