What are all these green and red thingshanging up outside of Starbucks?

[Kevin]

I am really confused - every year it gets cold and people start hanging silly green branches and red balls all over the place. They also keep putting up little tiny lights on strings and oooohhing and aaahhhing over them. What is that story??

 

[Scrooge]

Consumermania is the time of year when everyone runs around feeling all full of themselves and they need to purge their money and collect all kinds of consumer products. They sing songs about it - they even give most of those consumer products away to other people - in hopes that those people will also give them products in kinds. Consumermania is a joyous season for all. Merry Consumermania to all!