美国马里兰灯展点亮圣诞精神
For many families in the United States, taking a drive to see local light decorations during the Christmas holiday is an annual tradition. One of the most spectacular in the Washington area features more than one million lights. Dazzling displays are lighting up the night sky at Watkins Regional Park in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.开车带着家人去看圣诞节灯展是很多美国家庭的传统，华盛顿地区最盛大的灯展莫过于马里兰州上万宝路区的沃特金斯公园灯展了，100多万盏彩灯熠熠发光，让你目不暇接。
There’s a surprise around every corner. More than 400 displays, including candy canes, elves and animals illuminate the four-kilometer drive.
每个转角都会让你惊喜。糖果手杖、小精灵和各种动物等400多个造型点亮了4公里长的车道。
Kimberly Stewart is seeing the lights for the first time.
金伯利?斯图尔特是第一次来看灯展。
I’m excited. I can hardly wait! I love Christmas; everything about it,” she said.
游客金伯利?斯图尔特说：“我好激动，迫不及待地来看。我爱圣诞节，我爱一切和圣诞节有关的东西。”
The displays are both small and large. Martha Henderson, who is 85 years old, did not want to miss any of them.
造型有大有小。85岁的玛莎?汉德森不想错过任何一个。
“I just want to have the spirit of Christmas, and this makes me feel real great," she said. "In case I don’t see another Christmas, at least I’ve been here this time.”
游客玛莎汉德森说：“我要感受圣诞节精神，这让我很开心。如果我下一个圣诞节不能来了，至少我这次赶上了。”
Winter Festival
The Winter Festival of Lights at Watkins Regional Park began 27 years ago. The charge to see the lights is $5 per vehicle and the money is used to cover the cost of the displays. Visitors may also donate canned food for local food banks.
沃特金斯公园的冬季灯展已经开办了27年，每辆车收5美元，门票收入用来办灯展，游客也可以向当地粮食银行捐献食品罐头。
Festival organizer Kathy Garrity said the number of scenes have increased over the years, making this the largest drive-through illuminated Christmas display in the Washington area. It’s a gift to the community, but it’s also a way of giving back to the community. Families can be together in their nice, warm car. They don’t have to worry about the weather.”
So who is in the weather, directing the traffic for the thousands of cars meandering through the twinkling lights? Wooden soldiers!
那么，在闪烁的灯光里，冒着严寒为绵延不断的成千上万车辆指挥交通的是谁呢？是木头战士！
Nicole Bartels and her family are especially looking forward to seeing the big Christmas tree covered with lights.
妮可?巴特尔斯和家人特地来看挂满彩灯的大圣诞树。
“It’s really starting to be a tradition of ours, and the kids love it. We always put on some Christmas music and drive through," said Bartels.
游客妮可巴特尔斯说：“这开始成为我们的传统了，孩子们很喜欢。我们总是在车里放着圣诞音乐慢慢开过。”
Jerell Alexander grew up near the park and recalls the joy of seeing the lights when he was a child. Now he lives in Virginia and is bringing his fiancé’s children.
杰瑞尔?亚历山大在公园附近长大，他很怀念孩提时代看灯展的快乐 。现在他住在维吉尼亚州，特地带着他未婚妻的孩子来看灯展。
“I’ve come out here for years and years. I have many family members who love this place,” he said.
游客杰瑞尔?亚历山大说：“我来了一年又一年，我家很多人都喜欢这里。”
Vickie Lopez has been working at the seasonal lights display for 25 years.
薇吉?洛佩兹参加布置灯展已经25年了。
"I used to bring my kids through them when they were small. Now my kids bring their kids,” she said.
灯展员工薇吉?洛佩兹说：“我孩子小的时候，我曾经带他们来，现在我们的孩子带着他们的孩子来。”
Family affair
As he takes money and donations, Donald Sutherland said it warms his heart to see the same families year after year.
唐纳德?萨瑟兰一边收着钱和捐赠，一边说，每年都看到同样的家庭前来，让他心里很温暖。
“I watched the kids come through as babies, and I watched them grow up. That gives me that spirit watching them enjoy coming to the lights every year,” he said.
灯展员工唐纳德?萨瑟兰说：“我看到一些孩子还是婴儿就来了，我看着他们长大，看着他们每年都来赏灯，给我很大的鼓舞。”
Besides enjoying the displays, Jodie Johnson donates cans of food for the needy.
除了欣赏灯展外，朱迪?约翰逊还向有需要的人捐赠食物罐头。
“It’s very important that we help our community in any way that we can," she said. "So it’s something that’s really well needed.”
游客朱迪?约翰逊说：“我们应该尽可能帮助我们的社区，这很有必要。”
David Bishop said, for him, donating food represents the real meaning of Christmas.
大卫?比肖普说，捐赠是圣诞节的真正意义。
“It’s the right thing to do, to always give back and help other people,” he said.
游客大卫?比肖普说：“回馈社会，帮助别人是一件应该做的事。”
But for the kids, it’s all about having fun. Three-year-old Michael, 3, had his favorite.
不过对孩子们来说，好玩最重要。3岁的迈克最喜欢这个。
“The dinosaur,” he said.
游客迈克说：“恐龙。”
Perhaps this boy summed up the experience best after his visit.
“It was awesome,” he said.
游客男孩说：“太棒了。”
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