According to Joel, there are six distinct tunnel-like pathways through the room-sized winter wonderland that one can take. As parents and children approach, a Boss Elf tries to determine by sizing them up which avatar of Santa they'd appreciate the most. The traditional Kris Kringle? The African-American Santa? The Latino Santa? The Santa who knows sign language? Mrs. Claus? The Michelin Tire Santa? All of them occupy niches in the North Pole network of passages and chambers. Each is kept apart from the other, so as to present to the visitor a vision of the "one and only" Santa Claus. I find myself recalling the Wizard's technique in L. Frank Baum's "The Wizard of Oz" of presenting himself differently to Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Lion, depending on what image he thought might awe and intimidate. The situation at Macy's is very similar, only the intention is to amaze and delight.

Nevertheless, at one point the Macy's philosophy of "a Santa for every need" backfired. An African-American mother was heard to sound off loudly that under no circumstances would she accept "a chocolate Santa" as the confidante of her children's Christmas wishes. She wanted "the real Santa," and that meant the white guy. Oops! Sorry ma'am! Right this way, down Pathway Number 1.
I'm sure you'll find someone MUCH more satisfactory at the end of it . . .

On the one hand, a clumsy attempt on the part of a major New York City department store to be P.C.. On the other hand, a mother hell-bent on her personal vision of holiday authenticity. A grim confrontation to be sure.