Christmas presents / 聖誕禮物

今天是聖誕節前最後的工作天，趁著大家收工前，我又跑去家附近的停車場畫買賣聖誕樹的人潮。

Today was the last working day before Christmas. Before everyone called it a day, I went to the parking lot near Carol's apartment to do sketches of Christmas tree sellers and buyers.

畫到一半時，前幾天的鬍子大叔又跑來，手裡拿著一張一千福林的鈔票，想和我買之前畫他的速寫，我覺得很不好意思，提議要送給他，因為真的只是速寫本裡的一張紙，但他堅持要付錢，撕下那一頁給他之後，他要我簽上日期和名字，雨打在紙上很多線條都歪歪扭扭了，他最後親了我的臉頰，很開心地離開。

In the middle of sketching, the uncle with a mustache who I had met two days ago came to me again, with a 1000-forint bill in his hand. He wanted to buy the sketch I had done for him. I felt embarrassed and offered to give it to him for free. It was just a page in my sketchbook. But he insisted on paying for it. After I tore it off for him, he gestured for me to autograph and put down the date for him. With the rain, many lines on the paper were smudged. It looked so flimsy. He kissed me on the cheek and left in glee. 

我覺得他花了一千福林，應該要得到更好的東西，我趕緊衝回來特地為他畫一張卡片，再衝回去停車場送給他。卡洛說，我應該要很驕傲，因為這一筆錢對大叔來說是辛苦錢，我也知道，所以我把鈔票夾進速寫本裡，作為紀念。

I thought that he deserved something much better with 1000 forints, so I rushed back to the apartment to draw a card for him and delivered it to the parking lot to him soon after. Carol said that I should feel very proud because this amount of money for him is hard earned. I know that too, so I attach it to my sketchbook as a souvenir.

接近中午，市場的小販都收攤了。

Toward the noon, most vendors had packed and left the market.

家家戶戶開始準備聖誕大餐，這是我負責的蔬菜湯。

Every family started to make Christmas Even dinner. This was my dish, the veggie soup. 

卡洛今天忙進忙出的，把家裡佈置得很有聖誕味。

Carol was busy decorating the apartment for the holiday today. 

卡洛斯先生負責擺盤。

Carlos was responsible for setting the table. 

這只是前菜喔！

These were only the appetizers! 

琴怡和卡洛斯準備的甜點。

Chinyi and Carlos prepared super yummy desserts for us. 

大家都熱情地準備了禮物，只有我沒注意到這個重要的儀式。

Everyone prepared gifts for one another with passion. Only I didn't pay attention to this important ritual. 

因為在德國和捷克，大家會把好兵帥克玩偶在聖誕夜拿出來，所以最後讓來自捷克的帥克點根煙，祝大家聖誕快樂！

In Germany and Czech, everyone will take out the Svejk doll on Christmas Eve, so I'll let him light a cigarette to wish everyone a merry Christmas!