Special Trees and Plants are Part of the Christmas Tradition (1/2)

December twenty-fifth is Christmas. The holiday has many traditions. Some special trees and plants are part of the Christmas tradition.

One of the most popular is the evergreen tree. It is usually a pine or a fir. It remains green during the cold, dark months of winter in the northern part of the world. Many people buy an evergreen tree for Christmas. They put it in their house and hang small lights and colorful objects on its branches. Some people buy living trees and plant them after the Christmas holiday. Others cut down a tree or buy a cut tree.

Another popular evergreen plant is mistletoe. It has small white berries and leaves that feel like leather. The traditional Christmas mistletoe is native to Europe. Mistletoe is a parasite" class="hjdict" word="parasite" target=_blank>parasite plant. It grows by connecting itself to a tree and stealing the tree's food and water.

It can be found on apple trees, lindens, maples and poplars. Priests of the Druid religion of ancient Britain and France believed mistletoe had magical powers. Today, some people hang mistletoe in a doorway at Christmas time. If you meet someone under the mistletoe, tradition gives you permission to kiss that person.

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12月25日是圣诞节，这个节日有着许多的传统。一些特别种类的树和植物就是圣诞传统中的一部分。

这其中最受欢迎的是常青树。一般是一棵松树或者冷杉。他们在北半球冬天最寒冷的日子里依然保持着他们的绿意。许多人会买一棵常青树过圣诞, 人们把它放在他们的房间中，然后在他们的枝丫上挂满小小的彩灯和彩色的物品。一些人喜欢买活着的树，并在圣诞过后把他们种在某处。而其他人有的会选择去砍掉一棵树或者买一段砍下的树。

另一种受欢迎的常青植物叫槲寄生。它有着白色的小浆果和羽状叶片。这种传统圣诞节里的槲寄生原产于欧洲，是一种寄生植物。槲寄生通过与树木相连，借用树木的营养和水分生存。

人们在苹果树、菩提树、枫树、白杨木上都可以找到槲寄生的影子。古代英国和法国德鲁伊特教的牧师认为槲寄生有着神奇的力量。如今人们在圣诞节的时候将槲寄生挂于门上，而如果你在槲寄生下邂逅了某人，那么按习俗将赋予你亲吻这个人的权利。