安徽的Lewis問：
Rudi你好：
新年到了，我想了解一下西方人慶祝新年的傳統方式。我知道人們會在這個時候定下新年決心。新年決心是怎麼回事呢？除此之外，還有其它慶祝新年的傳統嗎？
Rudi：
很多讀者在這個時候都會對新年的話題感興趣。在歐洲和北美洲，慶祝新年的方式會因國家和地區的不同而風格各異。儘管如此，在慶祝這個節日的方式上，人們還是有一些相同的習俗的。希望下面的文章可以滿足你的好奇心。Happy New Year!
Happy New Year
新年快樂
New Year's Traditions 新年傳統
The way that the New Year is celebrated in the West today is not actually that old. In fact, this type of celebration has a history of only 400 years. In the past New Year celebration traditions were quite different as was the date itself.
現代西方慶祝新年的方式其實並沒有那麼久遠的歷史。事實上，這種慶祝方式僅僅歷經了400個春秋而已。慶祝新年的昔日傳統，與昔日的新年日期一樣，是十分迥異的。
January 1st is not the most logical time to celebrate the New Year after all. The Babylonians celebrated the New Year as early as 4000 years ago. They ①rang in the New Year in the spring. This makes more sense as spring is a time of rebirth and renewal.
就慶祝新年的日子來講，1月1日終究不是最合乎情理的時間。巴比倫人早在4000年前就開始慶祝新年了。他們在春天慶祝新年。這一時間更為合理，因為春天是萬物復甦、萬象更新的時節。
The Romans originally celebrated the New Year in March but in 153BC altered their calendar and declared January 1st as New Year's Day. This did not last, and the date was changed several times after that until Pope Gregory XIII fixed January 1st as New Years day in 1582. From that time Westerners have regarded this date as the first day of the year.
羅馬人最初是在3月份慶祝新年的，但在公元前153年的時候，他們變更了曆法，宣布1月1日為新年。這並沒有持續多久，新年的日期此後又幾經修改，直至教皇格裡高利十三世在1582年把1月1日定為新年。從那時起，西方人便把這天當作一年的第一天。
As people ②see out one year and welcome another one in they tend to ③take stock of their lives and think about the future. It is common for people to make New Years resolutions at this time. This tradition dates back to the time of the Babylonians. In ancient Babylonia, the most popular resolution was to return borrowed farm tools to their owners. Today, people tend to make resolutions to quit smoking or lose weight.
當人們送走一年迎來新的一年的時候，他們往往會對自己的生活回顧一番並暢想未來。這個時候，人們常常會下定新年的決心。這一傳統要追溯到巴比倫人的那個年代。在古巴比倫尼亞，最常見的新年決心便是將借來的農具歸還原主。而今，人們則往往會下定戒菸或減肥之類的新年決心。
Traditionally, New Year's Day was seen as an auspicious time. One could affect their luck for the entire year by what one did on this day. Therefore, the first few minutes of the New Year would be spent with family or friends. It was once believed that visitors to one's home could bring good or bad luck. In some countries, a tall dark haired man visiting one's home on New Year's Day was considered very lucky. In Scotland, this first visitor of the year was referred to as the "first foot" (i.e. the first foot inside your door). The best "first foots" were new brides, new mothers or anyone born on January 1st.
傳統上，新年被看作是一個吉祥的日子。人們在這天所做的事情可以影響他們整年的運氣。因此，新年起始的那幾分鐘會用於和家人或朋友在一起團聚。人們曾經相信，來訪者可以帶來好運或晦氣。在一些國家，有一名高個、深色頭髮的人在新年來訪被認為是非常吉利的事情。在蘇格蘭，一年中第一個來訪的人被稱作「第一隻腳」（也就是第一隻踏入你家門的腳）。最好的「第一隻腳」是新娘子、初為人母的人，或是在1月1日出生的人。
Certain foods were also thought to bring good luck. In Holland, circular shaped food is eaten on New Year's Day as the shape represents the cycle of one year. Olie Bolen (literally "Oil balls") is the most common type eaten by the Dutch. It is a delicious donut type cake. In Cuba, twelve grapes, each representing a month from the preceding year is eaten at midnight. In certain parts of the U.S.A. black-eyed peas are eaten for good luck and green vegetables are believed to bring money in the New Year.
某些食物也被認為是可以帶來好運的。在荷蘭，新年當天會吃圓狀食品，因為這種形狀代表著一年的周而復始。Olie Bolen（字面意思是「油丸」）是荷蘭人最常吃的一種食品。它是一種美味的油炸圈餅式糕點。在古巴，午夜時分會吃下十二粒葡萄，而每粒葡萄則代表著前一年的一個月。在美國的某些地區，人們會為了得到好運而吃黑眼豌豆，而青菜被認為可以為新的一年帶來財運。
Auld Lang Syne 美好往昔
The song Auld Lang Syne is sung at the stroke of midnight in nearly every English speaking country. This tradition is centuries old but the version of the song that is sung today was written by Robert Burns in the 18th Century. "Auld Lang Syne" comes from the old Scotch language and literally means "Old long Ago" or "Good Old days". Check out the full lyrics to this song.
幾乎在每一個英語國家，《友誼地久天長》這首歌都會伴隨著午夜鐘聲而唱起。這一傳統已有幾百年的歷史了，但現在所傳唱的版本是由羅伯特•伯恩斯在18世紀所創作的。「Auld Lang Syne」是古蘇格蘭語，它的字面意思是「舊日時光」或「美好往昔」。看看這首歌的完整歌詞吧！
Auld Lang Syne
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
and days of auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
and days of auld lang syne?
And here's a hand, my trusty friend
And gie's a hand o' thine
We'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet
For auld lang syne
Recipe 菜譜
Olie Bolen 油丸
INGREDIENTS 原料
Yeast酵母
Salt 鹽
3 Tablespoons of sugar 3湯匙糖
1 Cup of warm water 1杯溫水
2 Eggs 兩個雞蛋
1/2 Teaspoon of vanilla 1/2茶匙香草
4 Cups of flour 4杯麵粉
3 Cups of fruit (Diced apples and raisins) 3杯水果（切成小塊的蘋果和葡萄乾）
Cooking oil 烹調油
Confectioner's sugar食用糖粉
INSTRUCTIONS 操作說明
Pour 1/2 cup warm water into the bowl of a large food processor. Sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the water and mix at low speed. Let stand for five minutes. Slowly mix in remaining water, eggs, vanilla and salt. Slowly add flour a cup at a time. Mix on high for about a minute or two. The dough should turn into a ball and roll around the processor. If the dough does not ball up because it's too dry, add water one tablespoon at a time until it does. If your mixture is more like a batter, add flour one tablespoon at a time. Mix in fruit. Remove from food processor. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise until doubled, about 11/2 hours.
在大號食品加工機的碗狀容器中倒入半杯溫水。往水裡撒上酵母和糖，用慢速攪拌。之後靜待5分鐘。然後慢慢加入剩餘的水、雞蛋、香草和鹽。再慢慢加入麵粉，每次一杯。調至高速，攪拌一兩分鐘。此時，麵團應已變成球狀，在食品加工機中滾動。如果麵團沒有形成球狀，那是因為面太幹了，要加水，每次一湯匙，直到它形成球狀為止。如果你攪拌好的東西更像是麵糊，那就加入麵粉，每次一茶匙。之後加入水果，攪拌。從食品加工機中取出麵團。將其放到一個已塗過油的碗中，用一塊廚巾蓋好，讓其發酵，直到1個半小時後面發得兩倍大為止。
Heat about 2 inches of oil in a large skillet. Punch down dough. Roll the dough into small balls. Drop dough balls into hot oil, frying until golden brown, turning as needed. Drain on paper towels and dust with confectioner's sugar. Serve hot.
往長柄鍋中倒油，注滿至距鍋底約2英寸即可，然後加熱。將麵團拍扁。把它揉成一個個小球。把面球放到熱油裡，炸至金黃，可根據需要翻動面球。之後用紙巾將油吸乾，並將食用糖粉撒在上面。趁熱食用。
New Year Party 新年聚會
A typical New Year party in the West would start on New Year's Eve and continue into the early hours of New Year's Day, with the countdown to the stroke of midnight being the highlight of the night. At this time everybody will link arms to sing Auld Lang Syne. Music, drinking and dancing are common. Many people will drink champagne and make resolutions.
典型的西方新年聚會在除夕之夜開始，一直持續到新年來臨後的幾小時，當晚的精彩部分是伴隨著午夜鐘聲倒計數秒。此刻，所有人會挽起手來，誦唱《友誼地久天長》。音樂、飲酒和跳舞司空見慣。很多人會喝香檳酒，並定下決心。
At the stroke of midnight churches would ring their bells and motorists would blow their horns. In coastal areas, ship horns are heard and many cities would organize a firework display. In London, crowds gather in Trafalgar Square to hear the chimes of Big Ben. New Yorkers go to Times Square where a large electric apple is lowered to the ground at midnight. In Australia, New Year's Day falls in summer and is often celebrated with outdoor activities such as picnics and carnivals.
到了午夜敲鐘時刻，教堂會敲響自己的鐘聲，開車的人會按響他們的喇叭。在沿海地區，可以聽到輪船的鳴汽笛，很多城市還會組織焰火表演。在倫敦，人群聚在特拉法加廣場聆聽大本鐘的和諧之聲。紐約人會前往時代廣場，那裡的電子大蘋果會在午夜時分降落到地面上。在澳大利亞，新年在夏季來臨，慶祝方式經常是舉辦一些戶外活動，如野餐和狂歡。