Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-05-29
"TRIP TO THE ORIENT
clarence e. Edwards Touring the
Eastern Countries.
HF IS OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.
INTERESTINGLY WRITTEN IN WEEK
LY LETTERS, WHICH WILL AP'
PEAR IN THE RECORDER.

Manila. P. I. December 2S:-
This is the holiday season IN the Is
lands, and you who are accustomed
to the winter Christmas weather
can have no conception OF how
things are in the tropics, especially
when the vast bulk of the people
are Catholics. Christmas ID the
great event, and for two weeks
there is nothing but festivities, balls,
dinners; parties and church going
The religious part of the festival
is always present, but it does not
interfere in the least with the mer-
ry making. One of the noticeable
features here is the lack OF gift CIV
ing which is SO prominent in, the
American celebration of the day.
Some of the Americans keep up the
old custom of giving gifts, but
among the natives it is almost UNI
known.
Christmas day is ushered in at
midnight of Deeembe Oath by asol-
emn mass at all the churches, and
then begins the merry making.
The mass is usually followed by a
ball which continues not only all
the rest of the night, but in most
Instances all Christmas day and the
next night. Of course the same
people are not dancing all the time,
| but they take turns at dancing,
sleeping and eating. The ball goes
en- continuously with changes OF
musicians
With us in the United States
Christmas is usually considered over
bv the time the day is done, and
we are ready to Pest for another
year. Not so here, however, for 1t
is now three days after Christmas
, day and the celebration is going on
lust the same. Instead of the usu-
, al decorations of evergreen and
mistletoe seen in colder countries
, the decorations here are flowers
and on all the doorways may bt
; seen fresh flowers, while the houses
, are full of the most beautlfu
| blooms of all sorts.
$ The average resident of the Is
8 lands is not averse to taking all TIT
d holidays possible, consequent.
4 there is little work done between
f Christmas and New Years. Ser
+ wants consider that this week be
n longs to them and it is q most un
usual thing to see them about tn
house where they are employed
The Christmas feasting does not re
a o,lire much labor in Manila, so ia
J., as the natives are concerned, to
L.
i they live principally on fruits tia
s. require no cooking, and rice, whlc
= REQUIRES little attention. Meats al
fe not much in vogue here, consequen
Ii " there is no such elaborate prep'
y ration for the Christmas dinner
y is to be seen in the United State
es Such a thing as a turkey is
ts unknown quantity here, unless son
8 over-enthusiastic American orde
M one sent out in cold storage. In
is tried but once by the same pc
= SON. for the flavor of cold stora'
turkey is something that does n
y appeal to the taste, especially in
;" hot climate. | enjoyed a Chris
M mas dinner with a Filipino frien
~ and told him that | wanted not
is ING that he did not have on orc
on nary occasions. He took me
re- nv word and spread feast co
,st sisted of fish, fruit, rice and pr
by serves. 1t was beautifully supple
~. and when we were through t
yes meal felt much better than
y usually the case of people who e
90 Joy Christmas dinners. There W
RS none of the feeling of fullness, a.
n.y. we were ready to go to the bail
Ter as the dances are called. We e
&c. loved the rest of the evening waite
'ad ing the dances.
ne There is none of the roughn'
ten here that is seen in some OF t
md Christmas celebrations in Amerlt
Dot The dances have none of the aba
lis. don and hoydenish rioting that
Inc have seen many times in my hol
% town. All is decorous, and the
most gentility and kindness of ms