Holiday Festival

Christmas trees and wreaths on sale in the midst of a rain forest, live reindeer (caged and looking anxious), Santa Photo Booth (some children screaming in fear of the strange man in the red outfit), hot doughnuts deep-fried and encased in sugar, and snowflakes being painted on the faces of children who have never seen snow. When you look at our holiday rituals with an anthropological eye, you have to wonder at the bizarre customs we seem to cherish.