白金汉宫, 英国伦敦 Buckingham Palace in London, England (© Pajor Pawel/Shutterstock)

白金汉宫, 英国伦敦 Buckingham Palace in London, England (© Pajor Pawel/Shutterstock)

白金禧年庆典 Platinum Jubilee celebrations

Buckingham Palace in London

Any royal watcher will tell you that the Brits know how to throw a good party. For Queen Elizabeth II's platinum jubilee—she's been monarch for an amazing 70 years—a slew of events are planned, hitting all the notes from pomp and ceremony to picnics on the village green. Of course, the Trooping of the Colour will take center stage today as the official birthday parade, with 1,400 soldiers in full military regalia, 200 horses, and 400 military band musicians. The royal family will watch the parade and then turn their gaze to the skies as the Royal Air Force flies past. The rest of the jubilee week will include a service of Thanksgiving at St. Paul's Cathedral in London, a live concert here at Buckingham Palace, and a special pageant featuring people from throughout Britain.

Locally, beacons will be lighted the length of the land, and we can't deny that we're excited about a nationwide baking contest to discover a new dessert fit for the queen. Another delicious way to celebrate the jubilee is with the Big Lunch. The idea took off in 2009 and is now a beloved annual tradition. Communities get together to celebrate and enjoy themselves, sharing food and friendship in gatherings large and small. The lunch can be a neighborhood barbecue or a street party—or even an impromptu wine-and-cheese affair, with people sitting on folding chairs in someone's driveway. While no one really needs an excuse to show their national pride, a platinum jubilee is quite a remarkable reason to celebrate.

伦敦白金汉宫

任何一位皇家观察家都会告诉你，英国人知道如何举办一个好的派对。伊丽莎白女王二世（Queen Elizabeth II）的白金周年纪念日，她担任国王长达70年之久，计划举办一系列活动，从盛大的仪式到乡村绿地上的野餐，无不引人注目。当然，今天的官方生日阅兵式将以彩色骑兵为中心，1400名士兵身着华丽的军装，200匹马，400名军乐团音乐家。王室将观看阅兵式，然后在皇家空军飞过时将目光投向天空。庆祝周的其余时间将包括在伦敦圣保罗大教堂举行的感恩节仪式、在白金汉宫举行的现场音乐会，以及由来自英国各地的人们参加的特别盛会。

在当地，灯塔将照亮整个土地，我们不能否认，我们对全国范围的烘焙比赛感到兴奋，以发现适合女王的新甜点。庆祝禧年的另一种美味方式是丰盛的午餐。这个想法在2009年开始流行，现在已成为备受喜爱的年度传统。社区聚在一起庆祝和享受，在大大小小的聚会中分享食物和友谊。午餐可以是邻居的烧烤或街头派对，甚至是即兴的葡萄酒和奶酪聚会，人们坐在某人车道上的折叠椅上。虽然没有人真的需要一个借口来表达他们的民族自豪感，但白金禧年是值得庆祝的一个非凡理由。