奥巴马和夫人2013年圣诞节祝辞（视频）

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama Wish Everyone a Happy Holiday Season
The White House
December 25, 2013
THE PRESIDENT: Hello everybody, and happy holidays.
THE FIRST LADY: We know how busy this time of year is for everyone, so we’re not going to take much of your time.
But we did want to take a moment to wish you all a Merry Christmas, from our family to yours.
THE PRESIDENT:  This is a season for millions of Americans to be together with family, to continue long-held holiday traditions, and to show our gratitude¹ to those we love.  And along the way, some of us might even watch a little basketball or eat some Christmas cookies, too.
THE FIRST LADY: Here at the White House, over the past few weeks, we’ve had about 70,000 people from all across the country come visit us and look at our holiday decorations.
This year’s theme was “Gather Around: Stories of the Season.”
And in every room of the house, we tried to tell a story about who we are as Americans and how we celebrate the holidays together.
And we made certain to highlight some of the most powerful stories we know—the stories of our outstanding troops, veterans, and military families and their service and sacrifice for our country.
THE PRESIDENT:  Our extraordinary men and women in uniform are serving so that the rest of us can enjoy the blessings² we cherish³ during the holidays.  But that means many of our troops are far from home and far from family.  They’re spending some extra time on the phone with their loved ones back home. Or they’re setting up video chats so they can watch as the presents are opened.  So today, we want all of our troops to know that you’re in our thoughts and prayers this holiday season.
And here’s the good news: For many of our troops and newest veterans, this might be the first time in years that they’ve been with their families on Christmas.  In fact, with the Iraq war over and the transition⁴ in Afghanistan, fewer of our men and women in uniform are deployed⁵ in harm’s way than at any time in the last decade.
THE FIRST LADY: And that’s something we all can be thankful for.
And with more and more of our troops back here at home, now it’s our turn to serve—it’s our turn to step up and show our gratitude for the military families who have given us so much.
And that’s why Jill Biden and I started our Joining Forces initiative—to rally⁶ all Americans to support our military families in ways large and small.
And again and again, we have been overwhelmed⁷ by the response we’ve gotten as folks from across the country have found new ways to give back to these families through their schools, businesses, and houses of worship.
THE PRESIDENT:  That’s the same spirit of giving that connects all of us during the holidays.  So many people all across the country are helping⁸ out at soup kitchens, buying gifts for children in need, or organizing food or clothing drives for their neighbors.  For families like ours, that service is a chance to celebrate the birth of Christ and live out what He taught us – to love our neighbors as we would ourselves; to feed the hungry and look after the sick; to be our brother’s keeper and our sister’s keeper.  And for all of us as Americans, regardless of our faith, those are values that can drive us to be better parents and friends, better neighbors and better citizens.
THE FIRST LADY: So as we look to the New Year, let’s pledge⁹ ourselves to living out those values by reaching out and lifting up those in our communities who could use a hand up.
THE PRESIDENT:  So Merry Christmas, everyone.  And from the two of us, as well as Malia, Sasha, Grandma, Bo…
THE FIRST LADY: And Sunny, the newest Obama.
THE PRESIDENT:  We wish you all a blessed and safe holiday season.
THE FIRST LADY: Happy holidays everybody, and God bless.
 

1 gratitude   

adj.感激，感谢

参考例句：

• I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
• She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

2 blessings   

n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福

参考例句：

• Afflictions are sometimes blessings in disguise. 塞翁失马，焉知非福。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We don't rely on blessings from Heaven. 我们不靠老天保佑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 cherish   

vt.抱有，怀有（希望等），爱护，抚育，珍爱

参考例句：

• I cherish for you the liveliest feeling of affection and gratitude.我对你怀有最强烈的爱和感激之情。
• We must cherish experience acquired at the cost of blood.我们必须珍惜用鲜血换来的经验。

4 transition   

n.转变，变迁，过渡

参考例句：

• Adolescence is the period of transition between childhood and adulthood.青春期是童年与成年之间的过渡时期。
• They all support a peaceful transition.他们全部都支持和平过渡。

5 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

6 rally   

n.集会，公路汽车赛；v.集合，恢复，振作

参考例句：

• The grand mass rally was held on the square.广场上举行了盛大的群众集会。
• The team captain vainly tried to rally his troops.队长试图振作部队的士气，但没有成功。

7 overwhelmed   

[ overwhelm ]的过去式

参考例句：

• She was overwhelmed by feelings of guilt. 她感到愧疚难当。
• If (one was) overwhelmed by passion, it could lead to serious blunders. 当感情完全淹没理智时，就可能铸成大错。

8 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

9 pledge   

n.保证，誓言，抵押，抵押品；vt.保证，誓言，举杯祝...健康

参考例句：

• Take this ring as a pledge of our friendship.收下这枚戒指当作我们友谊的信物。
• The old man is willing to pledge for him.那位老人愿意为他担保。