又中又英 | Christmas is closing in fast | 褚简宁

　　Halloween is behind us. Christmas is closing in fast. If something is closing in fast, it means it is approaching very quickly. I have said before that Christmas is my favourite festival. Halloween is fun, especially for kids, but it ranks below Thanksgiving, Lunar New Year, and Diwali, the Indian New Year, for me. When I lived in the US, my former wife and I always put a big basket of candy by the door of our house on Halloween. Kids in Halloween costumes went from door to door in the evening to say trick or treat.

　　This means that they'll play a trick on you unless you give them a treat. The word "treat" used this way means something sweet, such as candy. We always put candy in the containers of the kids who say trick or treat when they come to our door. It is impossible to do trick or treat in Hong Kong because most people live in high rise apartments. Hongkongers in Halloween costumes line up to get into Lan Kwai Fong. I went there several times without a Halloween costume when I lived in Central. I have never worn a Halloween costume and wouldn't be caught dead wearing one.

　　If you say you wouldn't be caught dead doing something, it means you will never do it. I saw on the internet US celebrities wearing all kinds of expensive Halloween costumes. It made me wonder if people will reuse their Halloween costumes. Kids may but I don't think adults will. I hope they will donate them or sell them and give the money to charity. Please don't just throw them away.

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　　万圣节已过，圣诞节正closing in fast－－若某事is closing in fast，意即它很快来临，迅速地逼近。我从前也说过，圣诞是我最喜欢的节日。万圣节很好玩，尤其对小孩来说，但于我而言，它的排名低于感恩节、农历新年，以及排灯节，就是印度的新年。我住美国的时候，万圣节时我前妻和我会在家门前放一篮糖果。穿着万圣节装束的小孩会在晚上挨家挨户去说trick or treat。

　　这句话的意思是，他们会捉弄你，除非你给他们一个 treat。 Treat在这里是指一些甜的东西，例如糖果。当小孩过来我们家门前说「不给糖就捣蛋」（trick or treat）时，我们总会在小孩的容器中放糖果。在香港要做「不给糖就捣蛋」（trick or treat）是不可能的，因为大多数人住在高楼大厦里。穿着万圣节服饰的香港人，会排队进入兰桂坊。我以前住中环的时候，也曾好几次去那里，但没有任何万圣节的打扮。我从未试过任何万圣节的打扮，亦打死（caught dead）不会那样装扮。

　　若你说你 wouldn't be caught dead doing something，意即你死也不愿意做某事。我在网上见到一些美国名人穿着各式各样昂贵的万圣节衣着。这令我思忖，人们会否重用他们的万圣节服装？小孩子会，但我不认为大人会。我希望他们会捐出去，又或者卖了它，再将钱捐给慈善团体。请不要随便丢弃这些衣饰吧。

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Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻