Live in the present 活在當下
In many countries, people open their Christmas presents on Christmas Eve but in the UK it usually happens on Christmas Day. Photo: BBC
今日小常識
Most families in the UK buy a Christmas tree and send cards to friends. However, these Christmas traditions only date back to the 1840s, and are actually German in origin. That's when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert popularised a new way of celebrating the Christian festival. But the Victorian Royal Family favoured roast beef over turkey for their Christmas meal.
英國的多數家庭都會在圣誕節購買圣誕樹并給朋友寄送圣誕卡。不過這些圣誕傳統僅僅是從十九世紀四十年代才開始的，而且來源于德國。當時維多利亞女王和阿爾伯特王子廣泛推出了一套慶祝這個基督教節日的新方法。不過維多利亞皇室一家更喜歡吃烤牛肉圣誕大餐，而不是烤火雞。
今日短語
Present 作為名詞有兩個意思。A present 意思是禮物。The present 是此時此刻。在你告訴某人應該 live in the present 的時候意思是要生活在此時此刻，集中在眼前的事情，不要管過去或將來。
例句
Don't worry if your former boyfriend cheated on you. Live in the present and find another person to love!
Johnny was keen to save money to buy a house. His friends told him to live in the present and go on a holiday with them.
請注意
英語短語 there's no time like the present 意思是沒有理由去推遲謀事，應該立刻行動。
You've always wanted to visit your cousin in France. There's no time like the present! Go and buy a ticket now to fly there tomorrow.
