I felt positively heathen because I didn't also buy some stocking stuffers or cards or little Santa pencils. I looked around and noticed that the store was sporting holiday garlands and decorations and fake snow and everything. I've been beseiged by commercials which try to create warm snuggly Christmas feelings and then tap into the mother lode of generosity which naturally springs from those feelings. Christmas images are used to sell everything from hamburgers to toys, cars to cards, clothes to diamonds. And Christmas seems to be the one holiday where everybody joins in the providing of various media messages.
All media are constructions.
That is, media messages are consciously created to achieve a certain effect. Whether commercial or personal, whether big or small, the sights and sounds of the season are constructed by peopleto convey a message. And in the construction of these messages, of course, our houses always look prettier, the snow is always softer and whiter, and every little child has a gleam in his eye. There is nothing wrong with any of this, of course. And then to share those warm feelings, recollections, wishes and images with others.