查尔斯·狄更斯(Charles Dickens)
Christmas was close at hand, in all his bluff and hearty honesty; it was the season of hospitality , merriment, and open-heartedness; the old year was preparing, like an ancient philosopher, to call his friends around him, and amidst the sound of feasting and revelry to pass gently and calmly away. Gay and merry was the time, and gay and merry were at least four of the numerous hearts that were gladdened by its coming.
And numerous indeed are the hearts to which Christmas brings a brief season of happiness and enjoyment. How many families, whose members have been dispersed and scattered far and wide, in the restless struggles of life, are then reunited, and meet once again in that happy state of companionship and mutual good-will, which is a source of such pure and unalloyed delight, and one so incompatible with the cares and sorrows of the world, that the religious belief of the most civilised nations, and the rude traditions of the roughest savages, alike number it among the first joys of a future condition of existence, provided for the blest and happy! How many old recollections, and how many dormant sympathies, does Christmas time awaken!
- hospitality [ˌhɒspɪˈtælətɪ] n. 好客，殷勤
- unalloyed [ˌʌnəˈlɔɪd] a. 不掺杂的，纯粹的
- dormant [ˈdɔːmənt] a. 蛰伏的，休眠的
圣诞节近在眼前，带着点夸张而又由衷的诚实，这是殷勤好客、欢乐愉快、一片赤诚的季节。像古老的哲学家那样，旧的一年正准备着把朋友们聚在一起，在狂欢宴饮中轻轻地、沉静地隐去了。圣诞节是愉快欢乐的时候，在无数的众生中，至少有一家四口为它的到来而心花怒放。
圣诞节的确给千家万户带来了幸福快乐的短暂时光。有多少家庭，亲人们在无休止的生活奋斗中，东奔西走，流落异乡，这时得以欢聚团圆，又一次在久别重逢、亲情融融的氛围中济济一堂；这种亲人团聚的氛围，是纯粹真正的快乐之源，同世界上的忧虑和痛苦格格不入，以至于最文明国家的宗教信仰，最野蛮人的粗鲁传统，都同样把它归入未来生存状况中最为渴望的欢乐之一，赐给幸福欢乐的人！圣诞节唤醒多少往事，多少深情啊！
查尔斯·狄更斯（Charles Dickens，1812年2月7日－1870年6月9日）是一位英国作家，被广泛认为是19世纪最伟大的英国小说家之一。他的作品对英国文学乃至世界文学产生了深远的影响，至今仍广受欢迎。
狄更斯出生于朴茨茅斯，他的家庭并不富裕，早年生活困苦。他的父亲因债务问题被关进监狱，这给狄更斯留下了深刻的印象，并在他的作品中有所体现。狄更斯的童年经历常常被看作是他后来作品中对社会不公和贫困问题关注的来源。
他的作品以描绘维多利亚时代的英国社会生活而著称，尤其是对社会底层人物的生动刻画。狄更斯的小说通常具有强烈的道德和社会批判色彩，同时也不乏幽默和讽刺。他的小说中常常包含复杂的情节和鲜明的人物形象，使得读者能够深入地感受到当时社会的风貌。