At this time of year, few sights ev

At this time of year, few sights evoke more feelings of cheer and goodwill than the twinkling lights of a Christmas tree.

The popularity of a tree at Christmas is due in part to my great-great grandparents, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. After this touching picture was published, many families wanted a Christmas tree of their own, and the custom soon spread.

In 1949, I spent Christmas in Malta as a newly-married naval wife. We have returned to that island over the years, including last month for a meeting of Commonwealth leaders; and this year I met another group of leaders: The Queen's Young Leaders, an inspirational group, each of them a symbol of hope in their own Commonwealth communities.

Gathering round the tree gives us a chance to think about the year ahead -- I am looking forward to a busy 2016, though I have been warned I may have Happy Birthday sung to me more than once or twice. It also allows us to reflect on the year that has passed, as we think of those who are far away or no longer with us. Many people say the first Christmas after losing a loved one is particularly hard. But it’s also a time to remember all that we have to be thankful for.

It is true that the world has had to confront moments of darkness this year, but the Gospel of John contains a verse of great hope, often read at Christmas carol services: "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

One cause for thankfulness this summer was marking seventy years since the end of the Second World War. On VJ Day, we honoured the remaining veterans of that terrible conflict in the Far East, as well as remembering the thousands who never returned. The procession from Horse Guards Parade to Westminster Abbey must have been one of the slowest ever, because so many people wanted to say 'thank you' to them.

At the end of that War, the people of Oslo began sending an annual gift of a Christmas tree for Trafalgar Square. It has five hundred lightbulbs and is enjoyed not just by Christians but by people of all faiths, and of none. At the very top sits a bright star, to represent the Star of Bethlehem.

The custom of topping a tree also goes back to Prince Albert's time. For his family's tree, he chose an angel, helping to remind us that the focus of the Christmas story is on one particular family.
For Joseph and Mary, the circumstances of Jesus's birth -- in a stable – were far from ideal, but worse was to come as the family was forced to flee the country. It’s no surprise that such a human story still captures our imagination and continues to inspire all of us who are Christians, the world over.

Despite being displaced and persecuted throughout his short life, Christ's unchanging message was not one of revenge or violence but simply that we should love one another. Although it is not an easy message to follow, we shouldn't be discouraged; rather, it inspires us to try harder: to be thankful for the people who bring love and happiness into our own lives, and to look for ways of spreading that love to others, whenever and wherever we can.

One of the joys of living a long life is watching one’s children, then grandchildren, then great grandchildren, help decorate the Christmas tree. And this year my family has a new member to join in the fun!

The customary decorations have changed little in the years since that picture of Victoria and Albert's tree first appeared, although of course electric lights have replaced the candles.

There’s an old saying that “it is better to light a candle than curse the darkness”.

There are millions of people lighting candles of hope in our world today. Christmas is a good time to be thankful for them, and for all that brings light to our lives.

I wish you a very happy Christmas.

結果 (中文) 1:

在每年这个时候，几个景点唤起更多的欢呼和商誉比闪烁的圣诞树上的灯光。一棵树在圣诞节的普及是部分归功于我曾祖父，维多利亚女王和阿尔伯特王子。这感人的照片发表后，许多家庭都想要一棵圣诞树的自己，并自定义很快蔓延。1949 年，我花了圣诞节在马耳他作为新婚的海军妻子。多年来，包括会议的英联邦各国领导人; 上个月我们有回到那个岛今年我遇到了另一个小组的领导人: 女王的青年领袖，一个鼓舞人心的小组，他们每个人都希望在自己的英联邦社区的象征。缠在树上的会议使我们有机会思考未来 — — 一年我正在期待忙到 2016 年，虽然我已警告我可能有一次或两次以上对我唱的生日快乐。它还允许我们以反映在过去一年，，因为我们认为那些遥远的或不再与我们。很多人说的第一个圣诞节后失去深爱的人是特别难的。但它也是时间要记住我们所有的心存感激。它是真实世界不得不面对黑暗时刻这一年，但约翰福音 》 包含很大的希望，经常看圣诞颂歌服务诗句:"光照在黑暗里，黑暗不能胜过。"感谢这个夏天的一个原因第二次世界大战结束以来标记七十年。在南军一天，我们荣幸剩余在远东地区，这场可怕的战争退伍军人以及记忆数千人再也没有回来。从骑兵卫队阅兵场游行到威斯敏斯特大教堂必须一直之一最慢过，因为很多人想说 '谢谢你' 给他们。在那场战争的结束，奥斯陆的人们开始发送一棵圣诞树的特拉法加广场每年的礼物。五百年灯泡并不只是基督徒，而所有的信仰，和没有人喜欢。最顶端，坐在明亮的星星，代表伯利恒星。倾倒一棵树的习俗也要追溯到阿尔伯特亲王的时间。他家的一棵树，他选择了一个天使，有助于提醒我们，圣诞节的故事的重点是一个特殊的家庭。约瑟夫和玛丽，耶稣的诞生 — — 在一个稳定的 — — 的情况是很不理想，但更糟糕的是来因为家庭是被迫逃离了这个国家。毫不奇怪，一个人的故事仍然捕捉我们的想象力和继续鼓舞我们所有人都是基督徒，在世界各地。尽管被流离失所者和受迫害在他短暂的一生，基督的不变的消息，不是为了报复或暴力而只是说我们应当彼此相爱。虽然这不是简单的信息，要遵循，但我们不应该气馁;相反，它激励我们努力: 要感谢那些进我们自己的生活，带来爱和幸福的人，寻找途径传播给别人爱，无论何时何地，我们可以。长时间生活的乐趣之一看一个人的孩子们，然后孙子，然后伟大的孙子，帮助装饰圣诞树。今年我家有一名新的成员加入的乐趣!习惯的装饰有少许年因为那幅画的维多利亚女王和阿尔伯特的树第一次出现，虽然当然电灯已经取代了蜡烛。有句古话，"它是更好地点燃一支蜡烛比诅咒黑暗"。今天有上百万的人照明蜡烛的希望在我们的世界。圣诞节是很好的时间去感激他们，和的一切给我们的生活带来光明。祝你圣诞快乐。

結果 (中文) 2:

在每年的这个时候，一些景点唤起人们的欢呼和商誉比圣诞树闪烁的灯光的更多感情。树在圣诞节的流行的部分原因是我的伟大伟大的祖父母，维多利亚女王和阿尔伯特亲王。经过这感人的照片发表后，许多家庭希望有一个圣诞树的自己，并很快蔓延的习俗。1949 年，我花了圣诞马耳他作为新婚妻子的海军。我们又回到了那个海岛多年来，包括上个月英联邦领导人会议; 今年我遇到了另一位班组长：女王的年轻领导，一个鼓舞人心的集团，希望在自己的英联邦社区的每个人的象征，聚集围着树给了我们思考的一年有机会提前-我期待着一个繁忙的2016年，虽然我一直告诫我可能有生日快乐唱歌给我多一次或两次。这也让我们反思已经过去的一年，因为我们认为那些谁远或不再与我们的。很多人说的第一个圣诞节后，失去所爱的人是特别难。但它也是一个时间来记住所有，我们要心存感激。这是事实，世界上已经有今年面对黑暗的时刻，但约翰福音包含了很大的希望的诗句，经常读的圣诞颂歌服务：“光照在黑暗里，黑暗却不接受。” 其中一个原因感恩这个夏天标志着70年自第二次世界大战结束。在VJ日，我们荣幸，可怕的冲突在远东地区的剩余退伍军人，以及记得谁没有返回的数千人。从骑兵卫队阅兵场威斯敏斯特教堂游行一定是有史以来最慢的，因为很多人想要说'谢谢'给他们。在那场战争结束后，奥斯陆的人开始发送的年度礼物圣诞树特拉法加广场。它有500的灯泡，并且享受，而非只是没有基督徒，而是通过各种信仰的人们，和。在最高层坐在一颗璀璨的新星，代表伯利恒之星。摘心树的习俗也可追溯到阿尔贝亲王的时间。对于他家的树，他选择了一个天使，帮助提醒我们的圣诞故事的重点是在一个特殊的大家庭。对于约瑟和马利亚，耶稣诞生的环境-稳定-是很不理想，但糟糕是来作为家庭被迫逃离该国。这并不奇怪，这样一个人的故事依然吸引了我们的想象，并继续激励我们所有人谁是基督徒，在世界各地。尽管是流离失所，在他短暂的一生中遭受迫害，基督的不变的消息，没有一个报复或暴力的，但仅仅是我们应当彼此相爱。虽然这不是一件容易的消息跟随，我们不应该气馁; 相反，它激励我们更加努力：要感谢谁把爱情和幸福为我们自己的生活的人，并寻求传播爱别人，无论何时何地，我们可以的方法。一个过着的乐趣长寿命都在注视着自己的孩子，然后孙子，再大的孙子，帮助装点圣诞树。而今年我家有新成员加入的乐趣！惯用的装饰都在自维多利亚和阿尔伯特的树该照片的年变化不大第一次出现，当然，虽然电灯取代了蜡烛。有一句老话“这是更好地点燃蜡烛比诅咒黑暗。” 有成千上万的人在今天点燃希望的蜡烛在我们的世界。圣诞节是一个好时机，要感谢他们，以及所有带来光我们的生活。祝你圣诞快乐。