VOA常速英语:Americans Get Creative With Holiday Decorations

Traditional Christmas trees have been lit for weeks in communities across the United States, and now being joined by giant menorahs for the Chanukah week, how is the lights brighten community parks and family homes. For some Americans holiday season is the time to be creative without door displays.This man in New Albany Indiana has spent thirty five hundred dollars to decorate his front yard, for the whole neighborhood to enjoy.
美国各个社区的传统圣诞树已经点燃数周了,现如今光明节的大烛台也加入装扮行列，光线照亮了社区公园和千家万户。对有些美国人而言，圣诞季是一个没有门槛的创意展会。这位来自印第安纳州新奥尔巴尼的先生花了3500美元装饰他的前院，以便所有邻居共同欣赏。

“I’ll live for it. I’d rather do something for somebody else than there for myself, that’s just, that’s who I am.”Neighbors often compete. This house in New York State is decorated with 215 thousand lights and surrounded by dozens of reindeer, snowmen, Christmas trees, Santas and other traditional figures.But a family in San Antonio Texas has chosen a display of lights and music with the Star Wars theme.
我为此而活，我宁愿为别人做点什么而不是为自己，就是这样，这就是我。邻居们也常常会相互竞争。这座位于纽约州的房子装饰了21.5万灯光，并且周围环绕着几十只驯鹿、雪人、圣诞树、圣诞老人和其他传统形象。但在德克萨斯州圣安东尼奥的一户人家则选择用星球大战主题作了灯光音乐展。

In private homes traditional decor also competed with new ideas, this lady in northern Colorado decorates her home with more than 1000 Santas. While many families want something new and different, traditional colors and shapes get updated with new designs and materials.
在私人住宅中传统装饰与新想法也互有竞争，这位家住北科罗拉多的女士用1000多个圣诞老人装扮了她家。许多户人家想要些新的、不一样的装饰物，所以传统装饰物的颜色和形状也在设计和材质上有了提升。

“It’s very brass and silver a lot of mixed contemporary ideas this year.”Schools, businesses and organizations use the opportunity to bring awareness to issues and causes they support. A Christmas tree park in San Jose California displays trees with religious as well as social and political messages, which some people find inappropriate.“For Christmas you celebrate the birth of Christ and what he did for us.”But organizers say any display is acceptable as long as it’s not vulgar and discriminatory.“It’s not our job to judge, it’s to accept and there are many different religions, there’s many different organizations that participate.”
今年是黄铜和白银混合、非常有当代七夕的创意。学校、企业和组织利用这个机会使人们意识到问题并且选择支持。在加利福尼亚州圣何塞的一家圣诞树公园，展出了一些带有宗教和社会政治相关信息的圣诞树，有些人认为这些行为不恰当。圣诞节是人们为了庆祝基督诞生和纪念他为我们付出的节日。但组织者称只要不低俗、不具歧视性，任何展览都是可以接受的。我们的职责不是去评判，而是接受，有很多不同的宗教和组织参与其中。

And while there is still time for Christmas preparations, New York City is getting ready for its spectacular New Year’s Eve party.Two huge numbers that will make up 2018, arrived to the city Wednesday.And that two hundred lightbulbs were tested to make sure they work during the countdown to midnight.
尽管还有时间进行圣诞节筹备工作，纽约市正在为极其盛大的跨年派对做准备。组成2018的两个巨大数字将会在周三抵达纽约市。并对200个灯泡进行检测，以确保它们在跨年倒计时期间正常工作。

Zlatica Hoke VOA News Washington.
VOA记者霍克华盛顿播报。