世界最古老圣诞树 124年后再放光彩

　　Families all over the country follow the same annual tradition of getting the artificia Christmas tree out of its box when the time comes to put up the decorations.But the Parker family has been doing it longer than any other because they are still using a tree they first bought in 1886.Complete with the original baubles and tinsel, their 14 inch tree is in its 124th year and has been authenticated as the world's oldest imitation Christmas tree.It cost six pence when it was bought in the mid-Victorian era but was last valued at ?1,000 by experts at the Antiques Road Show in 2005.
　　这是英国家庭中的一个习俗：佳节前夕，他们从储物盒中取出人造圣诞树，并将之装饰一新。而帕克一家的这一传统似乎要比别家久远得多，因为他们依旧使用着一棵购买于1886年的圣诞树。这课“树龄”已达124年，它的金属枝干与挂饰均保存完好，被认为现存最古老的仿真圣诞树。在当时的维多利亚时代，这棵树的售价为六个便士，而在2005年的一次古董展上，它的估价以飞涨至1000英镑。

　　Owner Paul Parker received the delicate ornament after his mother, Janet, passed away at the age of 69 in 2008, and is the third generation of his family to enjoy it.Displaying the tree for the first time since his mother's death, Mr Parker is delighted to be carrying on the family tradition. 'I will proudly be displaying the tree this year,' said Mr Parker, 45, a mathematician from Bath. 'My mother treasured it when she was alive and my father Grahame is comforted that I will be carrying on the family tradition.

　　圣诞树的主人珍妮于2008年辞世，保罗“继承”了这一精致的装饰品，而今年也是自08年之后，外界首次一睹这株圣诞树的风采，“今年能向大家展示这株树，我非常的自豪，”现年45岁的保罗说，“我母亲健在时，将之视为珍宝，我会延续家族的这一传统。”

　　'It may not look like much but it has been part of our Christmas celebrations for so many years. It was one of those things the we just grew up with.But everything changed when mum saw an advert in the local paper asking for the oldest decorations.She thought that our old Christmas tree could be important - and she was right.'

　　“他可能看起来并不起眼，但却陪伴我们从小到大，度过了很多个圣诞佳节。我的母亲在本地报纸上看到了征集古早装饰品的广告，她意识到了树的价值，的确，她是对的。”

　　'It was never meant as a replacement tree, it's ornamental,' said Mr Parker, who was given the tree by his 88-year-old father.

　　'Christmas really took off for the Victorians because of the influence of Prince Albert and the German tradition of the Tannenbaum Christmas tree.

　　'This little tree would have been produced for the same reason ornaments of nativity scenes were made, as a Christmas symbol for the family.'

　　“它的价值不在于是作为真树的替代品，而是具有了很高的观赏性。”保罗解释道，“圣诞节这一习俗是在维多利亚时期受到阿尔贝亲王与德国传统的坦南鲍姆圣诞树双重影响所普遍开来的。这棵小树是作为对于耶稣诞生的纪念，对于家庭来说更是圣诞节的象征。”

　　On Christmas day 2010 the aged tree will be on display on the mantle piece of Mr Parker

　　home as he shares a turkey dinner and glass of wine with his father.

　　在今年的圣诞之时，这个“古董树”将在保罗-帕克的家里重放光彩，大家会在它的陪伴下，共享美食佳肴。