Airlines Canceling Some Flights Due to Weather; Christmas around the World
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everybody. Good Christmas morning. Coming to you now from the CNN center in Atlanta, Georgia, on this Christmas edition of CNN SATURDAY MORNING. I'm T.J. Holmes. Wherever you may be this morning and whatever you may up to be with your family and friends. Glad you're spending at least a part of your day here with us this morning. We're just seeing there, Pope Benedict delivering his traditional Christmas message, delivering it to millions there live and in person to those folks who were gathered at St. Peters Square this morning. He had a message for the people there and a message for Christians around the world, praying for peace in particular. We'll show you a little more of that as well as show you how people were celebrating Christmas around the country, around the world, as well. A lot of people every year, they are hoping for a white Christmas. Some of you are going to get it and that ain't the best thing. White is blanketing parts of the country, causing some trouble for folks on the road, in the air, as well. This is some information you need. It's going to cause trouble for people trying to travel today possibly on Christmas and certainly for some of you folks trying to make it home over the next couple of days, as well. Also, you're out of time, right? You've been procrastinating, you waited last minute to get some of those gifts for those folks. But you know what, you're not actually out of time yet. There are actually some places today you can go and still pick up a last-minute Christmas gift. Yes, some stores, they want your money today. We'll tell you who is still open, yes, as of this morning. But still, I want to get to some of this severe weather. We talk about a white Christmas. Some are going to get it, including one place is going to have a white Christmas today that has never had a white Christmas before. Bonnie Schneider will be along in a second with those details. If you are flying today, especially on Delta, you need to give them a call before you head to the airport. Live picture here out of Chicago this morning that you're looking at, Chicago's O'Hare Airport. But Delta Airlines canceled hundreds of Christmas Day flights. They did that yesterday trying to get ahead of the bad weather that's threatening the south as well as the east coast, 300 flights in and out of Atlanta canceled, another 200 flights around the country, they canceled, as well. But Delta's trying to help you out like some of the other airlines. They know this is a tough time for a lot of folks around the holidays trying to get somewhere. They are at least -- having to cancel your flight because of weather, they are giving you the option of changing your flight schedule without any penalties. So check with your particular airline to see what some of the restrictions are. But they're at least trying to help out in that regard. Over in France, let me show you this, as well. Misery for the passengers there at France's busiest airport. The authorities there canceled half the flights serving Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport stranding thousands of people there overnight. A couple of reasons they had problems there. Freezing temperatures one thing, but also a shortage of de-icing fluid. That was the issue there. They didn't have enough of it to go around. Then on top of that, there was a dangerous build-up of snow on the roof of one terminal so it had to be evacuated. France expecting more freezing temperatures today. Let me get you right to Bonnie Schneider with what you want to know, what you need to know this morning, the travel situation. Yes, it always sounds great, a white Christmas, but some people trying to get around.</s>HOLMES: That, I was fascinated. Bonnie was telling me this right before we came on the air here. But one place never ever has seen a white Christmas will get one this time around. So you want to stick around for that Bonnie. Thank you so much. Of course, it is Christmas Day. Christians marking one of the holiest days on the calendar and Washington, one of the highlights of Christmas is the midnight mass, the basilica of the national shrine of the immaculate conception. The basilica is the biggest Catholic church in the western hemisphere and the eighth largest basilica in the world. President Obama not at the service. He's actually in Hawaii, of course, this Christmas for his vacation. Before leaving DC, though, he and the first lady delivered a Christmas message to the country.</s>BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Merry Christmas, everybody. Michelle and I just wanted to take a moment today to send greetings from our family to yours.</s>FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA: This is one of our favorite times of year and we're so fortunate to be able to celebrate it together in this wonderful home. But in this time of family and friends and good cheer, let's also be sure to look out for those who are less fortunate, who've hit a run of bad luck or who are hungry and alone this holiday season.</s>B.  OBAMA: Today we're also thinking of those who can't be home for the holidays, especially all our courageous countrymen serving overseas. So let's all remind them this holiday season that we're thinking of them and that America will forever be here for them just as they've been there for us.</s>HOLMES: Now, this was last night's tradition here. Gathering on Christmas eve to hear Pope Benedict XVI deliver mass, pray for peace around the world. And not too long after that, just a couple hours ago, another tradition from the balcony at St. Peters basilica where the pope delivered his annual Christmas blessing and message to the world, tens of thousands gathered in the square below in a light rain to hear from the pope this morning. Also, another major highlight of Christmas for many Christians, a visit to Bethlehem. The town is known as the traditional birthplace of Jesus. Thousands of pilgrims from around the world converged on Bethlehem for a midnight mass. Services in the church of the nativity were led by a Latin patriarch of Jerusalem. Different picture, though in Iraq, many Christians there are keeping Christmas low key for fear of attack. At least seven people killed over 24 hours in the latest round of violence in the south. More masses are being held in the relatively safe Kurdish area of northern Iraq. Many churches in and around Baghdad canceled Christmas observances altogether in light of recent attacks targeting Christians.</s>MARIAM SAMIR, IRAQI CHRISTIAN (through translator): It gets worse every year. But despite the situation, we will keep celebrating, she says and not allow sorrow to prevail.</s>HOLMES: United Nations says violence and persecution of Iraqi Christians has forced thousands to leave the country. You might remember back in October, 70 people killed in the siege of Our Lady of Salvation Catholic church in Baghdad, 53 of those victims, Christians. Want to go now to Jomana Karadsheh. She's live for us in Baghdad with more on kind of a tempered Christmas celebration today. Hello to you.</s>JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, T.J. The mood is very grim this Christmas in Baghdad, no Santa Claus, no Christmas trees and no decorations or even evening mass. Church leaders here decided after they received recent threats around Christmas time to cancel or tone those down because they didn't want to jeopardize the lives of Christians. But at the same time, T.J., there's been a spirit of defiance. Hundreds of people did show up to mass this morning. They went to churches in Baghdad. We went back to Our Lady of Salvation at the scene of that horrific attack. Hundreds of people showed up. It was a very somber mass. And there was grief and sorrow that was so apparent on peoples' faces. And those we spoke to over there said they had one wish this Christmas, peace and security.</s>HOLMES: Do they, as well? Is there anyone taking the lead, including government officials on speaking out and asking for calm, asking for tolerance and trying to protect Christians during this time?</s>KARADSHEH: Absolutely, T.J. There's been a lot of that. There's been a lot of condemnation from the Iraqi government, Iraqi leaders, members of the Muslim community here against extremist acts, but that's not enough. People want more protection. The Christians, the dwindling community need more. We've seen intensified security today, a lot of security forces present around churches. But those we spoke to at church said that's not enough. It's coming a bit late. They need more protection when they're not even at church on Christmas.</s>HOLMES: All right, Jomana Karadsheh for us in Iraq, where Christmas looks a little different from a lot of places around the world. We appreciate you. Thank you so much. Coming up, we have a story we really want you to see, we really want you to hear. Because this morning, one family is going to have a better Christmas than maybe they would have otherwise had because of a complete stranger. We'll explain what happened in a Wal-Mart checkout line that changed this morning for them. Also coming up this morning, a lot of you have been hustling over the past couple of days trying to get in that last-minute Christmas shopping, those last-minute gifts and you think, all right, it's Christmas morning, so you're out of luck now. Actually, no, still got some stuff on the list? Josh Levs maybe has a few places you can still go get it today.</s>JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, believe it or not, millions of people are planning to shop today. So if you're one of them, where do you go? What kind of presents can you buy? I'm about to show you.</s>SPC.  ASHLEY SOLES, U.S.  ARMY: This is Ashley Soles currently serving in