Omaha daily bee., 1908-12-13
NATIVITY MORN ON ITS ROUND
Sunrise Statutes as Christmas Swings
Round the World.
FIRST AND LAST GREETING
Unique Distinction for the American
Flag - How Various People
welcome and Observe
the Day.

TIL Stars and Stripes is one the first
Of national flags to salute the rising sun
on Christmas morning, and the last to
wave adieu In the evening. The line
marking the beginning Of the new day
intersects Samoa on the south and Guam
on the north, on both OF which the Amer
lean flag floats as tho emblem Of sover-
eighty. Within an hour It has kissed the
folds OF countless standards in the Philip
pines, Asia In the forenoon of the day,
Europe the high noon, America the after
noon and Hawaii the sunset of the passing
day. While not quite betting the planet
while the sun shines, the flag %flutters
over a considerable section of the circuit
and enjoys its unique distinction of salut-
ing the coming and speeding Of the part
ing day.
Let us In spirit follow the revolution of
the earth on Christmas day and note the
peculiarities of the various observances
In Samoa, where the British and German
emblems divide honors with our flag, the
natives, we are told by Alexander Hume
Ford in the Travel Magazine. remain in
the background while their protectors
salute their respective flags. These for
malities over, the whites adjourn to ban-
quets OF indigestible plum pudding, while
the Samoans turn to their native poi. pass
ing the savory dish around until they are
worked up to a state of excitement com
mensurate with the idea Of how Christmas
should be celebrated in the tropics.
In the Orient.
The sound of musketry arouses our SOL
der boys in the Philippines to the knowl-
edge that Christmas Is dawning, while the
bells OF the churches summon the devout
Filiplnos to early mass. Almost stimuli
taneously the Christians OF Japan begin
their celebration of the day in a manner in
no way different from that Of their fell
lows in America. But across the Yellow
sea, in China, Christmas becomes a seri-
GUS affair. on this day all the high func-
tionarles and officials pay their state calls
to the foreign residents. Long red Christ
mas cards filled out with Chinese char
acters are presented to the Christian host,
and after the general exchange Of cour-
tesies. John returns to his home to pay
his debts, and prepare for his own Christ
mas and New Years festival which comes
a few weeks later, when all China re-
sounds with the firecracker.
Thu Russians carry Christmas more than
half way around the world-from Behring
straits to the Baltic sea. 1t is not a hilari-
Gus celebration, for there are SO,OOO,OOO peas
ants to receive presents from a few thou
sand proprietors. They gather Christmas
morning before the great house of the
overload. and with bowed heads stolidly
await his coming forth to distribute in
silence a few simple presents.
In Tropical Setting.
Christmas is not set in a winter scene
everywhere. In India the day is cele-
brated by the white residents in picnicking
under the trees, while the native servants
operate ponderous fans. In Australia
Christmas day falls during the hottest
period of the year. Horse racing takes
the place of foot ball. and there is yachting
instead of ice boating.
1t Is but natural TO expect that the Jews
should celebrate their Christmas in adj
vance of the Christians. In Bokhara the
first Jewish Christmas festivities begin
with the feast of the tabernacles," which
is celebrated at the end OF the year. Per-
haps in this feast originated the idea Of
the Christmas tree, for from time imme-
mortal It has been the custom to rather
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 years end OF
which we have any authentic record.
In the Holy Land.
The dawn of Christmas has passed al
most half way around the world before 1t
touches the spot where Christmas was
born. Shepherds still watch their flocks
by night during the Christmas season
around Bethlehem. 1t is the most peacs-
full scene in all the Holy Land. Yearly
they watch the procession Of pilgrims that
wends its way from the Church OF the
Holy sepulchre through the Via Dolorosa,
out through st. Stephens gate, where the
martyr was stoned TO death. and across
the plains of Bethlehem. All night long
the foot sore travellers, who have gathered
from every part of the world, may be
seen trudging by starlight toward the little
yillLge OF Bethlehem. Thousands go singly,
other thousands in professions with en-
hlems and banners. The Russians carry
their sacred pictures before them and an
alternative the Romans who bear aloft
their sacred images. The Copts appear in
gorgeous rituallstic array, while the Abyss
sinians set forth from their humble settle
ment behind the Church of the Holy Sepul-
chre in the dark robes that distinguish
them.
All meet at the gates of Bethlehem
where a special guard of Mohammedar
soldiers is in waiting with muskets loaded
to keep order at the midnight mass helC
over the spot where the Christ was horn
Escorted by infidel soldiers, the Greel
Catholics approach the church of the Ma
tivity and are protected during their de
NOTIONS; the pilgrims of all sects ar,
treated with equal consideration at THU
shrine. which is the common property o
all who regard Il as their own.
In Syria the native Christians are ap
TO celebrate Christmas indoors, but II