2015-01-03

【Aiden in English】

        Charles Dickens, as I have said before, had a huge influence over the globe. So influencing the Byers’ Choice, a company in Chalfont of PA, made a mini Dickensian village described in Dickens’ novella of A Christmas Carol in its museum. 

        When I meant mini, I meant really, really mini like a person was the-size-of-a-pencil-mini. Byers’ Choice has a store that sells handcrafts their artisans create to those who aren’t so crazy about all the lights on Christmas. For 30 years, they have been making hundreds and hundreds of carolers and putting them on display. This year’s theme like Macy’s was Dickens Village in tiny towns, dressed in tiny old fashion clothes, had their mouths wide open, and music pumped through speakers that I couldn’t see. This gave the feeling that all tiny-tiny dolls were singing. Fake, white snow covered the grounds of the village, while Christmas ornaments hung on houses. Then, Byers’ Choice threw something I had no idea that would happen. Displays showed people celebrating Christmas world-wide. People in Scandinavia celebrated Christmas in farms, while people in England came out in their little towns to say hello.

        Byers’ Choice is certainly putting up a show and by all means. I guess that they want to say to all visitors this Christmas is for everyone. I would like them to do it again next year.

【红霞译文】

        正如我前面文章里所描述的那样，查尔斯•狄更斯对全世界影响极深，远在费城的不讲，且说附近有这么一家位于宾州查尔方特镇名叫“拜尔斯选择” 有限公司，就以狄更斯中篇小说《圣诞颂歌》为蓝本，在自家博物馆搭建了微型狄更斯村庄。

        我这里指的微型确实特别小，小到人的高矮仅有铅笔那么大。“拜尔斯选择”内设小卖部，里面出售本公司手工艺人创造的工艺产品，深得那些并非迷恋圣诞灯顾客的青睐。过去卅年来，数以百计欢唱圣诞礼赞的人雕已与观众见面；今年欢庆主题与费城梅西百货商场不谋而合，模型中的城镇乡间全部装点成狄更斯村庄，小人们身着纤巧古老的服装张开大口随音乐高声欢唱，人造白雪覆盖整个大街小巷，家家户户披红挂绿，显得喜气洋。出乎意料地，展厅里还有世界各地欢度圣诞的场景：斯堪的纳维亚半岛农场、英格兰田园乡村等。

        “拜尔斯选择”尽其所能将圣诞传统展现在人们面前，无非就想与广大观众共享节日快乐，圣诞属于我们每一个人，但愿明年继续展出。