雖然我們小時候也曾被爸媽哄騙，認為只要將襪子掛上裝飾好的聖誕樹，聖誕老公公就會愈禮物把襪子裝滿，曾幾何時，亞洲年輕人普遍慶祝聖誕節的方式已經變成朋友聚會與徹夜狂歡，似乎與平安夜的真實意義相去甚遠。
I believe most of us who just come to Germany (or Europe) will have a totally different image of Christmas holidays as before.
Although we were taught by our parents as we were kids that if we put socks on the christmas tree, santa shall come with presents; however, nowadays the young generation in Asia usually celebrate this holiday with parties until dawn, which doesn't quite match the original meaning of christmas.
今天我們要介紹歐洲聖誕佳節將至時，普遍流行的「聖誕月曆」、「聖誕蠟燭」以及「尼可拉斯巧克力」。
Today I would like to introduce the advent calendar, advent wreath and Nikolaus chocolate, which are really popular during this season.
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| 圖片來源：自行攝影 |
所謂的聖誕月曆，即十一月起在歐洲各大商家會大肆販售的，類似臺灣孩童時代流行的抽抽樂，內含各式各樣驚喜的大型月曆。無論是一般超商的巧克力聖誕月曆，還是藥妝店賣的精品香水月曆，自十二月一日起至平安夜，每天都可以掀開新的一格，迎接裡面的驚喜！
The so called advent calendar could be bought since November, which contents diverse surprises like the lottery in our childhood. No matter it is a normal chocolate calendar in supermarket or delicate calendar from perfume shops. From 1st Dec. to 24th Dec., everyday you can open one new page to get what hides inside!
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| 圖片來源：自行攝影 |
Advent calendar was invented in 19th century. Each family would hang 24 pictures on the front wall, one per day until 24th Dec.. Later it was simplified as a wooden set with 24 small pics, from which kids could move away one per day, until the original art work shows completely.
近年來，出現了許多新奇的聖誕月曆種類。除了上面提到的香水月曆，還有有聲書月曆（每天有新一篇短篇小說可以閱讀）、聖誕月曆App版（每天有一個新的軟體可以下載）以及將整棟建築的24個窗戶裝飾成月曆的巨型聖誕月曆（如之前所介紹的達郝聖誕市集，詳文請見先前的文章：達郝聖誕市集），讓人每年都有不一樣的驚喜！
In recent years, there're more and more different sorts of advent calendar. Besides of the perfume calendar mentioned above, there're also audiobook calendar (Everyday you will get a new short story), App calendar (From it, you can download a new software everyday) and also a giant calendar, which is made from a real house with 24 windows (like the one in X'mas market in Dachau, which I introduced in the other article: Dachau's X'mas market), which provide many diverse surprises every year!
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| 圖片來源：自行攝影 |
再來提到聖誕蠟燭，又稱為降臨節花環，是由四根蠟燭與杉樹枝所編成的環狀裝飾。聖誕節前的四個星期天被稱為降臨主日，從第一個降臨主日開始，每個主日陸續點亮相對數量的蠟燭，例：第一個主日點亮第一根蠟燭、第二個主日點亮第一和第二根，以此類推。
About the advent wreath, it was made with four candles and evergreen wreath. The four Sundays before X'mas are called advents, on the first advent you can light the first candle, then on the second the first and the second candles, and so on.
聖誕月曆與聖誕蠟燭，實際上都有著心理上縮短對聖誕假期的等待時間，以及提高大家對佳節的興奮程度的效果。據說，這也是當初流行起來的主要原因。
Advent calendar and advent wreath are actually trying, psychologically, to shorten the waiting time for X'mas and to advance the excitement of the holiday. Somehow, it was said to be the original reason of these creations.
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| 圖片來源：自行攝影 |
最後，關於「尼可拉斯巧克力」，其最早的來源可以回溯至1820年，而聖人尼可拉斯實際上就是大家所熟知的聖誕老公公的原型。據傳，尼可拉斯是會秘密地贈送禮物的聖人。每年的十二月六日為聖尼可拉斯節，在這一天的前一晚，若是小孩子將靴子擺好放在家門口，隔天在靴子裡就會有尼可拉斯巧克力！雖然目前聖誕佳節間到處都買得到尼可拉斯巧克力，傳統上尼可拉斯巧克斯卻是特別為聖尼可拉斯節（有時候也加上平安夜）所準備的。在德國，每年都有超過九千頓的巧克力被做成上億個尼可拉斯巧克力！（產量僅次於復活節兔子巧克力，其占了全年產量56%！）
In the end, about Nikolaus chocolate, it can be traced back to 1820, and St. Nikolaus is actually the original version of the well know santa claus! In the legend, St. Nikolaus secretly give presents to people. On 6th Dec. every year it's named as St. Nikolaus' Day. The evening before it, if kids put their shoes in front of the door, the next day it will be filled with chocolate! Although you can buy Nikolaus chocolate easily during the whole season, it is traditionally prepared for 6th Dec. and sometimes also for the silent night. In Germany, each year more than 9000 tons of chocolate are made into Nikolaus chocolate! (It stands on the second place only after the eastern bunny, which takes 56% of the products rate of the whole year!)
除了每天別忘了掀開新的一格月曆外，接下來的星期日就是聖尼可拉斯節以及第二主日了！大家已經準備好自己專屬的尼可拉斯巧克力和第二根主日蠟燭了嗎？
Except opening a new block each day, the following Sunday is St. Nikolaus and the second advent! Is everybody ready with his/her own Nikolaus chocolate and the second advent candles?
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| 圖片來源：自行攝影 |
還沒有下手的朋友，也可以考慮看看以下的網站連結喔！
For those who haven't got ones, the following sites could be useful:
Very helpful article, a lot of Informations!
回覆刪除Thanks! I hope the informations are useful for you :)
刪除哈哈！有人在討聖誕禮物喔！
回覆刪除聖誕月曆中的巧克力每個造型都不一樣呢！
哈哈！誰在討禮物啊？
刪除對啊！每天都有不一樣的驚喜喔！