知否知否，元宵節可是古代的浪漫“情人節”
“火樹銀花合，星橋鐵鎖開。燈樹千光照，明月逐人來。”如果說“臘八”拉開了過年的序幕，那麼過完“元宵節”，“年”也就算過完了。
“元宵節”（the Lantern Festival），又稱燈節、元夕、上元節，標誌性時間在一年的第一個月圓之夜——正月十五。幾千年以來，人們形成了賞花燈、猜燈謎、放煙花、吃湯圓等傳統元宵節習俗。這一天，閤家團圓，其樂融融。
那下面我們就來看下這些傳統習俗的英文表達。
猜燈謎
Guessing lantern riddles
Riddles written on the lanterns can inspire wisdom and cater to the festival atmosphere, so many people like it very much. Guessing the answers to lantern riddles gradually became an indispensable part of the Lantern Festival.
燈謎可以激發人們的智慧，又烘托節日氛圍，深受民衆喜愛。猜燈謎漸漸成爲元宵節不可缺少的一部分。
Eating yuanxiao is another Lantern Festival tradition. Yuanxiao is made of glutinous rice, either solid or stuffed. The stuffing includes bean paste, sugar, hawthorn, various kinds of fruit and so on. It can be boiled, fried or steamed.
吃元宵是元宵節的另一傳統習俗。元宵是用糯米做的，可以是糯米實心的，也可以夾餡兒。元宵的餡料有很多種，例如豆沙、糖心、山楂餡以及各種水果餡等。烹調方式也多樣，開水煮、油炸蒸均可。
賞花燈
Viewing lanterns
It is tradition that people hang lanterns everywhere, in their house or in the streets. The lanterns depict various characters, like flying birds, leaping fishes, and shining fireworks, showing an atmosphere of joy. People will come out and appreciate the beautiful scene.
元宵節那天，人們在家中或者街道上掛滿花燈。花燈琳琅滿目，多種多樣，上面畫着飛鳥、鯉魚、煙花等，處處洋溢着歡樂的氛圍。人們會結伴出遊欣賞花燈美景。
古代的情人節
元宵節可不只是湯圓和花燈的節日，在古代，這還是一個浪漫的節日，是古代的“情人節”。
In ancient times, young women, especially daughters of eminent families, hardly stepped out their houses. But during the Lantern Festival, it was a tradition that all people, including those young women, come out for lantern shows.
在古代，年輕女子，尤其大家閨秀，幾乎都大門不出，二門不邁。但因元宵節的傳統，人人都會都外出賞花燈。
Watching lanterns at night was just an opportunity for young women to find a man whose appearance appealed to them. Another activity, guessing the answers to lantern riddles, gives young people a chance to interact with each other and know more about each other. For thousands of years, there have been numerous love stories originating during the Lantern Festival.
元宵節夜晚賞燈，爲年輕姑娘們提供尋找心儀男子的契機。另外，猜燈謎也讓年輕人彼此互動，進一步地瞭解對方。幾千年來，元宵佳節上演了許多愛情故事。
南宋詞人辛棄疾《青玉案·元夕》中就有一句描寫元宵節浪漫邂逅的名句：
衆裏尋他千百度，
驀然回首，
那人卻在，
燈火闌珊處。
But in the crowd once and again
I look for her in vain.
When all at once I turn my head,
I find her there where lantern light is dimly shed.
