VOA常速英语:Popular Outdoor Market Exudes Holiday Spirit

There’s something for everyone at this popular holiday market in downtown Washington. It’s easy to find the perfect holiday gift and meet the artist who created it, like Ryan Iker.
在华盛顿市中心这个很受欢迎的假日市场上，每个人都可以买到自己心仪的东西。在这里，人们很容易找到完美的节日礼物，并可以与创造这件物品的制作者面对面，比如制作者瑞安艾克。

I am doing flame working. I’m making glass pendants with torch.For me, being able to be out here and to meet people and, you know, have them appreciate what I do, you know, it means a lot to me.
我在用烧火来完成这项工作，用火把做玻璃吊坠。对我来说，能够在这里和购买者面对面，让他们能够欣赏我所做的这一切，这对我来说意义重大。

Hector Zarate represents 17 native Peruvian artisans whose one-of-a-kind creations include ornaments, mirrors and hand-woven alpaca clothing.
赫克托·扎拉特是17位秘鲁本土工匠的代表，他们创作了许多独一无二的作品，包括装饰品、镜子和手工编织的羊驼服饰。

He says people enjoy meeting or learning about the people behind the products.
他说，人们喜欢见一见或是去了解这些产品背后的人。

I think the idea of engaging 1o1 with the artists, with the sources,with the people that represent the artists here is very important to them.They feel connected, they feel like they’re supporting local businesses in a more direct way.
我认为让购买者直接与艺术家接触，与产品源头接触，与代表制作者的人接触，对他们来说是非常重要的。他们能感觉到彼此间的联系，这能让他们觉得自己在以一种更直接的方式支持当地的企业。

That personal connection is a definite draw for shoppers. It’s a way to get real authentic things that are handmade and have meaning perhaps beyond what you can find in the apartment store,for your family, do something special.
这种人际关系对购物者来说无疑是一个吸引人的因素。这能让人们获取到货真价实的物品，这些东西是手工制作的，而且它们所蕴含的意义要远超于你在商店买到的物品，你可以为你的家人做点特别的事情。

It’s a more personal shopping experience as well because you’re talking maybe directly to the artist or the person that made the beautiful piece of wood that you’re gonna serve your cheese on.So it’s a system, it’s a more total experience.
这也是一种更加个性化的购物体验，因为你可能会直接和制作者交谈，比如说可以和制作了那块可以盛放奶酪的漂亮木头的人交谈。这是一个体系，能够让人们有更加完整的购物体验。

And that’s what the market is all about, says event co-founder and organizer, Mike Phirman.
这项活动的共同创始人兼组织者迈克·菲尔曼说，这就是市场的意义所在。

We do something a little bit different here where we really focus on the entrepreneur,the small businesses, the artisans, the creators of their own products.
我们在这里做着一些不同的事情，我们真正关注的是商业家、小企业、工匠、产品的创造者。

So we really have unique items and unique gifts that you can’t find anywhere else.It also is great interactive festive atmosphere outside and it’s joyful and it’s fun and there’s something for everybody.
因此，我们具备在其它地方找不到的独特的产品、独特的礼物。这里有很好的节日互动气氛，快乐又有趣，而且每个人在这都能买到心仪的东西。

Organizers expect more than 10,000 people will visit the market every day before it closes on Christmas Eve.
这里的组织者预计，在圣诞前夜市场关闭前，每天将有1万多人参观该市场。

Julie Tabo VOA News Washington.
美国之音记者Julie Tabo华盛顿报道。