Plastic surgery is de rigueur. Celebrity has become reality. People are living Second Lives online. And shopping malls have become full-fledged Disneyfied shopping experiences.

In a world where fakery has not only become commonplace but socially acceptable, especially at the time of year when everyone celebrates Santa Claus, I believe there's something comforting, almost old-fashioned about throwing on a DVD that replicates a real wood-burning fireplace.

Maybe that's because my real fireplace doesn't work. Or maybe because I think there's something existential about watching a bundle of logs endlessly burn, never to become ash. Or maybe I'm just lazy.

With the prevalence of DVD, a huge market has opened up for such loopy constructions, quite possibly because they're so cheap and easy to produce. It's true. Just search Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com ) for "fireplace DVD" and over a dozen different versions will appear.

There's a high-definition edition if the flickering isn't crisp enough for you. There are setting-specific versions if you need your fire to have a backstory. In Cape Cod or Sierra Nevada? On the beach or inside a cabin? The choice is yours, friend.

For less than $20, I prefer this one (http://tinyurl.com/y9avv6 ) because you can choose between flames or embers, fullscreen or widescreen, ambient sounds or music. There are also some special features, such as an interview with the director and a preview of an aquarium DVD.

Fake fish? Now thaaat's bizarre.

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Stay tuned to asap for more gift suggestions throughout the holiday season.

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