Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1906-12-14

CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD
How The Day is Kept in Every
Christian Land and Many
Pagan Countries.

How The Day IS hept IN EVERY
Christian Land and Many
Pagan Countries.
Christmas Day begins in the far OF
Pacific under the American flag at
Samoa. 1t ends on American soil un-
der the Stars and Stripes that now
wave over the Hawaiian Islands. In
the Samoan Islands, however, our
flag divides honors with both the
British and German emblems. The
Samoans remain in the background
while their protector" salute their
respective flags, but the foreign for
malities of the day over, the whites
adjourn to banquets of indigestible
plum pudding, while the Samoans
turn to their native poi, passing the
savory dish around until all are work.
ed up to state of excitement COM
mensurate with the idea of how
Christmas should be celebrated in the
Tropics.
A few hours later the sound Of
musketry arouses our soldier boys in
the Philippines to the knowledge that
Christmas is drawing, while the bells
of the churches summon the devout
Philippines to early mass. Almost
simultaneously, the 100000 native
Christians in Japan begin their cele-
bration of the day in a manner no
way different from that OF their
t. in M
across the Yellow Sea, in China,
Christmas becomes a serious affair.
On this day all the high functionar-
les and officials pay their state calls
to the foreign residents. Long red
Christmas cards filled out with Chin
ese characters are presented to the
Christian host, and after the general
exchange of courtesies, John China
man returns home to pay his debts
and prepare for his own Christmas
and New Years festival which comes
a few weeks later, when all China
resounds to the fire-cracker.
The Russians carry Christmas more
than half way around the world
from Behring Straights to the Ger
man frontier. 1t is not hilarious
celebration, for there are 90,OOO.OOO
peasants to receive presents from a
few Thousand proprietors. They
gather Christmas morning before the
great house of the over-lord, and with
bowed heads stolidly await his COM
ing forth to distribute in silence
few simple presents. Easter Is the
day when all Russia goes mad.
Christmas is not set in a winter
scene everywhere. In India the day
is celebrated by the white residents
in picnicking under the trees, while
the native servants operate ponder
Gus fans. In Australia, Christmas
Day falls during the hottest period of
the year. Horse racing takes the
place of football, and there is yacht
ing instead of ice-boating.
1t is but natural to expect that the
Jews would celebrate their Christmas
in advance of the Christians. In Box
hara, the first Jewish Christmas fes-
tivities begin with the ''Feast of
Tabernacles," which is celebrated at
the end of the year. Perhaps in this
feast originated the idea OF the
Christmas Tree, for from time i'm
| memorial it has been the custom to
gather leafy boughs from which open
booths are made and in these live the
Jews until their "Christmas" season
is over. 1t is the Oldest celebration
of the "year's end" Of which we have
any authentic record.
The dawn of Christmas has passed
almost half way around the world be-
fore it touches the spot where Christ
was born.
Shepherds still watch their flocks
by night during the Christmas season
around Bethlehem. 1t is the most
peaceful scene in all the Holy Land.
Yearly they watch the procession of
pilgrims that wends its way from the
Church of the Holy Sepulchre thru
the Via Dolorosa, out through St.
Stephens Gate, where the martyr
was stoned to death, and across the
plains to Bethlehem. All night long
the footsore travellers, who have
gathered from every part of the
world, may be seen trudging by star
light toward the little village OF
Bethlehem. Thousands 60 singly
other thousands in professions with
emblems and banners. The Russians
carry their sacred pictures before
them and anathematize the Romans
who bear aloft their sacred images.
The Copts appear in gorgeous ritua-
listic array, while the Abyssinians
set forth from their humble settle.
ment behind the Church of the Holy
Sepulchre, in the dark robes that dis.
tinguish them.
| All meet at the gates of Bethlehem,
where special guard of Mohamme'
dan soldiers is in waiting with musk
cts loaded, to keep order at the mid
night mass held over the spot where
the Christ was born.
Escorted by infidel soldiers, the
Greek Catholics approach the Church
of the Nativity and are protected
during their devotions; the pilgrims
of all sects are treated with equal
consideration at this shrine, which is