My kids get precious little through the year. Both of them have birthdays in December, DS2's was yesterday.
We don't drink, we don't go out every weekend and buy them something like a cheap toy/top like some people we know do, we don't go to the cinema hardly ever, we go on one holiday a year. Infact compared to a lot of people we do fuck all.
Yes we do spoil our children at Christmas, I'll hold my hands up. We don't get into debt for it. But do you know what? They deserve it. I am disabled, they put up with a lot, they have to clean the house, do stuff for me, cook meals and have responsibilities that none of their friends have. DH has been away since Sept 18th, if it weren't for my kids and the way they have helped out, he would have had to give up his job. DS1 has been running me to hospital appointments in 3 counties, he has booked leave so he can help me when DS2 has surgery. If I show my appreciation to them by saving throughout the year and giving them a good Christmas that's my lookout.
We know not everyone else is in the same boat. They are most certainly not brats, when DS2 was helping with Christmas cards, he asked why I sent them and why I didn't spend the money on food for the foodbank instead. Because he said that to me I bought stuff for the foodbank. DS1 can't sleep at night because he is so angry about what David Cameron is doing to the poor, sick and vulnerable in this country. He bought a PS3 game to put in the box for the local children's hospice that his work was collecting for.
They are really, really good kids and we are incredibly proud of them.