Gratitude...

With Christmas fast approaching, the television commercials are popping up more and more frequently. The Target one is cute, the dog running through all the people and small buildings, but the one that has my head spinning is the the one from Famous Footwear.  The one wear the blonde teenage girl says 'she won't ever get us, understand us, or get us what we...' then is so suprised and overjoyed when her mother 'gets' her enough to buy her a pair of Madden Girl boots. Her younger brother shares her excitement, and then the mother proceeds to get a hug from her daughter followed by the worst line of all 'This is a Christmas miracle!' I find this to be extremely disturbing. I realize that every teen says the same thing, our parents don't ever get us, that they don't understand us, blah blah blah. Thank God we grow out of that stage, but I have to admit that on Christmas morning I never ever felt the way that that girl spilled on a nationally distributed television commercial. And since when did parents find it an achievement to BUY their childrens gratitude and love? 'A Christmas Miracle'? That would be the reason for the season, that would be the gift of spending time with your family, or being alive to live the day. Not to mention the fact that our children are watching these commercials and the way that girl acted towards her mother and the gift is how our children could take our gifts on Christmas day.  How in the world is this right?