December 22, 202211:22 AM ET   JOANNA KAKISSIS

美国东部时间 2022年12月22日 早上11:20 

For their safety, Ukrainian kids send their Christmas wish lists underground

Children pose for photos in front of a Christmas tree and other holiday decorations in a metro station in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 11. Natalie Keyssar for NPR

KHARKIV, Ukraine — The majestic square in Ukraine's second-largest city is quiet this December. There is no Christmas tree or light show or pop-up skating rink.

乌克兰哈尔科夫州 — 今年十二月份，位于乌克兰第二大城市的巨大广场，十分安静，没有圣诞树，七彩饰灯，升降溜冰场。

"That would have all been nice," says 17-year-old Danyil Prokopenko, bundled in a down coat as he walks into a subway station. "But we have found our own way to celebrate."

17岁的Danyil Prokopenko 说这里将变得更好，他裹在羽绒服里 走进地铁站，说，我们找到了自己的庆祝方式。

He walks downstairs, past a shivering young man busking for coins, and to the subway platform. Few people are boarding the train. Instead most are gathering around a modest Christmas tree decorated with incandescent white bulbs and a white star.

他走下楼梯，经过一个打着冷颤的街头卖艺的年轻人，来到了地铁的站台。很少的人是在地铁车厢里，大部分的人则是聚集在白炽灯和白球星装点的朴素圣诞树旁。

Next to it is a small hut with a mailbox where children can drop off letters to Ded Moroz, or Grandfather Frost, who is like the Slavic version of Santa Claus.

在旁边是一间带着邮箱的简陋小屋，在那里的孩子把给寒冬老人的信塞进邮箱，他像是斯拉夫版本的圣诞老人。

A girl poses for a photo with a post box where children drop off letters to Grandfather Frost in a metro station in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 11.   

Natalie Keyssar for NPR

The underground Christmas village

地下圣诞村庄

Kharkiv's city council decided to install their Christmas village underground this year, in a chandeliered subway station that doubles as a bomb shelter. Russian missiles continue to hit the Kharkiv area, endangering lives and damaging the power grid. Local authorities say the downsized underground Christmas village keeps residents safe and also saves electricity.

今年，哈尔科夫城市委员会决定去建设他们的地下圣诞村庄，枝型吊灯的地铁站也可充当轰炸避难所，俄罗斯导弹持续打击哈尔科夫地区，持续的危害生命和破坏电网。当地政府说，削减地下圣诞村庄的大小有利于保护居民安全和节省电力。

 dou·ble

v To serve in an additional capacity: a frying pan that doubles as a pie tin; a conductor who doubles as a pianist.

The symbolism resonates deeply in Kharkiv, an elegant city of intellectuals and artists in Ukraine's northeast, near the Russian border.

在乌克兰的东北靠近俄罗斯边界，知识分子和艺术家居住的文雅城市。在哈尔科夫这个象征意义产生了深深的共鸣。

This spring, when Russian bombing and artillery strikes were especially bad, thousands of residents spent weeks sheltering in subway stations.

今年春天，在俄罗斯猛烈持续的轰炸炮打下，数千居民在地铁站里躲避数周

People take shelter in a metro station in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on April 30. Citizens in Kharkiv adopted a new life underground at subway stations, as the second biggest city in Ukraine faced a constant threat of Russian bombardment and airstrikes.

Alex Chan Tsz Yuk/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images

People visit a metro station in Kharkiv, Ukraine, to pose for photos with a Christmas tree and drop off letters to Grandfather Frost on Dec. 11.

Natalie Keyssar for NPR

A gift of peace

一个礼物是和平

Nine-year-old Maksym Pushnir frowns when he remembers that time. "I know the city wants to keep us safe, but being here also makes us feel very sad," says his father, Kostia, after they take photos of each other next to the tree.

九岁的Maksym Pushnir 当回忆起那些时光，不经皱眉。他的父亲 Kostia (科斯蒂亚 means Constant)我知道这座城市想要去保证我们的安全，但生活在这里也会让我们感到悲伤难过。

Maksym walks to Grandfather Frost's mailbox and drops off his Christmas wishes letter. He says he's asked for two gifts — a PlayStation 5 and peace.

Maksym 走向寒冬老人箱并塞入了他的新年愿望信，他说 他的愿望是两个礼物 一个是PS5 一个是和平。

"Everyone asks for peace," he says, including 5-year-old Eva Mintseva. "I also asked for a phone to take photos," she adds. Her mother, Natasha, explains that Russian troops forced them out of their home in the Kharkiv region, and that when they returned, their house was destroyed. "She wishes she had more photos of our house so she can remember it," Natasha says.

他说，每个人都在呼喊和平，包括5岁的Eva Mintseva.（伊娃 敏采娃）。 我还要呼喊照片。他的母亲Natasha（娜塔莎）解释说在哈尔科夫地区，军队强迫他们离开自己的家，并且当他们返回时发现房屋已经被破坏。娜塔莎说， 她希望有更多的自己家的照片，这样他们才能够牢记它。

People pose for family photos in front of a Christmas tree and other decorations in a metro station in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 11.

Natalie Keyssar for NPR

The complicated politics of Grandfather Frost

寒冬老人复杂的政策

Outside, it's getting dark and cold. Behind the subway station, 27-year-old Kostiatyn Novikov changes into his Grandfather Frost costume. It's bright red and looks like a much frillier version of Santa's outfit, with gold embroidery, fluted sleeves and a flowing cape.

外面，天色渐渐变黑，空气越发冰寒。在地铁站的后面，27岁的 Kostiatyn Novikov 换上了寒冬老人的服装。服装是亮红色看起来更像是圣诞老人，镶这金色的刺绣，带有凹槽的袖口和帽子。

Left: 27-year-old Kostiatyn Novikov in his Grandfather Frost costume. Right: 4-year-old Emma Kochalka with Grandfather Frost. Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 11.

Natalie Keyssar for NPR

Novikov, an actor who's played Grandfather Frost for five years, works for weeks, from western Christmas on Dec. 25 through to the Orthodox Christmas on Jan. 7.

Novikov是个演员扮演寒冬老人已经五年，现在已工作了数周，从西方的12.25日圣诞节到1.7日的东正教圣诞节

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he says, Grandfather Frost has become a controversial figure because of his roots in Russian mythology.

他说 自从俄罗斯入侵乌克兰，寒冬老人已经变成了具有争议性的象征，因为寒冬起源于俄罗斯文化

"Growing up, I never considered him Russian, just a fairytale character," he says. "Grandfather Frost is the jolly one who sings and dances."

他说 在成长中，我从未考虑寒冬老人意味着俄罗斯，他只是个童话式的角色。

寒冬老人是快乐的人他唱歌跳舞

As if on cue, 4-year-old Emma Kochalka spots Novikov as Grandfather Frost outside the subway station and runs to him. She hugs him and smiles. Her mother, Iryna Kochalka, says Emma dropped off a letter for Grandfather Frost at the mailbox in the underground Christmas village.

就在这时，四岁的Emma Kochalka 发现在地铁站外扮演寒冬老人的Novikov ，向他奔跑过去，她拥抱了他并冲他微笑，她的母亲Kochalka 说 Emma在地铁站内的寒冬老人的邮箱里放下了她的新年愿望。

She asked for a fluffy white cat toy and, pretty please, for her daddy, a soldier, to come home soon.

她要求了一个毛茸茸白猫玩具和一个为了她爸爸的动人的请求，一个很快回家士兵

Hanna Palamarenko contributed to this report from Kharkiv.

End

文章很长，很有感触，怎么说呢，各抒己见吧。突然很想去种树。狗头