Tis the season, and it's never more evident than at America's shopping malls. From the first of November through the after Christmas sales, the lights and Christmas music are everywhere. Stores are hiring seasonal help and planning special gimmicks.
From the health nutrition stores to the toy shops and food vendors, seasonal items are on display. Free samples are handed out, often by those in costume. Animatronic displays and special stuffed toys, which almost seem alive. It could be a chance to relive childhood joys, or to grow as a person (in more ways than one), depending on the gifts one chooses and why. Amidst the crowds, the crying kids, and the occasional (and often unexpected) disturbance, beneath the consumer trends, there really *is* a tangible magic in the air. Almost as if the season really *could* change a person.
At this particular mall, a few shoppers and staff are about to find that out for themselves.