I recently, as in last night while waiting to play Zelda because my Wii
U was charging, I read an article showing two different Christmas
lists, one from 2013, and one from 1915. Two kids who wrote a Christmas
list almost 100 years apart, and the difference was drastic. On the 1915 list, the boy started out by politely asking Santa how he was and that he was good. He then went on to, still politely, ask for a set of paints, I believe a book, and a schoolbag to put them in. He ended the letter by saying how grateful he would be if he received those three gifts for Christmas. When I lookt at the 2013 list a little girl wrote this year, the difference was blatant from the start. She began without a 'Dear Santa,' no 'I've been good this year,' no, 'I haven't wrapped my brother's toothbrush with my dirty socks more than once or twice this year,'. No, her list was just that, a list. Two pages of very specific things, from 'All the Beanie Babies (sorry if spelt incorrectly.),' and ' 1,000 bucks,' to, paraphrasing slightly here, ' A little thing that can change into anything at anytime'. I never put anything like that last part in any list, no matter how cool it sounds. After the list, there was not any closing message to Santa or a thank you to speak of. If you did not know any better, or had different context, it lookt like a bratty fairy tale girl's grocery list. Maybe it was not as bad as some children, maybe it was bad by comparison, but I remember writing to Santa somewhere in the letter at least once. Maybe it is just me, but do you think we have gotten more greedy during the holidays? Remember to post why you believe whatever your answer is. Merry Christmas!

Well I see it as how a kid is raised.
When I was growing up we thought hard for two months on 5 items we would like for Christmas.  But we had to earn it by doing our chores, going to church.  We had a three strikes rule from beginning of school to Christmas.  Every time we were naughty a strike would be put on our paper.  If we got three strikes a gift would be marked off.  There were chances to earn back a gift but that also was done in three.

By being teenagers we no longer needed it.  My siblings and I never fought and we did our chores and home work by the time we were teens.

Now to get back to my point.
It's all how you are raised.  Some parents want to spoil their kids and Christmas is the best time to do it.  Kids are taught by these parents that no matter how bad they act they will get what they want.  It's happened in any family since the start of Christmas I believe.
But then there are the good parents who teach their children that if they want something they have to work for it and earn it.
I remember when I was around 10 we started another thing where every week we chose one of our old toys to donate to those in need around the Christmas season so we knew the meaning of giving.  I pass this to the kids I baby sit so they learn the same thing.

I'm greedy like my brother but we don't celebrate Christmas, like my brother mariowin13.

Look... Christmas has grown into something that seems very materialistic and self-centered, yes, true. But I believe that there's still good in the holiday and that the instance you just cited was only a minority. 

My evidence:
Now, my family has always been raised with full awareness that there was no Santa. 
My parents and older siblings even wrapped presents in front of me and my little brother. 
We were raised without much, and I can remember several Christmases where I didn't expect a gift. 
Even now, no member of my family other than my youngest brother asks for anything anymore. 
And even then, he never asks for more than one thing. Because we all know, very well, that Christmas is not a time for gifts. They're great and all, but we all realize that the real great part of the gifts is that we could even afford them in the first place. 

I thing Egbert said it honestly. It has become so materialistic and just all about yourself that it takes away from what the true concept of Christmas really is. It is about the birth of Jesus. All it is now is just what am I getting this year? And it just shouts me me me me me. I wouldn't be shocked if people just forgot about what it truly means in a few generations because by then we will be so spoiled. My parents do the best they can to not raise us like that. They do their best to teach us and educate us with what this time of year is really all about. Who's to say we don't enjoy a good gift, but that shouldn't take the place of what it really means. 

Christmas isn't about getting what you want or what you can receive from others. In fact it is the complete opposite, it is what you can give to them. I can't say the same for all children in America, but at least we know the meaning of what Christmas REALLY is, some kids think it is all about them and what they can get out of it, when that isn't really what it is at all. I am glad you made this thread, it really makes for a good discussion topic in my opinion. 

Without a doubt we have became greedy. We use to have Christmas with the idea of family coming together, but obviously now we have evolved to "Yay, the most expensive thing I wanted is mine!"

Oh yes...I'm always greedy with my things...no one should ever touch it. Especially on Christmas.

Well come to think of it yes I am kinda greedy at Christmas, I mean the stuff I get for Christmas is my stuff.... PAWS OFF!!

Yes. I remember this one toddler who received two presents by a family member of his and he said "Can I have another one?".?

I usally don't let people play with stuff I got for christmas. Especially on Christmas.

Also, This one time in class I told my friends that Christmas was about giving. Then someone said that it was about receiving.

Yes, I think we (as a society) need to remember that amassing a collection of more, more and more material things won't make us happy.
As for how children ask for presents, I think it depends on how they are raised.

Yeah. I put a few games on my Christmas List, because there's not much I really specifically want, but when I look at it, it's worth $350. I think times have changed, but Christmas is more about "BUY ME STUFF" then giving.

It just depends on how mature the person is. If they don't care much about being realistic & fair, knowing that not everyone can get what they want or anything at all, then they should be happy with whatever it is they get. If not, then they need to realize, whether they are naturally greedy or if they were raised thinking it was okay to be greedy, what they're doing is wrong.