又中又英｜At lightning speed

It’s almost Christmas, my favourite time of year. I love the Christmas feel, listening to Christmas carols, and eating a turkey dinner. This year has gone by at lightning speed for me. The idiom “at lightning speed” means extremely fast. I still clearly remember last Christmas. I was in Taipei for an extended stay. Taiwan doesn’t have a Christmas feel. Some shopping malls and hotels have Christmas trees and play carols, but Christmas is not a holiday. I loved the Christmas feel when I lived in the US, especially when it snowed. A Christmas with snow is called a White Christmas.

I loved looking at houses lit up with Christmas lights, listening to Christmas carols, decorating the Christmas tree with family members, and eating turkey. Hong Kong, where I grew up, also has a good Christmas feel, but I avoid going there now. It is too crowded with tourists, especially from the mainland. I am in Taipei again this Christmas. Like last year, I will create my own Christmas feel with carols and a simple Christmas dinner with sliced turkey meat. My Hong Kong friends in Taipei, who own small businesses or have jobs, must work on Christmas Day.

I don’t mind being alone during festivals because I am a loner. A loner is a person who likes to be alone or do things without other people. I arrived in Taipei from the US a day before Thanksgiving and spent it alone. I will do the same for Christmas and New Year. I will likely spend Chinese New Year with Taipei friends before returning to Hong Kong. I like being with people, but also enjoy being a loner.

差不多到圣诞节了，我一年中最喜爱的时节。我喜爱圣诞的气氛、聆听圣诞颂歌，以及吃一顿火鸡晚餐。对我来说这一年的过去是像闪电般飞快（at lightning speed）。成语“at lightning speed”是指极其快速。上一年的圣诞记忆犹新，当时我在台北，延长了逗留。台湾并没有甚么圣诞的感觉。一些商场和酒店会有圣诞树和播圣诞歌，但圣诞并非法定假期。我喜爱我在美国居住时的圣诞气氛，尤其是在它下雪的时候。有雪的圣诞就会叫做White Christmas ——白色圣诞。

我爱看那些亮着圣诞灯饰的房子，聆听圣诞颂歌，与家人布置圣诞树，以及吃火鸡。我成长的香港，同样有不错的圣诞气氛，但我现在都避免去那儿了。它挤满了游客，尤其是从内地来的。今年的圣诞我又在台北度过了。像往年一样，我会自己营造圣诞的氛围，播些圣诞歌，及吃一顿有火鸡肉片的简单圣诞餐。我在台北那些经营小生意或有工作的香港朋友们，都需要在圣诞节当日工作。

我不介意大时大节自己一个，因为我是 a loner。A loner是独来独往的人，喜欢独立做事或自己一个的人。我在感恩节之前一天从美国飞抵台北，也是一个人过感恩节。圣诞和新年我都会这样做。我很可能跟台北的友人一起过农历新年，然后才回香港吧。我喜爱与人共处，也享受孤身一人（a loner）。

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Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻