Dec. 25, 2013 - PPM - Ho, Ho, No?

Because of Christmas, this week will have a BONUS PET PEEVE MONDAY (PPM).

Today's children have taken the "Letter to Santa" to an all-time low or efficiency, depending on your perspective.

I have several children, each with “Christmas Wishes.”

One child sent me an email along with internet links to the pages of the items she wanted.  She did everything but to put the items in my Amazon Shopping Cart and check-out.  I only hope she never learns my credit card passwords.

Another child ranked her items akin to the New York Times Best Seller list.  She updated the list every week leading up to Christmas based upon conversations with her friends about what they were getting.  This doesn’t work when you buy things in advance to avoid possible shipping delays.

Another child did have some ingenuity.  He provided a "Naughty and Nice" list along with pictures and graphics in a well-planned Powerpoint Presentation.  He also went for the "hard close" when he talked about how we need to support the Chinese Child Labor Market and the global economy with the purchase of the latest Apple iPhone 5.

Then there was the child that cried, “Wii, Wii, Wii, all the way home.”

What ever happened to the wholesome message of the Walton’s Homecoming Christmas movie, where they were all happy to receive ONE present?

What ever happened to sitting on Santa’s lap and lying about how you had been good “most” of the year?

What ever happened to responsible parents, just saying “NO” to these absurd requests?

Unfortunately, I’m guilty in the first degree.  I was like Oprah after a buffet on chicken wings washed down by Red Bull.

“You get an iPhone. You get an iPhone. You get an XBOX ONE….”

I should have taken the opportunity to teach them a lesson about wanton materialism.  Maybe next year…… after the newness of my new PC and printer wear off.