【英语时差8,16】圣诞节大受欢迎的天使

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Angels are found in various and sundry¹ ways at Christmas－from garishly² blinking figures made of plastic to biblically-inspired images dressed in classic garments.

Those who opt³ for such items as gifts or decorations quickly find themselves dealing⁴ with a symbol of devotion into which the New Age scene is blossoming as well.

Juergen Lipp, who has a bookstore specializing in esoteric articles in Hamburg, Germany, likes to surround himself with angels in numerous forms.

"Angels are so beautifully descriptive," Lipp said. Angels are a favorite symbol for people who want to celebrate Christmas not in a strictly⁵ religious sense, but rather in a more spiritual way, added Lipp.

But buyers should use caution when including angel-related items among the gifts they are giving.

It can easily backfire, said style consultant⁶ Jan Schaumann of Berlin. Such things are not everyone's taste, especially older people.

"Many youths might think, 'Wow, what a cool thing,' looking at a gaudy⁷ blinking plastic cross, but people who connect more to the cross find such an item perhaps tasteless."

Protestant minister Hinrich Westphal of Hamburg is critical of the way angels are marketed nowadays.

"It's mostly done to make cash registers ring," Westphal said.

Schaumann said tacky Christmas decorations are detrimental⁸ to the contemplative nature of Christmas. "Many people are pulling away from over-the-top light shows in their apartments," he added.

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