"Every November, Santa appears in most of America's malls, where the nation's children wait in line to speak to him. They climb on his lap, and , if they're not to terrified, they tell him if they've been naughty or nice. Like religious penitents, they confess their transgressions, as for absolution, emphasize their special graces, and then plead for indulgences--or at least indulgence."

"Unlike other Clauses, Santa is a tangible figure, more visible than invisible, appearing all over the holiday landscape. And while the Clauses in other countries usually bring fruit and nuts and homemade toys for children's stockings, the American Santa is a profligate giver of brand-name commercial items." (119)

(Farrell, James J. One Nation Under Goods: Malls and the Seductions of American Shopping. Washington: Smithsonian Books, 2003. Print.)