Holly 常青树

The bright red and green of holly symbolizes rebirth. There are several legends regarding holly. According to one of these legends, holly branches were woven into Christ's crown of thorns. Therefore, the once white berries were stained red by the blood of Christ. Holly also represents joy and peace.

参考译文

冬青的红绿相间象征着重生。与冬青有关的有许多传说。根据其中的一个传说，冬青的枝被编成了耶酥的花冠。因此，本来是白色的果实被耶酥的血染成了红色。冬青同时也代表了欢乐与和平。

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Mistletoe 槲寄生

Mistletoe, a woody plant with leathery green leaves and white berries, is hung above doorways during the Christmas season. Tradition says that a person caught standing underneath the hanging mistletoe can not refuse to give a kiss to anyone who might ask. Needless to say this has resulted in many a kiss being given both in friendship and in passion. You may well be wondering where this warm Christmastime tradition came from and I think you will be surprised to learn that this custom was actually inspired by a very ancient Norse legend. This legend tells of Balder， the god of peace， who was killed by the evil god Loki with an arrow made of mistletoe - mistletoe was the only thing that could hurt Balder. When Balder's mother， Frigga - the goddess of love， found out about her son's death she was grief-stricken. She and the other gods worked desperately to restore Balder's life and when they had at last succeeded Frigga was so grateful that she promised to bestow a kiss upon anyone who stood beneath the mistletoe. Thus， this ancient legend not only created the "kissing tradition" that we know today but also enshrined forever the mistletoe as a symbol of love， peace and forgiveness - three qualities which are an essential part of the Christmas spirit

 檞寄生叶子绿而坚韧，结白色小浆果，人们在圣诞佳节时分将其悬挂在门口。有个习俗是若你站在檞寄生下方时，有人要求亲吻你，你可不能拒绝对方喔。不消说很多时候人们会因友情、爱慕之情而要求亲吻。你或许会纳闷这个温馨的圣诞习俗打哪儿来的？你可能会惊讶它的由来是古挪威民间传说。传说和平之神伯德，被邪恶之神罗其以世上唯一可致其死地的武器，也就是檞寄生所制的箭刺死。伯德的母亲-爱神费迦得知此事时悲痛万分，于是和众神拼命地挽救伯德的生命，最后终于成功地将他救活。费迦实在太感激了，便允诺只要有谁站在檞寄生下，便赐给那人一个亲吻。因此这个传说不但造就了一个至今我们所熟悉的亲 吻习俗，也永远将檞寄生象征的含意，也就是爱、和平、宽恕保存下来，而这三者也正是圣诞节重要的精神所在。

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 Rosemary 迷迭香

 Rosemary is yet another Christmas green. Though now it is used to mainly season foods, during the Middle Ages it was spread on the floor at Christmas. As people walked on it, the fragrant smell arose filling the house. The story associated with the shrub is that Mary laid the garments of the Christ Child on its branches and caused it to have such a wonderful aroma. It is also said that rosemary is extremely offensive to evil spirits, thus, being well suited to the advent of their Conqueror. The name rosemary is given, too, an association to the Virgin Mary\'s name, making it all the more fitting for the Christmas season.

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Ivy常春藤

Ivy has been a symbol of eternal life in the pagan world and then came to represent new promise and eternal life in the Christian world. Ivy is more of an English Christmas green than an American one. It is considered a feeble clinging plant, rather feminine in nature, not at all like the masculine sturdy holly leaf. It was the ancient symbol of Bacchus, the god of wine and revelry.

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Laurel 月桂树

Among the Romans who remained pagan, the laurel leaf was sacred to the sun god Apollo. In the Christian sect it came to symbolize the triumph of Humanity as represented by the Son Man. Bay is also a name used for laurel. As the bay tree, the true laurel of the Ancients, is scarce in England. Substitutions such the common cherry laurel, the Portugal laurel, the Aucuba and others are often used. A British Christmas carol about the three kings leans heavily on the word "laurel".

"We come walking with our staves, wreathed with laurel: We seek the King Jesus, Him that saves, To Bring Him laurel..."