Discovering America’s Unique Holiday Traditions

ELITE CULTURE

How people across the country embrace the season

州州歡慶 聖誕佳節尋奇

By Skylar Parker

IDAHO

COLORADO: TRACKING SANTA With the help of NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command center, based in Colorado Springs, you can track Santa through the skies and beyond. It’s a local tradition that became one enjoyed around the world. Today, hundreds of thousands of children call the NORAD Santa hotline every Christmas Eve to speak to Santa and his team of elves. NORAD’s Santa Tracker receives 30 million visitors annually on Christmas Eve, from all over the world. For the inside scoop on NORAD’s Santa-tracking system, see the holiday feature “Where in the World Is Santa Claus?,” on page 16.

科羅拉多：聖誕雪撬在哪裡？ 在北美空防司令部（簡稱NORAD）的幫助下，可以在 聖誕夜追蹤聖誕老人的即時行蹤。這項活動源自一場 美麗的意外——1950年代某個聖誕節前夕，美國西爾 斯（Sears）百貨不小心在廣告中，錯置了一組聖誕老人 的電話號碼，於是，孩子們打給聖誕老人的電話，都轉 引至隸屬美軍的祕密熱線。該意外卻演變成最受歡迎 的佳節傳統。現在，每年都有成百上千的孩子們，會打 到NORAD的聖誕熱線，和聖誕老人以及精靈們說話。 NORAD也因此設計了一個「聖誕老人追蹤器」，讓全世 界都能看見聖誕老人的雪橇和整車的禮物，到了哪個好 孩子的家。據統計，每年聖誕夜平均會有三千萬人次造 訪此追蹤器。（本期收錄NORAD聖誕老人追蹤特輯， 更多獨家揭祕，請參見16頁） COLORADO

IDAHO: TUBA CHRISTMAS FOR MUSIC LOVERS TubaChristmas is Boise’s long-awaited annual holiday —a community event for tuba and euphonium musicians that dates back to 1922. The musicians, a mix of novice and veteran players, come from a variety of ages, backgrounds, and professions. Locals typically gather around the state capitol building, where the musical ensemble plays a range of traditional holiday songs for all to enjoy.

愛達荷：震撼力十足的低音大喇叭聖誕節 「低音號慶聖誕」是備受博伊西住民期待的年度活動，僅 由低音號和上低音號樂手組成，歷史可追溯至1922年。音 樂家們無論新手老手、無論年紀、無論背景、職業齊聚一 堂，在州議會大廈演奏傳統聖誕歌曲，讓大家一同歡慶。

INDIANA

ALABAMA

THIS ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED IN AMERICAN ESSENCE MAGAZINE. ALABAMA: A THEATER PARTY WITH MOVIES AND SING-ALONGS Each year, during the month of December, locals in downtown Birmingham, Alabama, gather together at the Alabama Theatre for a special holiday movie marathon featuring classic Christmas films. Attending the theater during the holidays has become a family tradition. Doors open one hour before showtime, and sing-alongs, which take place before every screening, feature The Mighty Wurlitzer Organ, one of the few remaining pipe organs left from the early 20th century. Alabamans also enjoy indulging in a Southern delicacy—pecan pie—and if they’re lucky, paying a visit to the famed Priester’s Pecans at Fort Deposit for some pecan candy. INDIANA: 18TH-CENTURY TRADITIONS AND MODERN AUTOMOBILE RACING As one of the first pioneer states in America, Indiana has plenty of fascinating history. Fishers, Indiana, hosts holiday events every year. The most notable is its Merry Prairie Holiday tradition, where locals can get a taste of Christmas during the late 18th century. The state is also well-known for its spectacular motorcar racing, particularly the Indy 500, which creates a special feature during the holidays in the form of a drive-thru light show, called Lights at the Brickyard. There, families can take their cars for a two-mile drive down an illuminated racetrack.

印地安納：十八世紀傳統巡禮與賽車場賞燈 印第安納為最早加入聯邦政府的其中一州，有許多迷人 的歷史文化。費舍市每年都有聖誕慶祝活動，其中的「歡 快草原節慶」享譽盛名，在那裡，可以體驗十八世紀的早 期拓荒者如何慶祝聖誕。印第安納州還有盛大的汽車比 賽，特別是「印第500」賽車系列賽，在聖誕假期當中會 舉辦「磚廠燈會」，將賽道布置絢爛燈飾。活動期間，一 般人也可以自駕愛車，載著家人一起穿梭在如銀河般閃 耀的賽道中。

阿拉巴馬：經典聖誕秀 每年十二月，位於阿拉巴馬伯明罕市區，眾多市民歡聚 阿拉巴馬劇院，一起觀賞聖誕經典老電影馬拉松。劇院 會在開場前一小時敞開大門，音樂家會演奏劇院裡那臺 二十世紀初期的老烏利茲管風琴，讓大家一齊歡唱聖誕 歌謠，還可以一起享用經典南方美食——胡桃派。來到 這，不妨順道前往迪波西特堡，造訪一間著名零嘴商號 Priester’s Pecans，買些胡桃糖回家過聖誕。

HAWAII: CHRISTMAS WITH A TROPICAL TWIST While most places enjoy the typical winter-themed festivities, Hawaiians have adopted a tropical twist on the traditional Christmas celebrations. Most locals import their Christmas trees months before the holidays begin, as the shipment requires a lengthy journey across the Pacific Ocean. Some grow their own trees— Hawaiin trees, that is. Walking around Hawaii, you will see palm trees, rather than firs, embellished with an assortment of lights. In Hawaii, Santa arrives at Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort—riding the waves in a canoe, instead of his usual sleigh. There, visitors and locals can watch as he is warmly welcomed by a keiki hula group. This event is followed by a traditional Hawaiian luau—a feast featuring lively music and cultural performances. The holiday dinner typically involves kalua roast pig, specially prepared in an underground oven called an imu.

夏威夷：乘風破浪渡聖誕 夏威夷人為聖誕節慶，加入滿滿的熱帶風情。由於夏 威夷許多物品都仰賴進口，當地人在節日到來之前數個 月，就開始準備聖誕樹，在訂購這些過節用品時，便要 算入穿越半個太平洋的漫長船期。聖誕期間，走在夏威 夷的街道上，總會看到許多閃亮燈飾環繞在棕櫚樹上， 而非典型的衫樹。當地的聖誕老人駕著獨木舟（不是雪 橇），乘風破浪抵達威基基海灘。訪客、當地人跟著兒 童夏威夷舞團，一起熱情地迎接聖誕老人的到來。該活 動緊接在夏威夷傳統盛宴盧奧（Luau）後，是充滿玻里 尼西亞文化與樂舞的晚宴，通常會有卡魯亞烤豬（用稱為 「伊姆」的地窯精心烤製而成），足具在地特色。

HAWAII

FLORIDA: BOAT PARADES Holiday boat parades are a Florida specialty. The state boasts some of the most iconic Intracoastal Waterway boat shows in the country. For Floridians, participating in one of these parades is an important part of their Christmas holiday tradition. Fireworks light up the Intracoastal Waterway, heralding a spectacular display of boats adorned with holiday lights and festive decorations as spectators gather along the waterway to enjoy music and fresh seasonal treats. Favorite locations include the boat parades in Boca Raton and Palm Beach. The Palm Beach Holiday Boat Parade partners with the U.S. Marine’s Toys for Tots organization, a toy drive that collects new, unwrapped toys to distribute to local children in need.

佛羅里達：水上聖誕嘉年華 水上遊行在節慶期間舉辦尤為常見。由於地形的因素， 美國一些最具代表性的沿岸水道遊艇展都是在此舉辦。 對佛羅里達居民而言，參加水上遊行是聖誕節重要的 傳統之一。此時延著沿岸水道遊玩，抬頭能望見燦爛煙 火，低頭則見裝載各種燈飾的大小船隻點亮整條水道， 璀璨不已。遊人聚集在水道兩旁，欣賞音樂、享用點心。 博卡拉頓（Boca Raton）跟棕櫚灘（Palm Beach）是 最熱門的賞船地點。此外，棕櫚灘聖誕船遊行，也與美 國海軍後備軍人發起的「Toys for Tots」慈善組織合作， 募集未拆封的新玩具，再將這些玩具分送給生活較為困 難的孩子作為聖誕禮，讓更多孩子都能享受節日的溫暖。

IMAGES COURTESY OF ALABAMA THEATRE, CONNER PRAIRIE, JEWEL SAMAD/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES, JOE RAEDLE, NORAD, SHUTTERSTOCK, AND YULETIDE AT WINTERTHUR. MAINE: CHRISTMAS FOR SEAFOOD LOVERS Maine is known for its flourishing fishing industry. The locals love seafood so much that they incorporate it into their holiday celebrations. You’ll find Christmas trees made from stacked lobster traps, and a holiday menu filled with seafood delights. Maine residents traditionally enjoy a hearty seafood chowder on Christmas Eve, and lighthouses all across the state are often lit up with Christmas lights. Boothbay hosts some of the most incredible light displays in all of Maine—using 650,000 LED lights and transforming forests into a spectacular winter wonderland.

緬因：海鮮愛好者的冬季樂園 當地的海產業蓬勃興盛，當地居民尤其熱愛海鮮，這也 體現在聖誕節慶祝活動上，像是用龍蝦捕籠箱堆疊而成 的高大聖誕樹，或者在節日季推出各式美味、海鮮滿溢 的節慶大餐，如暖心又暖胃的海鮮巧達湯，是緬因居民 必備的聖誕餐點。而州內的燈塔也常會隨著聖誕燈一起 打亮。布斯灣每年舉辦緬因州最盛大的燈會，用上65萬 盞LED燈，璀璨耀眼，寧靜的森林化身為冬季仙境。 DELAWARE: AN 1800S-STYLE CHRISTMAS Locals in Delaware enjoy re-creating what Christmas would have been like in the 1800s by attending Yuletide at Winterthur, home of American horticulturist and antique furniture collector Henry Francis du Pont. Considered the premier museum of American decorative arts, the home is transformed every year into a Christmas masterpiece. Visitors can learn about the traditional festivities celebrated by du Pont’s family during his lifetime, as well as view the assortment of early American furniture he collected during the course of his life. The highlight of the tour is viewing the pair of dried-flower trees covered with more than 60 varieties of flowers gathered on the property.

特拉華：十九世紀古典風華 特拉華居民藉由參加溫特梭爾聖誕佳期（Yuletide at Winterthur）活動，重溫1800年代時慶祝聖誕節的方 式。溫特梭爾博物館前身是美國園藝家、古董家具收藏 家亨利 · 法蘭西斯 · 杜邦的私宅。這是美國最棒的裝飾藝 術博物館之一，每年都會搖身一變為聖誕巨作。造訪者 可在此重溫杜邦家族如何慶祝耶誕，還可欣賞杜邦畢生 收藏的美國古董家具。參訪之旅的精采亮點，便是一對 由超過60種乾燥花組成的花樹，所有的花都來自溫特梭 爾博物館的花園，向所有綻放的花朵致敬。

MAINE

DELAWARE

FLORIDA