经典英语美文 （34）父亲节和母亲节
People in the United States honor their parents with two special days:Mother's Day,on the second Sunday inMay,and Father's Day,on the third Sunday in June.
Mother's Day was proclaimed a day for national observance by President Woodrow Wilson in 1915.Ann Jarvis from Grafton,West Virginia,had started the idea to have a day to honor mothers.She was the one who chose the second Sunday in May and also began the custom of wearing a carnation.
In 1909,Mrs.Dodd from Spokane,Washington,thought of the idea of a day to honor fathers.She wanted to honorher own father,William Smart.After her mother died,he had the responsibility of raising a family of five sons and a daugther.In 1910,the first Father's Day was observed in Spokane.Senator Margaret Chase Smith helped to establish Father's Day as a national commemorative day,in 1972.
These days are set aside to show love and respect for parents.They raise their children and educate them to be responsible citizens.They give love and care.
These two special days are celebrated in many different ways.On Mother's Day people wear carnations.A red one symbolizes a living mother.A white one shows that the mother is dead.Many people attend religious services to honor parents.It is also a day when peolple whose parents are dead visit the cemetery.On these days families get together at home,as well as in restaurants.They often have outdoor barbecues for Father's Day.These are days of fun and good feelings and memories.
Another traditon is to give cards and gifts.Children make them in school.Many people make their own presents.These are valued more than the ones bought in stores.It is not the value of the gift is important,but it is "the thought that counts".Greeting card stores,florists,candy makers,bakeries,telephone companies,andother stores do a lot of business during these holidays.
美国人以两个特殊的日子向他们的父母表示敬意：这就是每年5月份第二个星期日的母亲节和6月份第三个星期日的父亲节。母亲节作为一个全国性的节日是伍德罗.威尔逊总统于1915年宣布的。西弗吉尼亚州格拉弗顿区的安.贾维斯女士首先想到应该有一个特殊的日子向母亲致以敬意。是她选择了五月份的第二个星期日，也是由她开始了佩戴康乃馨的习俗。
1909年，华盛顿州斯波坎市的多德夫人想到应该为父亲设置一个特殊的日子以示敬意。她想向自己的父亲—威廉斯.斯马特表示感激之情。她母亲去世之后，是父亲担起了养活五子一女的责任。1910年，第一个父亲节在斯波坎市诞生。参议员玛格丽特.切斯.史密斯于1972年帮助把父亲节推广成为全国性节日。
这两天是儿女向父母表示一片爱心和敬重之情的日子。父母们把孩子们带大，教育他们成为有责任感的公民，并给予他们爱心和关怀。
人们用各种形式来庆贺这两个特殊的日子。在母亲节那天，人们佩戴康乃馨。佩戴红色康乃馨表示母亲依然健在，佩戴白色康乃馨则表示母亲已经去世。许多人参加宗教仪式以向父母致意，或者去公墓缅怀逝去的父母。在这两天，家家都会聚在餐馆或家中。人们也常在父亲节那天举办露天烧烤聚会。这是充满欢歌笑语、美好情感和无限回忆的日子。
另一个传统习俗是赠送卡片和礼物。孩子们在学校亲手制作，许多成年人也自制礼物。这些亲手制作的礼物比那些花钱买来的更有价值。礼物的贵贱并不重要，“重要的是对父母的拳拳之心”。贺卡店、花店、糖果店、面包房、电话公司，以及许多其他商店在节日里会大做生意。
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