Ever since you first hung your stockings before the glowing fire and went up to bed excitedly confident that Santa Claus would come down the chimney before morning, bringing a doll and a red sled, the fireplace has been a symbol of comfort and happiness. Some of us have grown up from Santa Claus, but the good cheer, hospitality and romance have become as much a part of the fireplace as the bricks or the tiles themselves.