眼看聖誕節不遠了，身邊也開始瀰漫著濃濃的聖誕氣氛，今天跟大家分享一個聖誕節的系列繪本故事，名字叫《 Bear Stays Up For Christmas 》，大熊要冬眠了，但是動物朋友們為了準備聖誕禮物，要他保持清醒，大熊通過給朋友們準備禮物，忙活了很長時間，付出了很多勞動和心血，最後把禮物分享給了每個朋友。只要給予，就會收穫快樂，非常暖心治癒的繪本。
The day before Christmas, snuggled on his floor,
Bear sleeps soundly, with a great big snore.
聖誕前夜，大熊正舒服地蜷縮在地上冬眠。
他睡得太熟啦，還打著很大的呼嚕聲。
" Dear Bear, GET UP!" Mouse shouts in his ear.
" We won"t let you sleep through Christmas this year."
「親愛的大熊，起床拉！」小老鼠在他的耳邊叫著，
「今年的聖誕節我們可不能讓你就這樣睡過去。」
His friends are all there, gathered in his lair...
And the bear wakes up.
大熊的朋友們都來到了洞裡……於是大熊醒來了。
He stands with a stretch and a great big sigh.
" I hope I can make it. I do want to try."
大熊站起來舒展了一下，打了個呵欠。
「我也希望聖誕節不冬眠，我的確想試試的。」
" Don"t worry," squeaks Mouse.
Hare says, " It" s all right. We" ll keep you busy all day and all night."
「別擔心！」小老鼠嘰嘰喳喳地說。
兔子說，「沒事兒。我們會讓你整日整夜忙個不停的。」
He tries to lie down, but his friends all frown...
大熊又要躺下去了，朋友們可不樂意……
so the bear stays up.
於是大熊忍著不睡覺。
" Come on," says Badger,
" time to follow me. In Pine Grove Glen, there" s a fine Christmas tree."
「來呀，」獾說，「該跟我走啦。在派恩格羅夫小樹林那兒有棵不錯的聖誕樹！」
So they stomp through the woods and they stromp down the track.
They hoist up the tree onto Bear"s big back.
於是他們踏過樹林，走過小道。他們拔出那棵聖誕樹，抬到了大熊背上。
He plods very slow as they trudge through the snow.
大熊走得慢吞吞的，大夥兒都吃力地在雪地裡跋涉。
But the bear stays up.
不過，大熊仍然醒著。
Back at the cave, Gopher brews mint tea,
and Mole pops corn to string upon the tree.
終於回到洞裡啦。
地鼠泡了壺薄荷茶，鼴鼠爆了些爆米花。
爆米花可以串起來掛在樹上。
Raven and Wren bake a fresh fruitcake.
The friends do their best to keep Bear awake.
烏鴉和小鳥正在做著新鮮的水果蛋糕呢。
朋友們都努力地讓大熊保持清醒。
His shoulders start to stoop and his eyelids droop.
大熊的肩膀彎下去拉，他的眼皮耷拉下去拉。
But the bear stays up.
但是大熊還是醒著。
They hang up their stockings by warm firelight
and hum Christmas songs like " O Holy Night."
大夥兒在溫暖的火光邊掛起了自己的襪子，
哼著「聖善夜」這樣的聖誕歌謠。
They cuddle and sing as they wait for the sun...
它們互相依偎著，哼著歌兒，期待著黎明的到來……
But soon all the voices fade to just one.
A bright star glows while his good friends doze...
沒過多久，就只剩一個聲音了。
遠處的星星在閃耀，身邊的朋友卻進入了夢鄉。
but the bear stays up!
但是大熊卻還醒著呢！
Bear giggles and grins.
He works and he wraps.
He bustles and bakes while everyone naps.
大熊咯咯地咧嘴笑了。
別人在睡覺，他卻忙著包禮物、烤蛋糕。
He piles up presents under the tree.
But who"s at the doorway?
Bear doesn"t see...
He toils all night until the sun rises, making his friends their Christmas surprises!
Just before dawn he lets out a yawn...but he still stays up.
他把禮物堆在樹下。
但是門口站的是誰呢？
大熊沒有注意到……
為了給朋友們準備聖誕驚喜，他忙了一晚上，直到天亮出太陽。
就在黎明之前，他還打了個呵欠……
但是，他仍然醒著呢。
When Christmas arrives, so lovely and white, Bear" s friends awake to a glorious sight.
Presents and goodies are piled up tall.
" I stayed up," says Bear, " just to share with you all."
聖誕節終於來啦，醒來的朋友們發出了驚嘆！
洞裡布置得如此光彩美麗，禮物和好吃的堆成了小山。
「我一直醒著，」大熊說，「就是想和你們分享快樂。」
As his friends shout with glee, Bear lies by the tree...
but he still stays up.
大熊的朋友們高興地叫著，大熊靠著聖誕樹躺下了……
但是，他還是醒著。
Wren flies to the stockings and tweets out a cheer.
" Besides our bear" s presents, Santa was here!"
小鳥飛到了襪子旁邊，高興得嘰嘰啾啾的。
「除了大熊給我們的禮物，聖誕老人昨天也來啦！」
When all gifts are opened, there" s one last surprise.
Badger shows Bear a quilt just his size.
所有禮物都打開了，但還有最後一個驚喜哦。
獾拿出了一床剛好適合大熊蓋的新棉被。
Bear snuggles up tight and mutters, "Good night..."
Then Bear falls asleep.
大熊舒服地蜷成一團，咕噥地說到，「大家晚安……」
於是，大熊睡著啦。
His friends tidy up and slip from the lair.
They whisper, " Sweet dreams. Merry Christmas, dear Bear."
他的朋友們整理好山洞，悄悄地走了出去。
他們小聲地說，「做個好夢。聖誕快樂，親愛的大熊。」
小樹媽說：
英語啟蒙的重要性，相信不用小樹媽反覆嘮叨，媽媽們也都會深刻了解，小樹媽的平台上也曾經分享過不少有關的文章。
但無論什麼方法都繞不開多聽，多看，多用，有了一定量的積累，英文能力才有可能達到質的飛躍。
在小樹媽的經驗中，英文繪本的閱讀和學習，既不深奧又不枯燥，對孩子啟蒙階段的英語學習是極有好處的。
另外，朋友們如果有什麼相關的意見或建議，也歡迎給小樹媽留言。
香港九龍灣馬來街興發大廈15樓D室