Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-12-10


try. The north. south. east and
~ west Join In their many different
ways to make II a day Of good
cheer. and from the largest city to the
smallest hamlet some Amusement ia TO
be found. The cowboy julna with the
ranchcr. the merchant with the farmer.
the soldiers stationed on the frontier
and ut the reservations with their rcd
brothers. end the sailors Of the navy
with the people of no matter what
CLINE they happen to be- In 10 set as
mucn pleasure out of the day an Il
10 possible to get Christmas has grown
10 be an great national NE II IL n
religious holiday. ana if one were 10
situated that he could look down upon
the different sections u this country
he would see some very peculiar aud
Interesting methods employed TO celo-
brate the day.
To New England belongs the credit
OF the first American Christmas tree.
which In now nH much Of national
emblem at this season Of the year NJ
the rnidenrud 1.-THE national ii0wcf) u
In tho late summer. There are few
houses In the country. and especially
where there are children. which VIII be
found without one Of these trees loaded
down with toys and swcctmcntH Of al
kinds and studded with tapcfs. which
are lighted after the sun has dlunp-
pcarcd beyond the horizon. The tree
has reached 20 almost the limits 81
Uncle Sans possessions. and II II only
fow years ago. while the writer was
IN Alaska ut Christmas time. that he
attended n festival ut one Of the mis-
siona on Christmas night and saw the
tree Illuminated. much to the gratlhca-
ton Of the little dark skinned natives.
II may be said Zen PEASANT that they
were not the only ones who were intrr-
estcd either. for their parents, who had
become nemicivilizcd. took ~ much In.
tereat In N aa the youngsters.
There II the great frozen north In
the land n the midnight sun tho people
have their Santa Claus and other cele-
brn,lona Presenting Riftn 10 each other
IL very serious matter with them.
First the chiefs aud the head men ~
the different tribes must be- provided
for. Furr. seal oil. whale biuhber and
other thinFA which ARE TO be obtained
IN this section make up the greater part
Of these presents. and often the poor
padre who IN In charge ~ the mission
n supplied with enough whale blubber
60 keep n good sized oil refinery busy
for some time. While many 81 the ma .
tlves go TO the mission 60 service. they
have their own way OF celebrating and
their peculiar games are entered Into
by all the men In the village. They con-
rlnt Of running races. swapping their
long dashed whips ut small objects So
eurely fastened In the snow or Ice. and
using their spears. They become eN-
perta In the USE Of the long lnshed
Wins and their aim IL very accurate.
Theirs IA without doubt the quoerent Of
all the known methods of celebrating
Christmas, nnd with the exception 81
the people who inhablt some OF the new
Possessions which have recently come
10 Uncle Sam, the Alaslans are the
eueerrat folk he has 90 deal with. Their
winters are spent In tho rays " the sun.
and there II no night.
The Indians on our own frontier. ana
especially those who have become more
civilized ana have taken w farming,
md means OF their own for enjoying
the day. Early In December IN. crops
have been housed. md the rest" sea.
son begun. The Indians Of the Lagunn
tribes In Arizona ana New Mexico ar,
Tar more advanced toward civilization
than those Of most ~ tho other tribes
and consequently md more pleasure IL
the day. For weeks before Il nrrtvei
thcy make preparations Tor the event
and the old adobe ovens are kept con
ttantly going In making their blacl
bread ana the peculiar pies and stone
like cakes. The fatted calf has beef
numerouaiy and neatly killed; likcwiH
the obese sheep and the prcpoatcrou
pig. The cottonwood eiothoailneA II
each yard have been stretched and ar
loaded with raw meat slowly Jerking
In the sun. The cos,licat Navajo blnn
tets which have come down ~ heir
looms for century or more have bee
unrollod and busted, the silver rosnrle,
bracelets, rings and earrings ana bolt
have been polished, and an the collect
i've fnery of the people has been mad
ready 10 play It's part In the comm
festivities.
Christmas eve IL tho beginning a
the celebration, which lasts nearly
week. Custom from time immemorIa
has decrced TINT a band NJ dsncln
sirls--seleetod by the chief ana prac