『壹』 英語小短文聖誕節及中文
您好，以下是關於聖誕節的英漢對照小短文，希望對您有幫助：
Christmas day is on December 25, people around the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Some people celebrate by giving gifts. Children may be thanking Santa Claus for new toys. They may also be going to church with their families. All the people always decorate a Christmas tree and sing and dance at home on Christmas day.
每年12月25日是聖誕節，全世界的人們在這一天慶祝耶穌的誕生。人們在這一天會互贈禮物慶祝節日。小朋友會期盼聖誕老人帶給他新的玩具，他們也會和家人一起去教堂。每家每戶在聖誕節都會載歌載舞，並在家裝飾聖誕樹。
『貳』 關於聖誕節的英語小短文。
Christmas Day
On December 25, people around the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Some people celebrate by giving gifts. Children may be thanking Santa Claus for new toys. They may also be going to church with their families. Christmas has so many traditions and symbols associated with it, that it's hard to determine exactly how it came to be the celebration it is today.
Christmas Day
Ah! Christmas morning! Children like to wake up early while it's still dark and sneak into the living room to check the presents----find any with their name on it, shake them to guess what's inside, and then maybe they'll go back to bed and pretend they are still asleep when their parents come to wake them with a "Merry Christmas!"
But almost no one I know gets completely dressed or eats a regular breakfast first thing Christmas morning. They just put on a robe or wear their pajamas and go to see what's under the Christmas tree. Some Christian families have a tradition of reading the Bible story of Jesus' birth. Maybe it's to remind the children that Christmas is Jesus' birthday.
Someone will begin to take the presents out from under the tree, see whose name is on the package, and then pass them around. Some families wait until all the presents have been given out before opening any of them, while others open each one as it comes to them. There are many "thank you" to the ones who gave the gifts, new clothes are tried on to see if they fit, and of course the most interesting toys will immediately be played with.
Usually among the Christmas gifts will be some especially delicious candy or cake or cookies which everyone tastes. These sweet things may be the only breakfast many people eat Christmas morning. After the gifts have been opened, the room will be tidied up except where the children are playing with their toys. Everyone will wash and get dressed for the day.
Some people may go to a Christmas morning church service around ten o'clock if their church didn't have one on Christmas Eve. But most people will just watch TV. Well, most men will. The children may play outside or inside with their new toys, but the mothers will be in the kitchen preparing Christmas Dinner.
『叄』 英語閱讀：難忘的聖誕節
難忘的聖誕節（1）
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 nativity or “birth” play, showing how Jesus was born in a stable.
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-case or a sack 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, 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.
難忘的聖誕節（2）
The night when Jesus was born, the shepherd who watched the sheep in the wilderness heard a voice from the sky and told them the news of Jesus's birth. According to the Bible, Jesus came to the world to be king of the world, so the angels passed the news to more people through these shepherds.
Later, people imitated the angels, and on the night of Christmas Eve, they spread the news of Jesus's birth. Until today, it evolved into the good news. Although Christmas Eve is a festival for foreigners, we are also excited about this day.
On Christmas Eve, each family places a Christmas tree according to tradition. That night, the family gathered in the living room, surrounded by Christmas trees singing Christmas songs, exchanging gifts, sharing the joys and sorrows of life, expressing their inner blessings and love, and praying for happiness in the coming year. But we live on campus, we can't go home.
We went back to the dormitory, took out the apple, and replaced it with someone else. Our dormitory bless each other, give us some snacks, we before bed, wash the socks on the bed in the morning found in a sock gift, I know who is on, is my head, I also gave him a gift, our dormitory exchange gifts, we are while they were sleeping when it......
We get presents from each other, we all love each other.
『肆』 求幾篇關於聖誕節的英語小短文外加中文
關聖誕節的英語小短文
Christmas
The Feast of Christmas
It is not easy to pin-point the origins of the Christmas feast, today the more important feast of the Christmas season in most western Christian churches. One can only say for certain that the birth of Jesus Christ was being celebrated in Rome by the year 336 A.D.; afterwards the feast was celebrated in other Christian churches throughout the world.
Why it was celebrated on December 25th is another question. No date for the birth of Jesus can be found in the New Testament, which is concerned more with the question "Who is Jesus?" than the date of his birth. Early Christian speculation about his birth date was influenced by the symbolism of the changing seasons, then popular in religious thought, which paid careful attention to the equinoxes and solstices of the sun. Christian scholars speculated that Jesus was conceived at the spring equinox (March 25th) and therefore was born on December 25th, the date of the winter solstice.
In many of the Christian churches, March 25th is still the Feast of the Annunciation, when the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she was to be the mother of Jesus.
Possible impluse for the feast of Christmas may have came too from the establishment of the pagan feast of the "Unconquered Sun-God" by the Emperor Aurelian in 274 A.D. to be celebrated on December 25, the day of the winter solstice in Rome and throughout the empire. In response, Christians could celebrate the feast of the "Sun of righteousness" (Malachi 4,2), Jesus Christ, who called himself " the light of the world."
Father Christmas
It is said that in the year of 300 AD, there was a kind old man and his name was Saint Nicholas. He was always ready to help the poor and often gave presents to them.
Today, Father Christmas is an imaginary figure, but nearly all young children believe in him. They think he is a happy old man with a long white beard and a long red robe.
On the night of the twenty-fourth of December every year, Father Christmas from some cold northern land comes down the chimney of the fireplace to put presents by the beds of children or to fill their stockings. So when children go to bed that night, they hang up their stockings, and on Christmas morning they wake to find them full of presents. Of course, it's really their parents who fill the stockings.
Another name for Father Christmas is Santa Claus.
這篇不難的，可以參考：）
For today's Christian, the origin of Christmas is, and should be, the birth of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Bible. Nothing more and nothing less. However, most of what we witness on December 25th each year has absolutely nothing to do with that blessed day, which probably occurred in late summer or early fall about 2,000 years ago. In fact, most of the customs and traditions of Christmas actually pre-date the birth of Jesus, and many of them are downright deceptive in their meaning and origin. Anyway, who cares when Christ was born?
Christmas Day,the 25th of December,is the biggest festival(節日)celebrated in the Christian countries of the world.Although everyone enjoys Christmas Day,it is particularly enjoyed by children,who get very excited because of the presents they know they are going to receive.Small children believe that their presents are brought by Father Christmas(聖誕老人).Father Christmas is a kind of old man who,the children are told,lives at the North Pole.He travels through the sky on a sleigh(雪撬) which is pulled by reindeers(馴鹿) and loaded with(裝滿) presents.Stopping on the roof of houses,he enters by climbing the chimney(煙囪).When small children go to bed on Christmas Eve,they hang a stocking at the end of their beds.Their parents warn them not to try to look at Father Christmas,or he will not leave them anything.When they wake,they find their stockings filled with presents.Children are very excited on Christmas morning and always wake up early.
Christmas is also a family celebration.As any members of the family as possible gather to eat,play party games and watch the special Christmas programmes on TV.
精選聖誕節小短文 中英文聖誕小短文
啊！聖誕節早晨！孩子喜歡早起，而它仍然是黑暗，進入客廳偷偷檢查的禮物----找到自己的名字的任何動搖他們猜測裡面，然後也許他們會回到床上，假裝他們還在睡夢中時，他們的父母提出了「聖誕快樂，喚醒他們！」
但幾乎沒有人知道或得到完全打扮經常吃早餐聖誕節早晨的第一件事。他們只穿上長袍或穿著睡衣，去看看在聖誕樹下的。一些基督教家庭的閱讀耶穌的誕生聖經故事的傳統。也許是提醒孩子，聖誕節是耶穌的生日。
有人將開始採取的禮物從樹下，看到他的名字是包裝上，然後將它們傳遞左右。有些家庭等到所有的禮物都被賦予在其中任何一個開放的，而其他每一個開放的，因為它涉及到他們。有許多「謝謝你」誰給的禮物，新衣服上，看看是否合適，當然，最有趣，便立即打了玩具審判。
通常聖誕禮物中會有一些特別好吃糖果或餅干或蛋糕，人人口味。這些甜的東西可能是唯一有很多人吃早餐聖誕節早晨。禮物後，已被打開，將房間收拾除非兒童與他們玩玩具。每個人都會洗並獲得這一天穿著。
有些人可能去一個教堂聖誕節早晨10時許，如果他們的教會沒有聖誕節前夕之一。但大多數人只是看電視。那麼，大多數人的意願。孩子們可以在外面玩或在與他們的新玩具，但媽媽會在廚房准備聖誕晚餐。
Christmas Day
Ah! Christmas morning! Children like to wake up early while it's still dark and sneak into the living room to check the presents----find any with their name on it, shake them to guess what's inside, and then maybe they'll go back to bed and pretend they are still asleep when their parents come to wake them with a "Merry Christmas!"
But almost no one I know gets completely dressed or eats a regular breakfast first thing Christmas morning. They just put on a robe or wear their pajamas and go to see what's under the Christmas tree. Some Christian families have a tradition of reading the Bible story of Jesus' birth. Maybe it's to remind the children that Christmas is Jesus' birthday.
Someone will begin to take the presents out from under the tree, see whose name is on the package, and then pass them around. Some families wait until all the presents have been given out before opening any of them, while others open each one as it comes to them. There are many "thank you" to the ones who gave the gifts, new clothes are tried on to see if they fit, and of course the most interesting toys will immediately be played with.
Usually among the Christmas gifts will be some especially delicious candy or cake or cookies which everyone tastes. These sweet things may be the only breakfast many people eat Christmas morning. After the gifts have been opened, the room will be tidied up except where the children are playing with their toys. Everyone will wash and get dressed for the day.
Some people may go to a Christmas morning church service around ten o'clock if their church didn't have one on Christmas Eve. But most people will just watch TV. Well, most men will. The children may play outside or inside with their new toys, but the mothers will be in the kitchen preparing Christmas Dinner.
『伍』 關於聖誕節的英語故事（雙語版），適合小學三年級的，急需！！！
英語文章:How is mesothelioma treated?
Treatment for mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the patient』s age and general health. Standard treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Sometimes, these treatments are combined.
Surgery is a common treatment for mesothelioma. The doctor may remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it. For cancer of the pleura (pleural mesothelioma), a lung may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy. Sometimes part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed.
Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, involves the use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy affects the cancer cells only in the treated area. The radiation may come from a machine (external radiation) or from putting materials that proce radiation through thin plastic tubes into the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy).
Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Most drugs used to treat mesothelioma are given by injection into a vein (intravenous, or IV). Doctors are also studying the effectiveness of putting chemotherapy directly into the chest or abdomen (intracavitary chemotherapy).
To relieve symptoms and control pain, the doctor may use a needle or a thin tube to drain fluid that has built up in the chest or abdomen. The procere for removing fluid from the chest is called thoracentesis. Removal of fluid from the abdomen is called paracentesis. Drugs may be given through a tube in the chest to prevent more fluid from accumulating. Radiation therapy and surgery may also be helpful in relieving symptoms.
對不起，沒有譯文。
『陸』 以聖誕節為主題的英語小短文
Christmas day is on December 25, people around the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Some people celebrate by giving gifts. Children may be thanking Santa Claus for new toys. They may also be going to church with their families. All the people always decorate a Christmas tree and sing and dance at home on Christmas day.
每年12月25日是聖誕節，全世界的人們在這一天慶祝耶穌的誕生。人們在這一天會互贈禮物慶祝節日。小朋友會期盼聖誕老人帶給他新的玩具，他們也會和家人一起去教堂。每家每戶在聖誕節都會載歌載舞，並在家裝飾聖誕樹。
『柒』 關於聖誕節的英語文章，帶翻譯
我找到了中文版，希望有相應的英文版。如果能找到英文原版翻譯，那是最好。沒有的話，希望人工翻譯一下（不要機器翻譯），翻譯盡量用簡單的詞，可以靈活改動少許。
今晚就要。
以下是中文版：
英國
英國人在聖誕節是最注重吃的，食品中包括燒豬、火雞、聖誕布丁、聖誕碎肉餅等。每一個家人都有禮物，僕人也有份，所有的禮物是在聖誕節的早晨派送。有的唱聖誕歌者沿門逐戶唱歌報佳音，他們會被主人請進屋內，用茶點招待，或者贈小禮物。
美國
因為美國是由許多民族組成的國家，所以美國人慶祝聖誕的情形也最為復雜，從各國來的移民仍多依照他們祖國的風俗。不過，在聖誕時期，美國人的門外掛著花環以及其它別致的布置則是一樣的。
法國
法國的一般成年人，在聖誕前夕差不多都要到教會參加子夜彌撒。在完畢後，家人同去最年老的已婚的哥哥或姊姊的家裡，團聚吃飯。這個集會，討論家中要事，但遇有家人不和睦的，在此後也前嫌冰釋， 大家要和好如初了，所以聖誕在法國是一個仁慈的日子。
西班牙
西班牙的兒童會放鞋子在門外或窗外，接收聖誕禮物。在許多城市裡有禮物給最美麗的子女。牛在那天也能得到很好的待遇。據說在耶穌誕生時，曾有一頭牛向他吐氣來使到他得到溫暖。
義大利
每一個義大利的家庭，都放有耶穌誕生故事的模型景物。在聖誕前夕，家人團聚吃大餐，到午夜時參加聖誕彌撒。完畢之後，便去訪問親友，只有小孩和年老的人得到禮物。在聖誕節，義大利人有一種很好的風俗，兒童們作文或撰詩歌，表示感謝他們的父母在一年來給他們的教養。他們的作品，在未吃聖誕大餐之前，被暗藏在餐巾里、碟子的下面或是桌布里，父母裝作看不見。在他們吃完大餐之後，便把它取回，向大家朗讀。
瑞典
瑞典人是很好客的，聖誕節時，更有明顯的表現，美一個家庭，不論貧富，都歡迎朋友，甚至陌生人也可以去，各種食品擺在桌上，任人來吃。
瑞士
瑞士的聖誕老人是穿白色的長袍，戴上假面具的。他們都是由貧苦人所扮，結隊向人討取食品和禮物。在收隊後，他們就平分所得的東西。
丹麥
丹麥是最初推出聖誕郵票和稱防癆郵票的，這種郵票發出來籌款作防癆經費。在丹麥人寄出的聖誕郵件上沒有不貼上這種郵票的。收接郵件的人，看見貼有愈多聖誕郵票的，會覺得更喜歡哩！
智利
智利人慶祝聖誕節，必有一種名叫「猴子尾巴」的冷飲品，是用咖啡、牛乳、雞蛋、酒和發酵的葡萄合制而成。這種飲料為什麼被叫做「猴子尾巴」呢？倒沒有人能夠解釋。
挪威
挪威人在聖誕前夕臨睡前，家裡各人都把自己出他最喜歡的聖誕歌或聖詩一首。
愛爾蘭
愛爾蘭的每一個家庭，在聖誕節前夕，都放有一枝洋燭或燈在窗門架，表示歡迎救世主降生。
蘇格蘭
蘇格蘭人在家裡找尋向別人借來的東西，必需在聖誕節之前都歸還與物主。他們多是在新年的首個星期一那天贈送禮物，並不是在聖誕節期間送的，小孩子和僕人都會得到禮物。
荷蘭
荷蘭人的聖誕禮物，往往是出乎一般人所意料的，有時會被藏在布丁羊腸裡面。
俄羅斯
公歷新年才是一年中最重要的節日，通常只有教徒才慶祝聖誕，而且宗教味道更濃一些。
德國
德國的每一信奉耶穌教的家庭，都有一株聖誕樹，聖誕樹是在德國最先有的。德國人對於制聖誕節餅是很講究的。餅有很多款式，在親友之間，彼此均有贈送。
提問者： 遺忘的痕跡 - 門吏 三級
最佳答案
England
British pays attention to most to eat in Christmas, including roast pig, turkey, Christmas pudding, Christmas mince a round flat cake etc. in the food.Each thing with all polite family, the servant also has, all gifts are a morning parties in Christmas to send.Have of sing Christmas song to follow a door to pursue a door to sing a song report good tidings, they will be just come in by the host inside house, drinking tea some entertainment, or presenting a small gift.
The United States
The United States from allow multiracial constitute of nation, so American's celebrating the situation of Christmas is the most complicated, from all countries come of emigrant still much according to the customs of their motherland.However, at the Christmas period, the American's door hangs garland and other outside to arrange interesting and novelly then similar of.
France
The general alt of France, want church to attend midnight Catholic mass about and all in the Christmas night before last.After completing, the family go the home of the most aged and married elder brother or sister together, the family reunion has a meal.This holds a meeting, discussing in home important business, but meeting to have on bad terms family of, at henceforth also ago dislike ice to release, everyone has to become reconciled, so the Christmas is an in France benevolent day.
Spain
The child of Spain will put shoes outside door or the outside of the window, receive Christmas present.The polite thing gives the most beautiful sons and daughters in many cities.The cow can also get good treatment in that day.It is said when the Jesus be born, once there was a head of cow to toward him to let out to make him get warmth.
Italy
Each family of Italy, all put to have a Jesus birth the model scenery of the story.At the Christmas night before last, the family have a reunion to have dinner, arriving ring the midnight to attend Christmas Catholic mass.Complete to visit friends and relatives after and then, only have kid and aged person to get a gift.At Christmas, the Italian has a kind of good customs, the childs composition or write verse, meaning to thank their parents at one in the last years to their bring up.Their work, is hidden in the table napkin before DOing not have Christmas dinner, underneath or table cloth of dish in, the parents set up for to can't see.Chase its resumption then after they eat finish dinner, read aloud toward everyone.
Sweden
The Swede is very hospitable, Christmas, have an obvious performance more, the United States is a family, in spite of rich and poor, all welcome a friend, even the stranger can also go, various food puts on the table, letting people to eat.
Switzerland
The Santa Claus of Switzerland wears white full-length gown, putting on mask.They all from destitute person dress up as, the knot brigade begs for food and gift toward the person.After accepting brigade, they divide equally to gain of thing.
Denmark
The Denmark releases a Christmas stamp and calls a waterproof stamp at the beginning, this kind of stamp sends out to raise a style to make waterproof budget.The Christmas mail sent out in the Dane up have no not to stick up this kind of stamp.Accept a person who connect the mail, see stick to there are more many Christmas stamps of, will feel to even like !
Chile
The Chile celebrates Christmas, having necessarily a specific name call"monkey tail" of cold drink article is the grape which uses coffee, milk, egg, wine and ferments to match to make but become.Why is this kind of beverage called "monkey tail"?Pouring no one can explain.
Norway
The Norway is in the Christmas night before last just before sleep, home everyones all oneself Christmas song or saint poem that he likes most are 1.
Ireland
Each family of Ireland, all put an ocean candle or light at the window door at Christmas night before last, mean welcoming The Savior Messiah is born.
Scotland
The Scotch searches the thing which borrows toward the other people in the home, must return before Christmas and all and owner.They mostly in the New Year's Day of head Monday that day present to send gift, sending ring Christmas, child and servants all will get a gift.
Holland
The Christmas present of Hollander, usually come from ordinary people to anticipate the idea, sometimes is hidden in the pudding sheep the bowel.
Russia
The Christian ear New Year's Day is the most important festival in a year, usually only having follower of a religion to just celebrate Christmas, and the religious flavor is a little bit thicker.
Germany
Germany of each one Augustinian the family of the Christianity, all have one stub Christmas tree, the Christmas tree has first in Germany.German for make Christmas a round flat cake to pay attention to very much.A round flat cake contain a lot of styles, between the friends and relatives, each other all has already presented.
『捌』 一篇關於聖誕節的英語小短文
Christmas Day
聖誕節
Christmas Day is the biggest festival in the western countries.It is on December 25, the birthday of Jesus Christ.Before the festival, every family will buy a Christmas tree, and put it in the middle of the living-room. And their houses look more soft and beautiful.
聖誕節是西方國家最盛大的節日。節日在12月25日，是耶穌基督的生日。節日前，每個家庭都要買一顆聖誕樹，放在起居室的中央，這樣他們家看起來又溫馨又漂亮。
On Christmas Eve, children always hang up their Christmas stockings and hope Father Christmas will come to put presents in them. In fact, their parents put the presents in their stockings.
在平安夜，孩子們總是把聖誕襪掛起來，希望聖誕老人會把禮物放到裡面，實際上把禮物放到襪裡面的是他們的父母。
How interesting it is! On Christmas Day, people say "Merry Christmas" to each other.
你說有趣不有趣！ 在聖誕節那天，人們互相祝賀「聖誕快樂」。
『玖』 求助一篇關於聖誕快樂的英文文章（適宜小學生閱讀的)
聖誕節的早晨
Christmas Day in the Morning
編輯: admin | 作者: Pearl S. Buck | 發布日期: 2002-12-20 10:32:00
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He woke suddenly and completely. It was four o'clock, the hour at which his father had always called him to get up and help with the milking. Strange how the habits of his youth clung to him still! Fifty years ago, and his father had been dead for thirty years, and yet he waked at four o'clock in the morning. He had trained himself to turn over and go to sleep, but this morning it was Christmas, he did not try to sleep.
Why did he feel so awake tonight? He slipped back in time, as he did so easily nowadays. He was fifteen years old and still on his father's farm. He loved his father. He had not known it until one day a few days before Christmas, when he had overheard what his father was saying to his mother.
"Mary, I hate to call Rob in the mornings. He's growing so fast and he needs his sleep. If you could see how he sleeps when I go in to wake him up! I wish I could manage alone."
"Well, you can't Adam." His mother's voice as brisk, "Besides, he isn't a child anymore. It's time he took his turn."
"Yes," his father said slowly. "But I sure do hate to wake him."
When he heard these words, something in him spoke: his father loved him! He had never thought of that before, taking for granted the tie of their blood. Neither his father nor his mother talked about loving their children--they had no time for such things. There was always so much to do on the farm.
Now that he knew his father loved him, there would be no loitering in the mornings and having to be called again. He got up after that, stumbling blindly in his sleep, and pulled on his clothes, his eyes shut, but he got up.
And then on the night before Christmas, that year when he was fifteen, he lay for a few minutes thinking about the next day. They were poor, and most of the excitement was in the turkey they had raised themselves and mince pies his mother made. His sisters sewed presents and his mother and father always bought something he needed, not only a warm jacket, maybe, but something more, such as a book. And he saved and bought them each something, too.
He wished, that Christmas when he was fifteen, he had a better present for his father. As usual he had gone to the ten-cent store and bought a tie. It had seemed nice enough until he lay thinking the night before Christmas. He looked out of his attic window, the stars were bright.
"Dad," he had once asked when he was a little boy, "What is a stable?"
"It's just a barn," his father had replied, "like ours."
Then Jesus had been born in a barn, and to a barn the shepherds had come...
The thought struck him like a silver dagger. Why should he not give his father a special gift too, out there in the barn? He could get up early, earlier than four o'clock, and he could creep into the barn and get all the milking done. He'd do it alone, milk and clean up, and then when his father went in to start the milking he'd see it all done. And he would know who had done it. He laughed to himself as he gazed at the stars. It was what he would do, and he mustn't sleep too sound.
He must have waked twenty times, scratching a match each time to look at his old watch-midnight, and half past one, and then two o'clock.
At a quarter to three he got up and put on his clothes. He crept downstairs, careful of the creaky boards, and let himself out. The cows looked at him, sleepy and surprised. It was early for them too.
He had never milked all alone before, but it seemed almost easy. He kept thinking about his father's surprise. His father would come in and get him, saying that he would get things started while Rob was getting dressed. He'd go to the barn, open the door, and then he'd go get the two big empty milk cans. But they wouldn't be waiting or empty, they'd be standing in the milk-house, filled.
"What the--," he could hear his father exclaiming.
He smiled and milked steadily, two strong streams rushing into the pail, frothing and fragrant.
The task went more easily than he had ever known it to go before. Milking for once was not a chore. It was something else, a gift to his father who loved him. He finished, the two milk cans were full, and he covered them and closed the milk-house door carefully, making sure of the latch.
Back in his room he had only a minute to pull off his clothes in the darkness and jump into bed, for he heard his father up. He put the covers over his head to silence his quick breathing. The door opened.
"Rob!" His father called. "We have to get up, son, even if it is Christmas."
"Aw-right," he said sleepily.
The door closed and he lay still, laughing to himself. In just a few minutes his father would know. His dancing heart was ready to jump from his body.
The minutes were endless--ten, fifteen, he did not know how many--and he heard his father's footsteps again. The door opened and he lay still.
"Rob!"
"Yes, Dad--"
His father was laughing, a queer sobbing sort of laugh.
"Thought you'd fool me, did you?" His father was standing by his bed, feeling for him, pulling away the cover.
"It's for Christmas, Dad!"
He found his father and clutched him in a great hug. He felt his father's arms go around him. It was dark and they could not see each other's faces.
"Son, I thank you. Nobody ever did a nicer thing--"
"Oh, Dad, I want you to know--I do want to be good!" The words broke from him of their own will. He did not know what to say. His heart was bursting with love.
He got up and pulled on his clothes again and they went down to the Christmas tree. Oh what a Christmas, and how his heart had nearly burst again with shyness and pride as his father told his mother and made the younger children listen about how he, Rob, had got up all by himself.
"The best Christmas gift I ever had, and I'll remember it, son every year on Christmas morning, so long as I live."
They had both remembered it, and now that his father was dead, he remembered it alone: that blessed Christmas dawn when, alone with the cows in the barn, he had made his first gift of true love.
This Christmas he wanted to write a card to his wife and tell her how much he loved her, it had been a long time since he had really told her, although he loved her in a very special way, much more than he ever had when they were young. He had been fortunate that she had loved him. Ah, that was the true joy of life, the ability to love. Love was still alive in him, it still was.
It occurred to him suddenly that it was alive because long ago it had been born in him when he knew his father loved him. That was it: Love alone could awaken love. And he could give the gift again and again. This morning, this blessed Christmas morning, he would give it to his beloved wife. He I could write it down in a letter for her to read and keep forever. He went to his desk and began his love letter to his wife: My dearest love...
Such a happy, happy, Christmas!