'Tis the Season . . .

Attila Clemann (07/12/02)

‘Tis the season . . . and what a curious season it is. We are half way through the Christmas craze that falls on Christian countries of the world complete with all the festivities and ceremonies that go along with it. Santa Clause is here as well and thanks to the multinational express of Nestlé, Coke and the rest of the gang, Santa continues to poke his head out from billboards and advertisements, fur lined hat and all. A fur hat? It’s 35º C outside! Am I being unreasonable or is this truly absurd? The local air conditioned mega mall houses its very own Santa castle with kids on Santa's knee and an enormous plastic Christmas tree in front of which bronzed Brazilians pose for their Christmas souvenir. Fluffy, warm bears hang in the windows of some of the shops and Santa's little helpers are in the customary red and white cap and mini skirts. In our neighbourhood several windows show off plastic evergreen trees adorned in the customary North American or European fashion. There was even a stage for a Christmas concert whose decor consisted of a giant chimney and fireplace. A fireplace? It’s 35º C outside!

I would love to see Santa's face when his agent told him that Coca Cola wanted him to head down south of the equator. “Can I wear some shorts, maybe drop the hat, short sleeves?” “Well, actually . . . . contractually you are bound to the red and white snowsuit. Image, image image, you know.” Santa continues, “But whose going to believe that I can deliver presents to little kids who don’t have chimneys, many of whom have probably never even seen one?” “Sanny Sanny Sanny, you worry about the photo-ops, we will take care of the rest.” And the multinational express barrels on past imposing it’s own mono culture on everyone.

It makes me a little concerned when I see cultures adopting traditions whose introduction is so obviously purely economic. Perhaps I am being too idealistic as many other traditions have probably started for the very same reasons but this case just doesn’t fit. And don’t get me wrong, I like Santa, warm fuzzy snowsuits, and pine trees, but . . . did I tell you . . . . it’s 35ºC outside! When the marketing geniuses brought us Santa Clause in North America, it was charming and even plausible. It fit into our general sense of chilly winters and our search for comfy warm images. Brazil probably seeks comfy images as well but come on . . .these multinational marketing engines have gotten so big that logical images to entice costumers have simply gone out the frosty window. There is absolutely nothing of this imported mass media spokesman that seems to fit into what I have seen of Brazil. I suppose this should also be put into some perspective. Walk in any of the poorer neighbourhoods and there is no Santa. Christmas is quite obviously celebrated, as many of Brazils poor are quite devout, but they have yet to buy into the imported ideals. Enter the "Shopping Guararapes", or some of the upper class neighbourhoods and of course your man is there, red, fur lined hat, bulging red snow suit, smiling with his rosy cheeks . . . . oh yeah, and it’s 35ºC outside!