2016-02-13
【Aiden in English】
Chinese Spring Festival has come. It is one best time of the year, arguably better than Christmas. It’s sad that the time has passed now.
Wait a minute, hold your horses! Why is there still a party at China Grace Christian Church of PA? Apparently, because Chinese Lunar New Year was on a Monday, the festivities were pushed back a week. So that means more food, fun, and performances. A church party is an annual event that my family participates in, and it is a wide variety of shows from skits to comedies. This year, even before the performance, I knew it would be better, especially since I wasn’t actually a performer. Well, although it bolds well for me, my friends are pretty salty. I would be too because the kid’s performing has a great time every year. The night began with a legendary dinner, with some of the greatest Chinese food I’ve had in a while. Heaps of fried rice were served in huge trays, and they were followed by assorted meats and vegetables. The final table held cookies, cakes, and Chinese deserts. Loading my plate, I had my fill, as I knew the performance would require a lot of energy to clap.
One thing that I did not enjoy with the auditorium was the temperature this time. I know the highest temperature of the day was 17 degrees in Fahrenheit, but the warmth of the room was too cozy. It was easy to dose off in amateur performances, and it usually led to missing a nicer show. At least there weren’t many performances that got me bored. The age variety kept the audience on their feet, with experienced, aging singers and tiny, sweet voices ringing sound around the vast church. My personal favorite was then my friends went up to perform because it was terrible. Not that it was a bad performance, but that they were my friends and everything they did was bad. That really was the highlight of the night, as my friends and I left for the rest of the show to jeer at their bad singing skills.
Chinese New Year is our Christmas, although instead of presents, we get money which is even better. We go to the church, have delicious food, and most of all, be thankful and have a great time together. Oh, and also jeer at your friends.
【红霞译文】
春节好不容易来了，这是一年当中最美好的时光，可以说要比圣诞节过得痛快，如今又眼睁睁地望着它拂袖离去，心里真不是滋味。
且慢，先别早下结论！为什么宾州神州基督教会还要举行春晚联欢呢？原来中国农历新年正值周一，因此与之相关的大型庆典活动只好顺延至本周末举行，届时少不了吃喝玩乐各式音乐会，教堂也将推出一年一度的迎春盛会，从小品到喜剧表演，整套节目丰富多彩，一向备受我家老少追捧。今年本人由于没有登台任务，所以在开场之前情绪舒缓。是啊，我无事一身轻，而其他朋友却没法释然，对之我深有同感，因为每年肩负演出的同伴必须保持“最佳”状态。晚会先以极富传奇色彩的盛宴拉开序幕，我已经很久没有尝到诸多珍馐美馔，大盘大盘的炒米饭堆积如山，荤食素菜更是应有尽有，最后一台桌面摆满桃酥蛋糕中式点心。我选好满满一碟子小吃，“身体是革命本钱”，先把肚皮撑饱再说，这样才能积蓄力气为后面的演出鼓掌加油。
这回唯有礼堂的温度让我难以消受，要知道今天户外最高气温不过17oF／-8oC，而室内却相当暖和。于是，每逢业余演员献艺，我难免昏昏欲睡，弄不好就会错过精彩节目。好在这种场景不多，观众得以鉴赏不同年龄所表现出来的艺术风采，长辈独具磁性的歌喉与孩童别有甜美的声音久久回响在教堂大厅之中。我打心底喜欢哥们上台露怯，并不是说他们表演功底有啥问题，而是我巴不得他们当众出丑，既然彼此互为朋友，恶作剧堪称最开心的事情，只要他们唱歌跑调，我肯定抓住小辫子不放，冷嘲热讽挖苦打击，无所不用其极，接下来准保叫他们没好日子过。
其实中国新年就是我们炎黄子孙的圣诞节，虽然没有礼物相赠，却有压岁钱可讨，反倒更加实惠。我们来到教堂大块朵颐，最重要的是大家心存感激共同度过这样美好的夜晚，哦对了，还包括狠劲拿朋友开涮。
