散文網(wǎng) » 科技 »人文歷史 » 【簡譯】中世紀的圣誕節(jié)

【簡譯】中世紀的圣誕節(jié)

2022-08-09 12:49 作者:神尾智代 0人讀過 | 我要投稿

中世紀的圣誕節(jié)

Christmas was one of the highlights of the medieval calendar, not only for the rich but also for the peasantry. For the longest holiday of the year, typically the full twelve days of Christmas, people stopped work, homes were decorated and a Yule log burned in the hearth. Gifts were exchanged, colourful church services enjoyed and merry feasts were eaten by all where there was better food and more of it than at any other time in the year. There were plenty of songs, dancing, pantomimes and games, too. For many, just as today, Christmas was the best of times.

? ? ? ? ? 圣誕節(jié)是中世紀的重要節(jié)日之一，不僅對富人，對農(nóng)民也是如此。圣誕節(jié)是一年中最長的假期，有整整12天；那天，人們停止工作，裝飾自己的家園，并在壁爐中燃燒圣誕圓木。人們交換禮物，享受豐富多彩的教堂儀式，所有人都享受著快樂的宴席，那里的食物比一年中的任何時候都要好，都要多。也有很多歌曲、舞蹈、啞劇和游戲。對許多人來說，就像今天一樣，圣誕節(jié)是最美好的時光。

The European medieval calendar was not short of holidays: each season had its own special Christian celebration, often based on older pagan traditions. Medieval holidays were a chance to have a much-needed rest from the usual daily toil and to socialise at family meals where the typical dreary menu of the poor was replaced by such rarities as meat and fish and the table of the rich was adorned with exotica like roast peacock. Christmas was the longest holiday of the year by far and lasted from the night of Christmas Eve, the 24th of December, to the Twelfth Day, Epiphany, on the 6th of January. Mid-winter was a time of year which saw a lull in agricultural activity and consequently many peasants were permitted by their lord to have the entire two weeks off. The season also involved gift-giving and decorating the home with garlands and wreaths of winter foliage. As one description of 12th-century CE London by William Fitzstephen records:

Every man's house, as also their parish churches, was decked with holly, ivy, bay and whatsoever the season of the year afforded to be green.

(quoted in Gies, 100)

? ? ? ? ? 歐洲中世紀并不缺少節(jié)日：每個季節(jié)都有其特殊的基督教慶祝活動，通常是基于古老的異教傳統(tǒng)。中世紀的節(jié)日是人們從日常勞作中獲得亟需休息的日子，人們在家庭聚餐中進行社交活動，窮人典型的沉悶菜單被肉和魚等珍品所取代，富人的餐桌則用烤孔雀等奇特的東西來裝飾。圣誕節(jié)是迄今為止一年中持續(xù)時間最長的節(jié)日，從12月24日的平安夜晚上一直持續(xù)到1月6日的第十二天，即主顯節(jié)。仲冬時節(jié)是一年中農(nóng)業(yè)活動的淡季，因此，許多農(nóng)民被他們的領(lǐng)主允許放整整兩個星期的假。這個季節(jié)還包括送禮和用冬季樹葉的花環(huán)和花圈裝飾家庭。正如威廉·菲茨特芬（William Fitzstephen）對公元12世紀的倫敦所做的描述：

? ? ? ? ? 每個人的房子，還有他們的教區(qū)教堂，都用冬青、常春藤、月桂和一年中保持常青的植物來裝飾。(引自吉斯，100）。

Holly, with its glossy dark green leaves and bright red berries, has been considered the ideal winter decoration since antiquity. Ancient Celtic druids thought it sacred and able to ward off evil spirits while the Romans used it as a gift to show esteem and goodwill. Mistletoe is another long-used decoration which ancient people thought a bringer of fertility, protector of crops and something that kept away witches. Long before the Christmas tree took centre stage in the 19th century CE, a double ring of mistletoe was the centrepiece of many a home's decorations, under which couples could kiss, removing the jewel-like berries with each peck.

? ? ? ? ? 冬青，有光澤的深綠色葉子和鮮紅的漿果，自古以來一直被認為是理想的冬季裝飾品。古代凱爾特人德魯伊認為它是神圣的，能夠驅(qū)除邪靈，而羅馬人則把它作為禮物來表示尊敬和善意。槲寄生是另一種長期使用的裝飾品，古代人認為它能帶來肥力，保護莊稼，并能阻止女巫的到來。早在公元19世紀圣誕樹占據(jù)中心位置之前，雙環(huán)槲寄生是許多家庭裝飾的核心，情侶們可以在槲寄生下接吻，每啄一下就摘下寶石般的漿果。

圣誕節(jié) 期間的教堂

Naturally, in the very religious communities of medieval times, the local church was a focal point for the Christmas celebrations and services were well-attended by all classes. Over time the traditional services for major Christian holidays became more elaborate and Christmas was no exception. One development from around the 9th century CE was 'troping' which was to add extra dialogues and songs to the service. An example of troping in the Christmas celebration was an elaboration on the question which choirs sang: Quem quaertitis in praesepe? ('Whom do you seek in the manger?'). One half of the choir would sing the line and then the other half did. This eventually led to a dramatisation using individual speakers and actors which resulted in the presentation of nativity plays with the Magi and King Herod playing prominent roles. Another play which became popular in church services of the festive period was The Prophets, in which a priest conducted a dialogue with various prophets such as Jeremiah, Daniel and Moses and choir boys played dressed up bit-parts like a donkey or devil.

? ? ? ? ? 自然，在中世紀非常虔誠的社區(qū)，當?shù)亟烫檬鞘フQ慶祝活動的焦點，各階層都踴躍參加禮拜。隨著時間的推移，基督教主要節(jié)日的傳統(tǒng)儀式變得更加精細，圣誕節(jié)也不例外。大約從公元9世紀開始的一個發(fā)展是 "頌歌"，即在禮拜中增加額外的對話和歌曲。圣誕節(jié)慶?；顒又械囊粋€例子是唱詩班所唱的問題的闡述。Quem quaertitis in praesepe? ("你在馬槽里尋找誰？")。一半的唱詩班會唱這句話，然后另一半接著唱。這最終導(dǎo)致了使用個人演講者和演員的戲劇化以及耶穌誕生劇的呈現(xiàn)，其中瑪吉人和希律王扮演著重要角色。另一個在節(jié)日期間的教堂禮拜中流行的劇目是《先知》，其中牧師與不同的先知如耶利米、但以理和摩西進行對話，唱詩班的男孩們穿著驢子或魔鬼等服飾裝扮成小角色。

The Feast of the Holy Innocents (Childermas) on 28th of December commemorated King Herod's failed attempt to murder the infant Jesus by ordering the execution of all children in Bethlehem under two years of age. The church on this day, perhaps bizarrely considering the gravity of the occasion, indulged in a bit of traditional festive role-reversal with choirboys taking the place of the bishop and other higher clergy to conduct services and even to lead a torchlit procession. The celebration of the Feast of the Circumcision, held on the 1st of January, was even more outlandish, which perhaps explains its other name of the 'Feast of Fools'. Minor clergy would wear their clothes inside out and lead an ass into church where, upon arrival at the altar, they would burn incense made from old shoes, eat sausages, drink wine and make the sounds of a donkey.

? ? ? ? ? 12月28日的圣嬰節(jié)（Childermas）是為了紀念希律王下令處決伯利恒所有兩歲以下的兒童，而后謀殺嬰兒耶穌的企圖失敗了?？紤]到這一事件的嚴重性，教會在這一天進行了一次傳統(tǒng)節(jié)日的角色轉(zhuǎn)換，由唱詩班成員代替主教和其他高級神職人員主持儀式，甚至帶領(lǐng)火炬游行，這也許很奇怪。1月1日舉行的割禮節(jié)的慶?；顒由踔粮与x奇，這也許解釋了它的另一個名字 "愚人節(jié)"。小教士們會把衣服穿在外面，牽著一頭驢子進入教堂，到達祭壇后，他們會焚燒用舊鞋子做的香，吃香腸，喝葡萄酒，并發(fā)出驢子的聲音。

The local clergy, if not invited to their nearest lord's castle, celebrated with a fine meal of rarities at home. Larks, ducks, and salmon could appear on the menu, or perhaps a kid, and we know one abbot of Ramsey Abbey in England reserved for himself a wild boar each Christmas dinner. Even monks had a treat or two at Christmas. The diet of those in medieval monasteries was quite good anyway but Christmas feasts included more meat and fish than usual. We also know that at monasteries such as at Cluny Abbey in France, the monks received a new gown and had one of their twice-yearly baths at Christmas (any more was not permitted).

? ? ? ? ? 當?shù)氐纳衤毴藛T，如果沒有被邀請到他們最近領(lǐng)主的城堡，就會在家里用珍稀的食物來慶祝。云雀、鴨子和鮭魚可能會出現(xiàn)在菜單上，也可能是一頭乳豬，我們知道英國拉姆齊修道院的一位院長在每頓圣誕大餐中為自己保留了一頭野豬。甚至僧侶們在圣誕節(jié)也有一兩樣食物。無論如何，中世紀修道院里的人的飲食是相當不錯的，但圣誕大餐包括比平時更多的肉和魚。我們還知道，在法國的克魯尼修道院等修道院，僧侶們在圣誕節(jié)會收到一件新的長袍，并進行一年兩次的沐?。ǜ嗟你逶t不被允許）。

莊園里的圣誕節(jié)

Amongst the landed aristocracy, comfortable in their castles and manors, Christmas gifts such as fine clothes and jewellery to wear for the season were exchanged on the 25th of December. There was another round of gift-giving on the 1st of January, too. Known as 'first-gifts' they were thought to be an omen of a person's fortune in the coming year. Much like today, though, the real joy of Christmas for many was the food on offer.

? ? ? ? ? 舒適地呆在城堡和莊園里的土地貴族，在12月25日那天交換圣誕禮物，如精美的衣服和珠寶，以便在這個季節(jié)穿戴。1月1日也有另一輪送禮活動。這些禮物被稱為 "第一份禮物"，被認為是一個人來年財運的預(yù)兆。不過，與今天一樣，對許多人來說，圣誕節(jié)的真正樂趣在于所提供的食物。

Usually held in the Great Hall of a castle or manor, the setting for the Christmas meal for the aristocracy was suitably splendid with high wood-beam ceilings and at least one roaring fire. The hall was made even more impressive with festive garlands of holly, ivy and other seasonal greenery. The tables were set with the usual knives, spoons and a thick slab of one-day-old bread (a trencher or manchet) to be used by way of a plate for meat. Christmas diners were also treated to the luxury of a change of tablecloth after each course. Two diners shared a bowl for washing hands (everything except liquids was eaten with the fingers), another bowl for soups and stews, and a small bowl of salt.

? ? ? ? ? 圣誕大餐通常在城堡或莊園的大禮堂里舉行，貴族們的圣誕大餐布置得相當華麗，有高高的木梁天花板和至少一個熊熊的火堆。大廳里有冬青、常春藤和其他季節(jié)性綠色植物的節(jié)日花環(huán)，讓人印象更加深刻。桌子上擺放著刀子、勺子和一塊厚厚的新鮮面包（trencher或manchet），用來作為肉的盤子。圣誕食客們還能享受到每道菜后更換桌布的奢侈待遇。兩位食客共用一個碗來洗手（除液體外，其他東西都用手指吃），另一個碗用來盛湯和燉菜，還有一個裝鹽的小碗。

Served as an early lunch, the first course was typically a soup, broth or weak stew with some meat at the bottom. The second course might be a vegetable stew (porray) of leeks and onions. The rich were fortunate enough to have meat as their next course on ordinary days – rabbit, hare and chicken, for example – but Christmas saw finer meat delicacies, fish (e.g. salmon, herring and trout) and seafood (e.g. eels, oysters and crab) courses presented to the guests. Meats were roasted on a spit over an open fire. Besides legs of beef and mutton, there was veal, venison, goose, capon, suckling pig, duck, plover, lark and crane, to name a few. A special Christmas dish the cooks might prepare to wow the guests included a boar's head on a platter or a swan or peacock roasted in its feathers. Sauces added more flavour to many dishes and, thickened with breadcrumbs, they contained wine or vinegar, and herbs and spices.

? ? ? ? ? 作為早午餐，第一道菜通常是湯、肉湯或底部有一些肉的燉菜。第二道菜可能是韭菜和洋蔥的蔬菜燉肉（porray）。有錢人在平時可以幸運地吃到肉，例如兔肉、野兔和雞肉，但在圣誕節(jié)，更多的肉類美食、魚類（如鮭魚、鯡魚和鱒魚）和海鮮（如鰻魚、牡蠣和螃蟹）都被呈現(xiàn)給客人。肉類被放在明火上的烤架上烘烤。除了牛腿和羊肉，還有小牛肉、鹿肉、鵝肉、山羊肉、乳豬、鴨子、百靈鳥、云雀和鶴，等等。廚師們可能會準備一道特別的圣誕菜，讓客人們大吃一驚，包括放在盤子里的野豬頭，或者烤著帶羽毛的天鵝或孔雀。醬汁為許多菜肴增添了豐富的味道，廚師用面包屑勾芡，其中含有葡萄酒或醋，以及草藥和香料。

Dessert consisted of thick fruit custards, pastries, nuts, cheese and luxury fruits like oranges, figs and dates. There were also entremets – various decorated nibbles glazed with sugar and honey – which were served before the dessert course at Christmas and other feasts. To drink there was red and white wine (from a cup shared with one's dining partner) which was drunk young as it had a short shelf-life. Wine was often mixed with water or sweetened with honey or sugar. Alternatives were cider and ale, although the latter, made from grains and fermented with yeast, was considered a lower class drink. Beer made using hops would only appear in the late Middle Ages. Dessert might be accompanied by a jug of spiced wine. While all this feasting was going in the Great Hall, the servants of a castle were not forgotten as traditionally they were given better food at Christmas such as geese and hens. Finally, the leftovers of the feast were taken outside to the waiting poor.

? ? ? ? ? 甜品包括厚厚的水果凍、糕點、堅果、奶酪和豪華水果，如橙子、無花果和棗。也有entremets——用糖和蜂蜜涂抹的各種裝飾零食——在圣誕節(jié)和其他宴會的甜點之前供應(yīng)。飲料有紅葡萄酒和白葡萄酒（與用餐伙伴共用一個杯子），由于保質(zhì)期短，所以要趁早喝。葡萄酒通常與水混合，或用蜂蜜或糖加甜。另外還有蘋果酒和啤酒，盡管后者由谷物制成，用酵母發(fā)酵，被認為是一種低級別的飲料。使用啤酒花制作的啤酒在中世紀晚期才會出現(xiàn)。甜品可能伴隨著一壺香料酒。當這些盛宴都在大禮堂進行時，城堡的仆人們也沒有被遺忘，因為傳統(tǒng)上他們在圣誕節(jié)會得到更好的食物，如鵝和母雞。最后，盛宴的殘羹剩飯被送到外面等待的窮人手中。

The manor dining table might have had some surprising guests as serfs on the castle's estate did get to live it up a little at Christmas when, by tradition, they were invited to the manor on Christmas day for a meal. On some estates the invitations were restricted to just two lucky recipients, traditionally one of the poorest and one of the wealthiest peasants who could also invite two friends along. Unfortunately, most peasants invited to their local lord's abode had to bring along their own plates and firewood, and of course, all the food had been produced by themselves anyway. However, they did get free ale and it was at least a chance to see how the other half lived and relieve the dreariness of a country winter.

? ? ? ? ? 莊園的餐桌上可能有一些令人驚訝的客人，因為按照傳統(tǒng)，城堡莊園的農(nóng)奴在圣誕節(jié)會被邀請到莊園里吃一頓飯，這讓他們的生活變得更加豐富。在一些莊園里，邀請只限于兩個幸運兒，傳統(tǒng)上是一個最貧窮的農(nóng)民和一個最富有的農(nóng)民，他們還可以邀請兩個朋友一起。不幸的是，大多數(shù)被邀請到當?shù)仡I(lǐng)主住所的農(nóng)民不得不帶上自己的盤子和柴火，當然，所有的食物都是自己生產(chǎn)的。然而，他們確實得到了免費的啤酒，這至少是一個看到貴族們?nèi)绾紊畹臋C會，并緩解了鄉(xiāng)村冬天的沉悶。

農(nóng) 民的圣誕節(jié)

A peasant's Christmas was obviously rather less grand than that enjoyed in the local manor or castle and, for them, the season did not start well. Serfs, already subjected to all manner of odd fees over the year, were expected to give a 'gift' to their lord at Christmas of extra bread, eggs and perhaps even a valuable rooster or a couple of hens. In contrast, free labourers on the estate, especially the more important ones such as the estate's shepherd, swineherd and oxherd, received presents from the lord, typically a bonus of food, drink, clothes and firewood. It is a tradition which continued into later centuries when household servants received a box of gifts on the 26th of December, hence the name of that day in Britain: Boxing Day. Children's gifts from their humble parents included such simple toys as spinning tops, whistles, stilts, marbles, dolls, and figures made from wood or clay.

? ? ? ? ? 農(nóng)民的圣誕節(jié)顯然沒有當?shù)厍f園或城堡里的圣誕節(jié)那么隆重，對他們來說，這個季節(jié)的開始并不順利。農(nóng)奴在一年中已經(jīng)承受了各種奇怪的費用，在圣誕節(jié)要給他們的領(lǐng)主送上一份 "禮物"，包括額外的面包、雞蛋，甚至可能是一只有價值的公雞或幾只母雞。相比之下，莊園里的自由勞動者，尤其是比較重要的勞動者，如莊園的牧羊人、養(yǎng)豬人和放牛人，會收到領(lǐng)主的禮物，通常是食物、飲料、衣服和木柴的獎勵。這一傳統(tǒng)一直延續(xù)到后來的幾個世紀，家庭仆人會在12月26日收到一箱禮物，因此這一天在英國被稱為 "節(jié)禮日"。這一天，孩子們從他們父母那里得到的禮物包括諸如陀螺、哨子、高蹺、彈珠、娃娃以及用木頭或粘土制作的人物等簡單玩具。

Peasants would have decorated their homes much as aristocrats did, with greenery such as holly being readily available for those who searched for it. An old, possibly pagan tradition persisted, which was the burning of a Yule log. Actually a sizeable piece of tree trunk, the log was lit on Christmas Eve in homes of all kind and kept burning for the twelve days of Christmas. For the special meals of the holiday peasants ate that rare delicacy of – usually boiled – meat, treated themselves to cheese and eggs, ate cakes and drank ale. Of the latter there was certainly lots, the brew typically made by peasant women.

? ? ? ? ? 農(nóng)民會像貴族一樣裝飾自己的家，那些幫助貴族尋找冬青的人很容易得到冬青之類的綠色植物。一個古老的，可能是異教的傳統(tǒng)依然存在，那就是燒圣誕樹。實際上是一塊很大的樹干，在圣誕節(jié)前夕，各種家庭都會點燃這根木頭，并在圣誕節(jié)的12天里一直燃燒。在節(jié)日的特殊膳食中，農(nóng)民們會吃一些日常很少吃的美味，通常是煮熟的肉，吃奶酪和雞蛋，吃蛋糕，喝啤酒。啤酒當然有很多，通常是由農(nóng)婦釀制的酒。

The 1st of January was important as people hoped for better fortune in the coming year. A superstition developed, like the gifts the rich exchanged on this day, that it was terribly important who the first person to visit one's home was on New Year's Day. Called 'first-footing', certain characteristics were considered desirable in this first visitor: a male with a dark complexion, perhaps fair-haired and, best of all, with flat feet.

? ? ? ? ? 1月1日很重要，因為人們希望來年能有更好的運氣。這在當時形成了一種迷信，就像富人在這一天交換的禮物一樣；在元旦這一天第一個到訪的人是誰非常重要。這被稱為 "第一腳"，人們認為這第一個來訪者的某些特征是可取的：男性，膚色深，也許是白發(fā)，最好是平腳。

圣誕節(jié) 的娛樂活動

There were all kinds of entertainments on offer over the Christmas period. Drinking alcohol was the most popular of all and the fact that merry-making could easily get out of hand is attested by the common custom of lords paying special watchmen to guard their estates in case of riots. A record from an estate near Saint Paul's Cathedral in London tells us that watchmen were set from Christmas Day to Twelfth Night and that these men were recompensed by 'a good fire in the hall, one white loaf, one cooked dish, and a gallon of ale [per day]' (quoted in Gies, 208). Even if drinking such large quantities was relatively common and the ale weak, with four and a half litres of ale per watchman it is a wonder they themselves did not get a bit rowdy.

? ? ? ? ? 圣誕節(jié)期間有各種各樣的娛樂活動。飲酒是最受歡迎的，而歡樂的氣氛很容易失控，這一點可以從領(lǐng)主們雇傭特別看守員來看守他們的莊園以防止暴亂的普遍習俗中得到證明。倫敦圣保羅大教堂附近的一個莊園的記錄告訴我們，從圣誕節(jié)到第十二夜都有看守人員，這些人的報酬是 "大廳里的火爐，一個白面包，一份熟菜，以及一加侖的啤酒[每天]"（引自吉斯，208）。即使飲用大量的啤酒是比較常見的，因為當時啤酒度數(shù)很低，但每個看門人有四升半的啤酒，他們自己不變得有點吵鬧才怪。

More genteel festive entertainment included monks touring and performing plays in private residences which told key episodes from the Bible, especially, of course, seasonal topics such as the Massacre of the Innocents by Herod. Similarly, in cities, medieval guilds put on public pageants where wagons went through the streets carrying people dressed as personalities from the Bible's Christmas story. Troupes of masked pantomime artists known as mummers went through the streets, too, accompanied by bands of musicians. Sometimes numbering over 100 revellers, they dressed in outlandish costumes as lords, cardinals and knights, and even ventured into people's homes to dance and play dice. Receiving food and drink in return for their entertainment, mummers often performed short plays with scenes from familiar legends such as Saint George and the dragon.

? ? ? ? ? 更有風度的節(jié)日娛樂活動包括僧侶們在私人住宅中巡回演出，講述《圣經(jīng)》中的關(guān)鍵情節(jié)，當然，特別是帶有節(jié)日特性的話題，如希律王對無辜者的屠殺。同樣，在城市里，中世紀的行會會舉辦公共慶典，馬車載著裝扮成《圣經(jīng)》中圣誕故事人物的人穿過街道。被稱為 "啞巴 "的假面劇團也會在音樂家的陪同下穿過街道。有時人數(shù)超過100人，他們身著怪異的服裝，裝扮成貴族、紅衣主教和騎士，甚至冒險進入人們的家中跳舞和玩骰子。作為娛樂活動的回報，巫師們經(jīng)常表演短劇，內(nèi)容是人們熟悉的傳奇故事，如圣喬治與龍。

There were games like cards and dice (which included a bit of gambling) and board games such as chess, checkers, backgammon and Nine Men's Morris. Traditional Christmas games included the 'king of the bean' which permitted the person who found a hidden bean in the bread or a special cake to be 'king' or 'queen' of the feast. That honoured person then had the right to lord it over everyone else who often had to mimic whatever action the king or queen did at the table. The game was traditionally played on Twelfth Night and was an example of the tried-and-tested role-reversal hilarity which went back to Rome's pagan December festival of Saturnalia.

? ? ? ? ? 當時有紙牌和骰子（包括一些賭博）等游戲，以及國際象棋、跳棋、雙陸棋和九宮格等棋類游戲。傳統(tǒng)的圣誕游戲包括 "豆王"，允許在面包或特殊蛋糕中發(fā)現(xiàn)藏有豆子的人成為宴會的 "國王 "或 "皇后"。然后，這個受人尊敬的人有權(quán)支配其他人，而其他人往往不得不模仿國王或王后在餐桌上的任何動作。這個游戲傳統(tǒng)上是在第十二夜進行的，是一個經(jīng)過考驗的角色反轉(zhuǎn)搞笑的例子，可以追溯到羅馬的異教十二月節(jié)土星節(jié)。

Christmas meals were followed by more drinking of wine or beer, singing of songs, including carols, and group dancing to music from pipes, flutes, lutes and drums. Professional acrobats and jongleurs (minstrels) performed their tricks and witty verses. Folktales were told, embellished and re-told every year, puppet shows were put on and people played parlour games, many of which survive today such as blind man's buff and prisoner's base. Another such game involved one member of the party being dressed as a saint while everyone else had to make them an offering (no doubt, an amusing one) which they had to do without smiling and resisting the antics of the saint or else they themselves became the saint. Another game was 'The King Who Does Not Lie' when the 'king of the feast' might ask a question to any guest who, if they answered truthfully, could ask a question in return. Such games were, of course, a chance to show one's wit and skill at wordplay, to embarrass a friend or to find out a sweetheart's inclinations.

? ? ? ? ? 圣誕餐后，人們更多的是喝葡萄酒或啤酒，唱歌曲，包括頌歌，并在長笛、琵琶和鼓的音樂聲中集體跳舞。專業(yè)的雜技演員和小丑（吟游詩人）表演他們的把戲和吟誦詼諧的詩句。民間故事每年都會被講述、潤色和重述，木偶戲也會上演，人們還玩起了庭院游戲，其中許多游戲至今仍在進行，如盲人摸象和囚徒之壘。另一個游戲是將聚會中的一名成員打扮成圣人，而其他人必須為他們提供祭品（毫無疑問，是一個有趣的祭品），他們必須做到不笑，并抵制圣人的滑稽行為，否則他們自己就會成為圣人。另一個游戲是 "不撒謊的國王"，"宴會國王 "可以向任何客人提出問題，如果他們?nèi)鐚嵒卮?，可以反問一句。當然，這樣的游戲是展示一個人的機智和文字游戲技巧的機會，可以讓朋友難堪，或者了解愛人的傾向。

For the more energetic there were sports such as feats of strength, archery, wrestling, bowling, hockey and medieval football where the goal was to move the ball to a predetermined destination and there were few, if any, rules. Sliding on frozen lakes was a popular activity in winter, too. Alternatively, by strapping the shin bones of a horse to the feet and grabbing a pole for propulsion, the courageous could try ice skating.

? ? ? ? ? 對于精力充沛的人來說，有一些運動，如力量的展示、射箭、摔跤、保齡球、曲棍球和中世紀足球，其目標是將球移動到預(yù)定的目的地，也沒有什么規(guī)則。在冰凍的湖面上滑行也是冬季的一項流行活動。另外，一些人通過將馬的脛骨綁在腳上并抓住一根桿子進行推進，勇敢的人可以嘗試這樣滑冰。

節(jié) 日的結(jié) 束

Christmas through the ages has witnessed festive fun and frolics and so, inevitably, the return to ordinary working life must have been something of a shock in the medieval period after this longest of holidays. However, even then peasants made a celebratory game of the proceedings by, for example, holding a plough race at sunrise on the first Monday after Epiphany, known as Plough Monday. There was another tradition, perhaps again to lighten the burden of returning to the daily toil, on 7th January, also known as Saint Distaff's Day. This day was, “a day of carnival, an occasion for 'misrule', for 'comic battles between the sexes' in which men set fire to women's flax and women made sure men got soaked” (Leyser, 225).

? ? ? ? ? 歷代的圣誕節(jié)都見證了節(jié)日的歡樂和嬉戲，因此，不可避免地，在中世紀，在這個最長的假期之后，回歸普通的工作生活對人們來說一定是一種沖擊。然而，即使在那個時候，農(nóng)民們也把這個過程當作一種慶祝游戲，例如，在主顯節(jié)后的第一個星期一，在日出時分舉行犁地比賽，被稱為犁地星期一。還有一個傳統(tǒng)，也許是為了減輕回到日常勞作中的負擔，在1月7日，也被稱為圣女節(jié)。這一天是 "狂歡的日子，是'誤治'的場合，是'兩性之間的滑稽戰(zhàn)斗'，男人放火燒女人的亞麻，女人確保男人被淋濕"（Leyser, 225）。